**6. Acknowledgments**

172 Learning Disabilities

Japan's special-needs education has added children with so-called "mild developmental disabilities" to the scope of programs, and although progress has been made in the detailed classification of disabilities as well as in theoretical, empirical, and practical certification, educational research involving finding the details of areas where these students excel has been lacking. It may be possible to closely tie research aimed at attesting to areas of excellence in children with learning difficulties with research aimed at compensating for weaknesses in gifted children. As Robinson (1999) stated, 2E students provide educators with an opportunity to examine school learning that addresses both strengths and needs. This is because some of the actions characteristic of children with learning difficulties actually overlap the actions characteristic of gifted children (e.g., Brody, 1997; Hartnett & Nelson, 2004; Leroux & Levitt-Perlman, 2000). For this reason, this research aimed at studying 2E children in science can serve as a seed that will grow into new educational

Suggestions for enriching the individual strengths and capabilities of students who either have trouble learning science or who show talent in science are summarized as proposals for lesson development below. These proposals are not just for students who tend towards 2E,

Proposal 1: When splitting students into groups for observations and experiments, base

Proposal 2: Include situations where children come up with their own methods and

Proposal 3: Introduce situations where children use diagrams to represent their own

Based on survey results regarding gifted styles in the area of science (Sumida, 2010), there is no significant difference between the ratios of students with and without LD/ADHD/HA in the gifted learning styles of science. In other words, when it comes to giftedness in science, the same opportunities are equally open both to students who have and do not have LD/ADHD/HA. This means that science lesson can help students realize their high potentials and provide in which they can take advantage of their abilities. Rather than including these proposals in every single lesson, it is advisable for teachers to consider incorporating the proposals where possible within a single unit, or within units where possible within a single semester, or within the learning activities of a single year. Finally, I would like to continue further researching into nurturing giftedness in science and into other areas. It is possible to achieve improvements in cross domains where children tend to stumble in terms of learning (in areas such as Japanese or arithmetic) and behaviour (in

group configurations on predictions, methods, and so on, including the details and techniques involved in observations and experiments. Including

strategies, and choose their own tools during observations and experiments.

but are also valid for regular students, including students who are gifted in science.

Proposal 4: Increase the amount of time allowed for working and thinking.

Proposal 6: Include a construction activity in units when this is possible.

areas such as inattention, AD/HD, interpersonal relationships, and obsessiveness).

research and practices to meet the diverse needs of children.

individual activities is also effective.

thoughts and expressions.

Proposal 8: Encourage and recognize diverse opinions.

Proposal 5: Include challenging problems.

Proposal 7: Provide a variety of resources.

**5. Concluding remarks** 

This research is partially supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research. I am grateful to Mr. Atsushi Miki for implementing science lessons at primary schools and to Dr. Nobutaka Matsumura, Ms. April Daphne Hiwatig, and Mr. Joel Bernal Faustino for giving helpful suggestions.

#### **7. References**


http://www.mext.go.jp/b\_menu/shingi/chousa/shotou/018/toushin/030301i.htm

**10** 

*Spain* 

*University of Leon* 

**The Quality of Teaching** 

**Determines Students' Achievement in Writing** 

Recent research confirms that it is of great interest and relevance to analyze the level of agreement between the beliefs, attitudes, sense of self-efficacy, learning approaches and self-regulation of the teaching staff and students' achievement in written composition. In most cases, these studies present examples of the practical relationship between the teacher and the students' achievement in the instrumental areas linked to the teaching of writing, such as in the area of reading and mathematics. These studies are significant inasmuch as they have produced valuable information with respect to the levels of education, participants, instruments employed, interventions, teaching or rollout programs carried out, as well as information related to the priorities, organization and development of the research. These interesting contributions lead us to consider which aspects are evaluated within the classroom; the variables which are used to relate the teachers' practices to the students' achievements; the results obtained; the theoretical and educational implications, the limitations and deficiencies of the studies and suggestions for future research. (Álvarez et al., 2011; Díez et al., 2009; Pacheco et al., 2009; Pacheco et

In the process of revising within a Spanish and international cultural setting what promoted the interaction between teachers' practice and writing achievement, we found studies that claim that teachers' practices must be educationally consistent – integrating education and evaluation - in order to obtain positive effects in the activities, processes and results of the of

Other studies have elaborated different categories explaining why the suggested practices are essential to students' success. Categories such as extra or additional classes and the use of active participation are examples of categories that help to improve student achievement. Both the authors claim promote the following activities: classes directed and dominated by discussion and work groups; discussions between teachers and students and, more importantly, among students; significant dialogues between students and teachers; active student participation during normal class sessions through questions and answers or discussing homework, break up groups, discussing together (teachers and students) the solutions to some problems, etc.; and, where categories and topics arise from the students,

students' learning (Flórez & Monroy, 2008; Stokking et al., 2004).

the teachers can provide answers (de la Fuente et al., 2008; Nkhoma, 2002).

**1. Introduction** 

al., 2007).

Deilis Ivonne Pacheco Sanz and Jesús-Nicasio García-Sánchez

