Although wealth of empirical researches have covered the impact of crucial, indispensable role reading skills play in the development of individuals’ mental faculties through the acquisition of knowledge in a particular language, scientific works on the assessment of the relationship(s) between pre-reading activities (consisting of games, puzzle solving, match making) and reading skills achievement remain depressingly scanty in Ghana. This study in the light of foregoing atmosphere explored how pre-reading activities facilitate pre-reading and reading skills among preschoolers with the use of randomized experimental control groups design which adopted pre and post-test of two classes, as well as observation guides to diagnose the problem of reading among the KG children in the two groups (control and treatment groups). The findings from these experimentations clearly portrayed the significant influence that pre-reading activities exert on the level of preschoolers reading skills achievements. Upon thorough analysis, and discussions predicated on the research outcome, it has been recommended that preschool educators incorporate levelappropriate pre-reading activities to enrich Preschool Education in Ghana.

Autistic individuals are commonly characterized by stereotypical behaviors, which affect their daily life, particularly social aspects. The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of dance movement-based intervention in reducing stereotypical behavior among autistic children. The study used an experimental-based approach, which recruited 30 autistic children purposively between 9 and 15 years old, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder- level 1 (ASD [1]) or autism spectrum disorder- level 2 (ASD [2]) from one autism center in Jordan. The intervention sessions were fifteen sessions and lasted 60 minutes. The dance movement and music were selected cautiously by professional therapists. The observation was the study tool for collecting data performed by both author and care providers. The results approved the effectiveness of the suggested intervention in reducing stereotypical behavior. The children presenting ASD (1) showed significantly less stereotypical behavior than those presenting ASD (2). The result also showed that the difference was significant and obvious from the first three sessions, but the best reduction was in the fourth session. However, the results refuted any difference in reduction of stereotypical behavior attributed to gender or age group of participants.

The main goal of this study is to examine the differences between school-aged children with different chronotypes who are only children or have a sibling in the household, regarding their sleeping habits and performance in intelligence tasks. The main measures used were Chronotype Questionnaire for Children and Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices. This study analysed 46 Portuguese children (Mean=8.67; SD=1.034, range 7-11 years of age) without sleep or educational/psychological disturbances, attending the first grade. The differences regarding chronotype and whether they were only children or not were examined. Then the performance of the sample in the Raven’s Progressive Matrices tests was evaluated.  The Mann-Whitney U test showed that ‘only’ children had higher fluid intelligence scores only in the afternoon. The chronotype did not differentiate this population and it is concluded that the type of household is the main moderator: Not being an only child was, in general, the best predictor in the test. Results suggest that different sleeping times (e.g., bedtime and wake-up time) and different chronotypes did not have different effects. However, having siblings proved to be an advantage regarding the child’s performance. Re-education of sleeping practices, especially examining the influence of co-sleeping in families, is essential for the intellectual development of children.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of online social support (OSS) on the psychological well-being (PWB) of caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The role of gender as a moderator variable in the relationship between online social support and psychological well-being was also investigated. A quantitative research design was used to collect data from 154 caregivers of children with ASD in Indonesia using PWB and OSS questionnaires adapted into Bahasa Indonesia. Data were analyzed using SMART PLS 3.0. Online social support influences the psychological well-being of caregivers of children with ASD. At the dimension level, several OSS dimensions also affect PWB. The effect of online social support on psychological well-being is the same in both the male and female groups. This means that male and female groups benefit equally from online social support. Future research should combine the study with a qualitative method to gather data from caregivers on how OSS affects their PWB in order to gain a holistic perspective. It could be a suggestion to policymakers to provide beneficial online social media for caregivers of children with ASD.

An earlier study found that assistive technology based on mobile applications significantly improved how social skills were taught to and learned by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children. Nevertheless, the content of the existing mobile applications is inadequate for capturing the diversity of Malaysian culture, making it unacceptable for local use. Considering cultural norms is a factor in developing social skills in ASD children. It is therefore necessary to develop new assistive technology based on mobile applications that consider Malaysian cultural norms.  As a result, the Multimedia Interactive Social Skills Module (MISSM) application was created based on the Addie Model, which offers a systematic process for assisting in developing successful instructional material by fusing instructional theory with learning theory. The MISSM application is based on Malaysia's current social skills curriculum, which helps ASD children become socially competent. Hopefully, it will help them develop better social skills and achieve academically. Finally, local culture-sensitive material for assistive technology based on mobile applications would support Malaysia's adoption of a technology-based teaching and learning strategy and contribute to a better understanding of social skills.

