The Effect of Total Image Words on Linguistic Recognition in Children with Borderline Intelligence; A Psycholinguistic Case Study

Document Type : مقالات علمی پژوهشی

Authors
S. M. Hosseini-Maasoum 1
M. Yar 2
1 Associate Professor, Department of Linguistics, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
2 M.A in Linguistics, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
10.52547/LRR.13.2.9
Abstract
A borderline intelligence student is the one with basic capability for literacy but of a lower rate and depth in learning compared to their peers. Such students have many difficulties in learning the language, reading and writing. The main purpose of this study is to provide a new solution based on linguistic and psycholinguistic theories to increase the development of language recognition in these children. The technique of total image words was used in an innovative method to manipulate all the senses of the child in his learning. The data of this research have been collected in a field and case study. The case is a 13-year-old borderline intelligence girl living in Mashhad. The suggested training program in this research consists of four stages. The first step is to work on reading by using flashcards of total image words and using the child’s visual and auditory senses. The second step is to emphasize the meaning and semantic chain of the words. In the third stage, we try to strengthen the child’s comprehension with short stories, and in the fourth stage, which is the practical stage, the child acquires the ability to make meaningful sentences and short stories. The test of language development (TOLD 3) was used for pre- and post-tests. The results show that the total image word technique has a positive effect on the language cognitive development of the borderline intelligence student and except in sentence imitation, all other subtests show an improvement of 18 to 66 per cent.



1. Introduction

The development is a continuous, multidimensional, and flexible process. One of the most important dimensions in a child’s development is the growth of intelligence and linguistic cognition. Learning is a very complex process that everyone is involved in throughout their lives. But the problem arises when not all children can adapt to traditional learning methods that are less flexible. That is why there is a big gap between their potential and their performance.

A Child of borderline intelligence (slow learner) is a student who has the ability to learn the necessary educational skills, but the amount and depth of their learning is less than the average of their peers. Slow learners have many problems learning language and reading and writing. The purpose of this study is to provide a new solution based on theories of linguistics and psycholinguistics to promote the development of language cognition in such children. For this purpose, we tried to engage all the senses of the child in their learning by using the Total Image Words Technique in an innovative way.

Research Questions:

1) Can teaching by means of the Total Image Words Technique influence the development of language concepts in slow-learning children?

2) Does teaching by means of the Total Image Words Technique affect the comprehension of slow-learning children?

3) Does teaching by means of the Total Image Words Technique have an effect on promoting the reading and writing skills of slow-learning children?



2. Literature Review

One of the important theories used in this research is Gestalt Theory, which is a kind of holistic speculation. According to this theory, in confrontation with various phenomena, the sole nature of the components does not play a role in determining the identity of the collections. In fact, the overall structure and composition of each phenomenon is more than just the sum of its components. This means that each particular part can have its own meaning, but it is the overall configuration that can give it its full meaning.

In the Total Image Words Technique, as its name suggests, this theory is well used to teach slow learners, because the child first sees and learns the whole word in the form of text and image and then goes from whole to parts. Since in the Total Image Words Technique, words are placed in the form of categories and frameworks that are related to each other and are in a semantic chain, this technique has benefitted from Fillmore's Frame Semantics and Semantic Chain.

Some researchers consider slow learners to be a group between normal and exceptional children. A slow-learning child “is one who has the ability to learn necessary academic skills but at a rate and depth below average of the same age peers" (Suranjana et al., 2015, p. 130). The performance of these students in school has been considered by various researchers. According to Ghafourian (2017, p. 57), the slow student “has the ability to progress in education in a regular school, but performs below the average of their school level.” These children score lower on IQ and academic achievement tests than their peers, but their scores are not low enough to cause them to need special education.”

It is at these times that teachers’ creativity and experience can lead to more efficient education. Such teachers can provide more learning opportunities to students with different levels of learning through a variety of teaching methods and multipurpose practices and support the learners to improve their learning capacities.

These students are only slightly different from normal students in terms of mental development, so they can study with their peers. Ready (2006) reports that these students have an IQ between 76 and 89 and make up about 18% of the total student population. The most important features of these children are the following:

1. Low accuracy and focus. The solution to this problem is to use appropriate games and exercises and get help from experts.

