POSTER PRESENTATIONS

Ms Grace James - Grace is an Occupational Therapist who has worked across Australia and in Fiji. She has experience in providing services to a range of neurodiverse clients, including clients with dyslexia in the area of handwriting, executive functioning and academic work. She is currently the team leader for the Access Ability team at James Cook University (Australia) which coordinates and manages adjustments for university students with dyslexia and other learning disorders.

From shame to empowerment: A qualitative exploration of the clinical placement experiences of speech pathology students with dyslexia

As part of their professional training, speech-language pathology (SLP) students must undertake several periods of clinical practice or placement in order to not only learn practical skills associated with their profession but also to practice applying their theoretical knowledge in the clinical context. Executive functioning skills such as working memory, information processing, organisation and time management are all skills that are needed during the clinical practice experience. However, many SLP students with dyslexia may need reasonable adjustments in order to successfully manage their clinical placements. This study outlines the results of a qualitative research study where newly graduated and current 4th-year speech-language pathology (SLP) students with dyslexia were interviewed about their clinical placement experiences while on their 4th-year placement. The aim of this research is to better understand the challenges faced and strategies used by SLP students with dyslexia.

Three participants were recruited via social media and interviewed either in person or via Microsoft Teams using a semi-structured interview format. Thematic analysis identified four core themes - the continuous journey that SLP students with dyslexia go on that culminates in their clinical placement, the strategies that they use to help them learn and get through placement and finally the deep feelings of inadequacy that they experience. As the SLP profession continues to value diversity amongst clinicians, it is imperative that the experiences of neurodiverse students are better understood so that practice educators are well-equipped with ways to support such students.

Keywords: dyslexia, clinical placement, speech-language pathology

Dr Jacqueline Lim, Senior Lecturer - Jacqueline is a senior lecturer at James Cook University and has worked as a speech pathologist for more than 20 years in Australia and Canada. She has worked with children and adults with a range of speech, language and swallowing difficulties. She has a particular interest in working with children with childhood apraxia of speech, phonological disorders and literacy difficulties. She received her PhD from the University of Sydney, and her current research interests include treatment in childhood apraxia of speech and literacy.

From shame to empowerment: A qualitative exploration of the clinical placement experiences of speech pathology students with dyslexia

As part of their professional training, speech-language pathology (SLP) students must undertake several periods of clinical practice or placement in order to not only learn practical skills associated with their profession but also to practice applying their theoretical knowledge in the clinical context. Executive functioning skills such as working memory, information processing, organisation and time management are all skills that are needed during the clinical practice experience. However, many SLP students with dyslexia may need reasonable adjustments in order to successfully manage their clinical placements. This study outlines the results of a qualitative research study where newly graduated and current 4th-year speech-language pathology (SLP) students with dyslexia were interviewed about their clinical placement experiences while on their 4th-year placement. The aim of this research is to better understand the challenges faced and strategies used by SLP students with dyslexia.

Three participants were recruited via social media and interviewed either in person or via Microsoft Teams using a semi-structured interview format. Thematic analysis identified four core themes - the continuous journey that SLP students with dyslexia go on that culminates in their clinical placement, the strategies that they use to help them learn and get through placement and finally the deep feelings of inadequacy that they experience. As the SLP profession continues to value diversity amongst clinicians, it is imperative that the experiences of neurodiverse students are better understood so that practice educators are well equipped with ways to support such students.

Keywords: dyslexia, clinical placement, speech-language pathology

Ms Joanne Martin - Joanne is a speech-language pathologist who works with Education Queensland, Australia, to provide speech-language pathology services to children with a range of communication and literacy issues. She is passionate about improving the academic experiences of children with dyslexia and other learning disorders. She also has a nursing background and is currently working as a nurse within the Queensland Health department.

From shame to empowerment: A qualitative exploration of the clinical placement experiences of speech pathology students with dyslexia

As part of their professional training, speech-language pathology (SLP) students must undertake several periods of clinical practice or placement in order to not only learn practical skills associated with their profession but also to practice applying their theoretical knowledge in the clinical context. Executive functioning skills such as working memory, information processing, organisation and time management are all skills that are needed during the clinical practice experience. However, many SLP students with dyslexia may need reasonable adjustments in order to successfully manage their clinical placements. This study outlines the results of a qualitative research study where newly graduated and current 4th-year speech-language pathology (SLP) students with dyslexia were interviewed about their clinical placement experiences while on their 4th-year placement. The aim of this research is to better understand the challenges faced and strategies used by SLP students with dyslexia.