The current understanding of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as an alteration of neurodevelopment requires deepening in the causes that originate it. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the presence of ASD in subjects aged 2-22 years and some related biological factors (sex/gender, age, and body mass index). A quasi-experimental study, with a cross-sectional retrospective design, was conducted on 209 subjects (n = 111 with ASD and n = 98 neurotypical) who were applied to the GARS-2 test in three areas: communication, social interaction, and stereotyped behaviours between 2016-2021. The risk factors identified are related to early age (OR = 2.27, 95% CI = 1.30-3.96), being male (OR = 2.67, 95% CI = 1.41-4.68) and having underweight (OR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.09-3.80). Differences in stereotyped behaviours (OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.05-1.14), functional communication (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.08-1.17) and social interaction (OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.08-1.15), were found, being at risk as soon as scores related to ASD diagnosis. In sum, rigorous and multidimensional understanding analysis among specialists regarding people with ASD allows to evaluate the development of the set of alterations and key variables to provide support and assistance to their quality of life.

The study sought to determine the degree to which autistic children used language activities and their relevance to increasing verbal expression abilities in Jordanian special education institutions. The descriptive-analytical technique was used in the investigation. The two dimensions were utilized to represent the instrument through a set of 27 statements. The participants included 200 instructors from special education centers in Amman, Jordan's capital. The study's findings revealed a high level of application of linguistic activities among autistic children in Jordanian special education programs. Their ability to express themselves verbally improved significantly as well. The findings also revealed a statistically significant positive link between the extents to which autistic children applied language exercises and the improvement of verbal expression abilities in special education institutions.

It is known that the COVID-19 pandemic led to learning losses among students both domestically and internationally. Therefore, situational and casual factors were examined to discover and understand them so that learning loss could be reduced or recovered from. This research aimed to: (a) study learning loss situation; and (b) develop and examine the causal model of learning loss among lower secondary school students affected by the pandemic. The sample included 650 Grade 7-9 students selected by multi-stage random sampling. The data was collected using a self-developing questionnaire as a research instrument. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, ANOVA, and structural equation modeling (SEM) through the LISREL program. The findings were: (a) Lower secondary school students had an average academic achievement learning loss at the moderate level with the highest mean of learning loss in mathematics (M=3.012, SD=1.074), and an average learning characteristics learning loss at the medium level (M=2.824, SD=0.842). Several situational factors had a different effect depending on the school size with a statistical significance of .05.; and (b) the causal model showed the learning loss of grade 7-9 students was consistent with the empirical data (χ2=46.885, df=34, p= .069, GFI=0.991, AGFI=0.964, CFI=0.999, RMSEA=0.024, SRMR=0.014).

Given curiosity’s fundamental role in motivation and learning and considering the widespread use of digital stories as educational tools from the preschool age, we pursued measuring preschoolers’ curiosity when interacting with digital stories. Using 129 toddlers and preschoolers as a sample, three groups (one for each class) were given different versions of the same digital story to listen to: interactive, non-interactive, and animated. Toddlers' verbal and nonverbal behaviors were utilized to quantify curiosity as a condition brought on by the app. The participants' verbal and nonverbal behaviors were recorded during the digital reading aloud. Every child's data was encoded at one-minute intervals to examine concurrent behavior, and the results were then compiled. The findings show that interactive presentation formats encourage more touching and language use but less noise production and that interaction and the creative use of hot spots in digital illustrations are key elements in piquing viewers' curiosity while contributing to the strengthening of the engagement to the activity and the cultivation of critical thinking, creativity, and imagination.

The field of education greatly benefits from inclusive education, which is praised for acknowledging and valuing student diversity and individual needs. Kosovo, as a newly independent country, went through major reforms, particularly in the realm of education, which is marked, among others, by initiatives that anticipate fostering and promoting inclusive education. Initiatives and programs throughout the country were designed and initiated to promote and advocate for inclusivity in the education system. To foster inclusivity, assistants for students with special educational needs were introduced to enable students with special needs to be part of regular education. Thus, in this study, the experiences of assistants for students with special educational needs in Kosovo are explored. This study employed semi-structured interviews to collect data and utilized thematic analysis to identify key themes and topics. The participants in the study included nine assistants for students with special education needs, reflecting diverse perspectives and experiences in the field of inclusive education. The following themes and topics were identified as the main findings of this study: (a) joy, excitement, and pride with the work; (b) individualized education plan (IPE); (c) lack of resources and guidelines; (d) (lack of) cooperation with parents and families; (e) united in unity: the power of collegial support; and f) promoting and advocating for inclusive education.

Augmented reality technologies can create unique interactive learning environments for students with special educational needs that enrich the learning process and provide immediate feedback. This research analyzed the use of augmented reality in teaching digital literacy courses for primary school children with special educational needs. The study involved a quasi-experiment with participants using a mobile augmented reality application to assess its impacts on learning outcomes. The results showed the positive effects of augmented reality on student achievement. The results highlight the potential of augmented reality in inclusive education. In addition, the findings emphasize the importance of further research and development in this area and an increased use of augmented reality to improve the educational experience of students with disabilities. In light of the results, we conclude with recommendations for integrating augmented reality into educational programs and improving educational practices.