2. Inattention in doing homework. To solve this problem, the amount of their homework should be reduced and its quality should be given more importance.

3. Lack of sufficient self-confidence. Self-confidence can be increased by giving proper motivation and encouragement.

4. Having poor public relations.

5. Being slow in doing and solving complex and multifaceted problems.



3. Methodology

In line with the purpose of the study, the effect of the Total Image Words Technique on a thirteen-year-old girl named Negar in Mashhad, a city in Iran, was investigated. This study was a case study and quasi-experimental design with a pre-test and post-test that was conducted over a period of four months. The Child was initially exposed to Wechsler’s Intelligence Test (EISC) for children and Wineland’s Social Maturity Scale. The results confirmed that the child was slow-learning (having borderline intelligence). The data collection tools used in this research are educational cards that include an image of an object or a phenomenon along with the written form of a word to which an object or phenomenon refers. Language development test (TOLD 3) was also used for pre-test and post-test.



4. Results

A TOLD3 pre-test was administered initially and a post-test of the same type was given after the training period. Table 1 presents the results of the paired-sample T-test of the two sets of scores.

Table 1.

Paired-Sample T-test of standard scores & subtests of TOLD in pre-& Post-tests



two-tailed P value
df
t
Paired differences



95% confidence interval of this difference
Std. error of Difference
Mean


upper
lower


0.0074
5
4.3386
-1.09
-4.25
0.615
-2.67
Pretest -Posttest





Considering the obtained P-value in the table, it can be said with 95% confidence that the difference in the learner's performance before and after the application of the Total Image Words has been significantly different.

In Figure 1, the average language skills in the pre-test and post-test are compared.



Figure1.

Comparison of average language skills in subtests of TOLD in pre-&post-tests







In Figure 2, the standard scores of the sub-tests in the pre-test and post-test are compared with each other and shown as a bar graph.



Figure 2.

Comparison of standard scores in subtests of TOLD in pre-&post-tests







5. Discussion

In the following, we present the results of this research according to the skills and seek to analyze the research questions and hypothesis.

Spoken Language subtest: This score represents the sum of the standard scores of six subtests that measure semantic and syntactic aspects. For this reason, compared to the other six skills, it gives the best and most comprehensive picture of a person's overall language ability. All language-related features and systems are included in this subtest. In the case of Negar, the test results show an improvement of about 16% in this score, which means that she has been able to improve in all sub-tests during this period. The result of this subtest confirms our research hypothesis about the effect of the Total Image Words Technique on the development of language cognition in slow learners.

Semantic skill: Vocabulary is a special semantic ability that is evaluated with the semantic score. Children who are successful in this endeavour know a great deal about words. In this research, because in the second stage, the trainer worked on the characteristics of the meanings and details of the words, the child paid more attention to the different meanings of the word and her vocabulary increased. We see that Negar’s score has grown by about 15%. This means that she was able to better understand the words and their meaning, and this could be a positive answer to our research questions because the first and second research questions asked whether this technique expands the concepts of language and whether late learners’ comprehension is effective or not. The results obtained from this subtest also confirm the objectives of the research.

Syntactic skill: Negar has had a growth of about 13% in this score. Although she was not able to make more complex and long sentences due to her late learning, overall, these results are a positive answer to our third research question, which asked about the effect of the Total Image Words Technique on increasing reading and writing skills.

Listening skill: The performance of Negar in this score is also good and has reached 123 from a former score of 108, which indicates a growth of about 14%.

Organizational skill: Negar has been able to perform well in this skill and have an 11% growth in the post-test.

Speaking skill: Negar's speaking score in this test has increased from 95 to 113, which also shows a significant growth of 19%.



6. Conclusion

Finally, after comparing the obtained results and analyzing them, we come to the conclusion that if children’s different senses are used in teaching slow learners, their performance will be better. The results show that the Total Image Word Technique is effective on the development of language cognition of the slow learner and, except for sentence imitation in all other language subtests, the child shows growth between 18 and 66 per cent. This method, in particular, has increased her vocabulary and comprehension to the point where the child can make meaningful short stories.

Keywords

Subjects

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Language Related Research
Volume 13, Issue 2 - Serial Number 68
May and June 2022
Pages 247-284