Three participants were recruited via social media and interviewed either in person or via Microsoft Teams using a semi-structured interview format. Thematic analysis identified four core themes - the continuous journey that SLP students with dyslexia go on that culminates in their clinical placement, the strategies that they use to help them learn and get through placement and finally the deep feelings of inadequacy that they experience. As the SLP profession continues to value diversity amongst clinicians, it is imperative that the experiences of neurodiverse students are better understood so that practice educators are well equipped with ways to support such students.

Keywords: dyslexia, clinical placement, speech-language pathology

LIN, Xiaoxiao
Master’s Degree Student,
Department of Special Education,
National Tsing Hua University

LIN, Xiaoxiao is a Master of Science graduate in Special Education from the Department of Special Education, National Tsing Hua University, with a specialized focus on Reading Disabilitie and supplementary research experience in other special education fields; during her graduate studies, she served as a Research Assistant for 3+ faculty-led projects, contributing to tasks such as data collection, statistical analysis via SPSS, and literature reviews on reading disability screening and intervention, while presenting research findings at regional/international seminars and engaging in panel discussions on inclusive education practices; they further gained practical experience through a teaching practicum at an inclusive primary school, where they designed and implemented 15+ small-group intervention lessons for students with Reading Disabilities and adapted classroom materials for students with special educational needs, supplemented by community outreach work including volunteering at a reading support camp for children with Learning Disabilities and co-facilitating a parent workshop on home reading support, and they possess proficiency in academic English, quantitative research tools, and educational technology.

The moderation effect of Self-regulation on the relationship between Fine motor and Handwriting of Chinese children with and without Dyslexia

Learning to write can be a challenging and complex process for Chinese children, particularly for those with dyslexia. Based on its underlying mechanism, self-regulation has the potential to impact writing performance. However, this issue has received very little attention in past research. A correlational design was employed, with 100 third-grade students (50 with dyslexia, 50 typically developing) in Taiwan. Standardised assessments measured fine motor skills (VMI), self-regulation (HTKS-R), and handwriting performance across tasks of varying complexity (dictation, near-point copying, far-point copying, and basic writing ability). Results indicated that children with dyslexia exhibited significantly poorer fine motor skills than their peers (p<.001), even after controlling for age, non-verbal IQ, and character recognition. Self-regulation significantly moderated the relationship between fine motor skills and handwriting performance in near-point copying (β=0.088,p=.011) and basic writing tasks (β=0.056,p=.025), but only when self-regulation scores exceeded a threshold (≥ 34 points). This compensatory effect was more pronounced in low-complexity tasks, while high-complexity tasks (e.g., dictation) were constrained by orthographic knowledge deficits. The findings support a dynamic cognitive resource allocation model, emphasising the need for integrated interventions combining motor training and self-regulation strategies to enhance handwriting proficiency in children with dyslexia.

Keywords: self-regulation, fine motor skills, Chinese dyslexia, handwriting skills, moderation effect

Noorsaidah Haja Mohideen
Senior Educational Therapist
Dyslexia Association of Singapore

Noorsaidah is a Senior Educational Therapist at the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS), where she provides intervention for learners with dyslexia and other specific learning differences through both the Main Literacy Programme (MLP) and the Maths Programme.

With more than a decade of experience working with children and youths from diverse backgrounds, she has developed deep insights into the learning difficulties faced by students, particularly at-risk youth. Her passion for supporting these learners, together with her commitment to equipping them with the guidance needed to become more self-reliant, continues to drive her to provide sustained and targeted support in this specialised field.

In addition to her teaching role, she contributes to the development of the DAS Maths curriculum, ensuring that programmes remain responsive to the evolving needs of students with learning differences.

Examining the Effectiveness of Metacognitive Strategies on Problem-Solving and Math Learning in Students with Dyslexia

This study explores the metacognitive processes and emotional factors influencing the mathematical problem-solving experiences of secondary school students with dyslexia within the context of the Secondary 1 Normal Technical (Sec 1NT) Maths Curriculum. Utilising a purposive sampling method, two students who completed structured math intervention programs at the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS) were selected. Through thematic analysis of their problem-solving approaches, guided by Schraw’s (2001) metacognitive model and Stanton’s (2012) framework for self-regulated learning, the study reveals critical insights into students' comprehension, strategy use and emotional regulation. Key findings include students' use of visual strategies, their familiarity with problem types and their difficulty adapting strategies in the face of challenges. Low self-confidence and limited emotional regulation were found to hinder their problem-solving effectiveness. The results underscore the need for targeted instructional practices that emphasise both metacognitive and emotional regulation strategies. Recommendations for integrating Polya's problem-solving framework and metacognitive assessments into existing curricula are proposed to improve students' mathematical outcomes. Limitations of the study and avenues for future research, including expanding sample sizes and exploring different mathematical contexts, are also discussed.

