Writing is a very complex activity, which involves cognitive, metacognitive and affective processes. It demands the mastery of different types of knowledge and several skills. Written expression is especially challenging for students with learning difficulties and various special needs. These students are at particular risk. They evidence greater challenges with writing tasks than their peers.
The main aims of this single-case study were to design a specific writing intervention and evaluate its effects on the writing skills of students with written expression difficulties. We used the diagnostic test Splošni govorni preizkus: Pisno sporočanje to test the writing skills of 6th grade students, aged 11-12 years. We identified those who had written expression difficulties. In the experimental group were two students with evident written expression difficulties, while the control group consisted of five students. Three of them were students with written expression difficulties and two of them were typically achieving students. With the help of Test tihega branja and individual subtests of ACADIA and SNAP we performed a diagnostic assessment of students' specific cognitive skills (phonologic awareness, recall of words from long-term memory, formation and use of words, etc.), which are essential for writing. Later we performed a specific writing intervention with two students from the experimental group. The training was done in 15 meetings. Every meeting lasted for one school lesson (45 minutes). After the training, we re-applied all the diagnostic tests. Then we compared the initial and the final results of students from the experimental and the control groups. The results of the retests showed improvement of writing skills of both students from the experimental group. On the other hand, there is no evident improvement of their specific cognitive skills connected with writing. Considering the results of our single-case study, we predict that a continuous specific writing intervention can have a positive impact on improving the writing skills of students with written expression difficulties.
Therefore, this MA thesis focuses on different written expression issues and emphasises the importance of the systematic development of writing skills. By examining students' writing skills and presenting several writing strategies, we wanted to contribute to the development and improvement of the identification, diagnostic evaluation, special-educational help and support for students with written expression difficulties.
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