This study aimed to optimize critical thinking by empowering reflective and impulsive students' collaboration, communication, and information literacy skills through information literacy-oriented e-books in STEM-integrated problem-based learning (PBL). The research method used was a descriptive explorative approach. The study subjects consisted of five reflective students and five impulsive students. The measurement of cognitive style used the Matching Familiar Figure Test (MFFT) instrument. Collaboration skills were assessed through observation sheets, critical thinking and communication skills were assessed through student worksheets based on problem-solving tasks, and information literacy was assessed through a questionnaire. The study found that reflective students excelled in critical thinking and information literacy, while impulsive students demonstrated superior collaboration skills. As for communication skills, reflective and impulsive students have different advantages for each indicator of communication skills. This study can conclude that implementing information literacy-oriented e-books through STEM-integrated PBL can optimize reflective and impulsive students' critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and information literacy skills. The implication of this study is the importance of integrating 21st century skills holistically in learning practices, especially in the digital era, to prepare the younger generation to face the challenges of the 21st century.

Sensory integration (SI)-based intervention programs aim to improve the motor performance of children with moderate autism spectrum disorder (MASD), which may contribute to the development of their gross and fine motor skills. This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of a SI-based training program in developing gross and fine motor skills in 70 children with MASD aged 6–9 years (M = 7.11, SD ± 1.19) and selected intentionally from a daycare center in Al-Ahsa in Saudi Arabia. The study used the quasi-experimental approach and followed the experimental design with two groups, which were randomly distributed and examined for equivalence. The study also used the Gross Motor Skills Scale (GMSS), the Fine Motor Skills Scale (FMSS), and the training program based on SI. The study found that the experimental group had significantly higher post-test scores in the GMSS and the FMSS than the control group, with these differences being statistically significant. However, no significant difference was observed between the post-test scores and the follow-up test scores within the experimental group, indicating stability in their performance over time. This indicates the effectiveness of the training program used in developing the targeted skills and the continuation of the training effect after the program’s application period. The study suggests that children should use SI-based training programs to enhance their motor skills.

Children diagnosed with moderate autism spectrum disorder (MASD) exhibit a range of socially unacceptable behaviors, which notably include social withdrawal behavior (SWB); these individuals tend to disengage from various social contexts, consequently impeding their communication and social interaction capabilities. The primary objective of this research was to employ miniatures (diorama) as a methodological approach to construct semi-naturalistic scenarios for children with MASD that authentically represent their quotidian experiences and facilitate interaction, contributing to the alleviation of their SWB. The research sample comprised 21 children with MASD, aged between 6 and 9 years, who were enrolled at the Al-Jabr Institute in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. A quasi-experimental methodology was adopted to align with the research's inherent characteristics, using a three-group design. The instruments utilized included the Social Withdrawal Behavior Scale (SWBS) alongside a training program devised by the authors. The results showed a significant reduction in SWB among those children to whom the diorama program was applied. Results also indicated the continuation of this effect after the end of the diorama program period for two consecutive months. The outcomes encourage further implementation of the diorama methodology on more extensive samples and across a broader geographic scope within Saudi Arabia, thereby facilitating the generalization of the findings to the entire population of children diagnosed with MASD. Findings also encourage the enhancement of the diorama's role in forthcoming experimental inquiries to ascertain its efficacy in mitigating other socially maladaptive behaviors exhibited by children with MASD.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by challenges in social communication and repetitive behaviors. The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) has been widely utilized to support communication in children with ASD by using picture cards to convey needs and responses. However, traditional PECS can be limited by its static nature and lack of immediate feedback. Recent technological advances, particularly Augmented Reality (AR), offer new avenues for enhancing these communication strategies. This study explores the integration of AR into PECS and its impact on improving basic communication skills, specifically answering questions and commenting, in children with ASD. The research involved a multiple baseline design with four participants aged 7-12 years, recruited from autism centers in Melaka, Malaysia. Results showed significant improvements in both the frequency and accuracy of responses and relevant commenting skills after the AR-based intervention. Answering skills improved by 83%, and commenting skills increased by 122%, with the average number of relevant comments rising from 3 (SD = 0.89) to 6.67 (SD = 2.25). Statistical analysis (paired t-test) revealed a significant effect (p = 0.00272). Compared to traditional methods, AR-based PECS accelerated the achievement of target communication skills. Future research should focus on larger sample sizes and explore long-term impacts to solidify these promising outcomes.