Keywords: Metacognition, mathematical problem-solving, dyslexia, POLYA framework, metacognitive strategies, secondary education, Dyslexia Association of Singapore, problem-solving skills

Hayati is a Senior Educational Therapist at the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS). Since 2021, she has supported students with specific learning differences through the Main Literacy Programme and the DAS Maths Programme. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in History and Civilisation with a minor in English Linguistics. Hayati also holds specialist diplomas in Educational Therapy and Learning Support for Specific Learning Differences.

The Role of Morphological Instruction in Improving Reading Comprehension among Secondary Students with Dyslexia

Students with dyslexia may face difficulties with reading comprehension besides having phonological deficits (Lyon et al., 2003; Wagner et al., 2022). These difficulties are further compounded as texts get more challenging as they progress in their education. Morphological instruction has thus been identified as an intervention strategy to support students’ reading comprehension. Morphology, a subskill within the Simple View of Reading and the Reading Systems Framework provides an important bridge between word recognition and language comprehension as it not only facilitates word decoding, but also allows access to meaning of vocabulary words, which in turn could lead to improved text comprehension (Gough & Tunmer, 1986; Hoover & Gough, 1990; Perfetti & Stafura, 2014). Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the role of morphological instruction in improving reading comprehension among secondary students with dyslexia, through a case study of 4 Secondary 1 G1 students. The findings from this study reveal mixed performance for the different question types through the pre- and post-reading comprehension scores. Following the intervention, literal questions recorded the highest overall score, followed by inferential questions and then vocabulary questions. Also, three themes have been identified through qualitative analysis of the classroom observations, researcher’s reflective journal and student questionnaire, and they are applying morphological decoding, vocabulary building and improved comprehension. These findings have implications for practitioners’ implementation of evidence-based instructional approaches to teaching morphology to support students’ reading comprehension.

Keywords: dyslexia, morphological instruction, morphological decoding, vocabulary, reading comprehension 

Dr. WANG, Li-Chih Angus
Associate Professor, Department of Special Education and Counselling, The Education University of Hong Kong

Dr Wang, Li-Chih, is currently an Associate Professor and Associate Head of Department (Research and Postgraduate Studies) in the Department of Special Education and Counselling at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK). He has practical experience in teaching students with special needs at the preschool, elementary, and secondary levels in both public and private settings. Before he joined EdUHK, he served as a visiting PhD student at the University of Texas, Austin. His primary area of professional activity is the deficient cognitive-linguistic abilities of Chinese dyslexia, mainly on temporal processing, as well as the heterogeneity of Chinese dyslexia, which classifies the different subtypes of Chinese dyslexia by their cognitive-linguistic abilities. Also, his research is extended to examine the enhancement of their reading by improving their cognitive-linguistic abilities. Dr Wang's other research interests also cover the emotional conditions of Chinese students with dyslexia, such as anxiety, and how these conditions influence their reading.

The moderation effect of Self-regulation on the relationship between Fine motor and Handwriting of Chinese children with and without Dyslexia

Learning to write can be a challenging and complex process for Chinese children, particularly for those with dyslexia. Based on its underlying mechanism, self-regulation has the potential to impact writing performance. However, this issue has received very little attention in past research. A correlational design was employed, with 100 third-grade students (50 with dyslexia, 50 typically developing) in Taiwan. Standardised assessments measured fine motor skills (VMI), self-regulation (HTKS-R), and handwriting performance across tasks of varying complexity (dictation, near-point copying, far-point copying, and basic writing ability). Results indicated that children with dyslexia exhibited significantly poorer fine motor skills than their peers (p<.001), even after controlling for age, non-verbal IQ, and character recognition. Self-regulation significantly moderated the relationship between fine motor skills and handwriting performance in near-point copying (β=0.088,p=.011) and basic writing tasks (β=0.056,p=.025), but only when self-regulation scores exceeded a threshold (≥ 34 points). This compensatory effect was more pronounced in low-complexity tasks, while high-complexity tasks (e.g., dictation) were constrained by orthographic knowledge deficits. The findings support a dynamic cognitive resource allocation model, emphasising the need for integrated interventions combining motor training and self-regulation strategies to enhance handwriting proficiency in children with dyslexia.

Keywords: self-regulation, fine motor skills, Chinese dyslexia, handwriting skills, moderation effect