Can Male Coats Have Buttons

problems in learning to read?

study of 1,500 children is predictive value of early testing in kindergarten and school in question
reading or watching only pictures?
Which child will succeed in school difficulties reading and writing? To estimate the can was used since the 90's of times a specific test procedure that was based on funding allocations for kindergarten and school children. The Transfer Center for Neuroscience and Learning (ZNL) at the University of Ulm has reviewed this test method, called differentiation test, in a study of 1441 primary school pupils. The result: The test has little predictive power. The use of non-scientifically verified educational tests, programs or practices in Germany is still widespread. According to brain research and education Prof. Dr. Manfred Spitzer, Director of ZNL, this lack of scientific Foundation for a fundamental lack of success in education. "We wanted to find out whether a test that is so common, in fact well-founded predictions about future makes reading and writing difficulties. Finally, Germany's children encouraged by these test results, or not funded, "says Michael Fritz, director of the ZNL, the motivation for the Baden-Württemberg Foundation on the Future campaign III funded study now published (DOI: 10.1026/0049-8637/a00023 ).


Extensive testing in 53 schools

Differentiation sample investigated in different degrees of difficulty, whether children can distinguish, for example, different graphical elements, words, rhythms and melodies, as these distinctive ability as a prerequisite for reading and writing is learning. 1441 children from Baden-Wurttemberg and Bavaria were before enrollment, at the beginning and end of the first and tested at the end of the second class with the process of differentiation and other companion sample exercises. We carried out the elaborate series of tests at 53 schools with the support of the National Department of Teaching and Teacher Education Laupheim.



Questionable testing

"Our study showed to our own surprise, that the differentiation of samples have no sufficient scientific forecast skill. For example, only every fourth child as risk classification, the child later developed problems actually reading. At the same time, three-quarters of children who had at the end of the second class of problems in reading or spelling, were not considered risk children explained, "Fritz. In Germany, still widely used procedures that were not designed according to scientific standards and checks the same applies to learning and education programs.



"The situation is strange,"

calls the brain and education researcher Prof. Dr. Manfred Spitzer, therefore, following the example of medicine more scientific evidence in education. "The situation is strange: When it comes to medicine, from toothache to cancer therapy, are clear guidelines for what to do. Who wants to introduce a new, expensive therapies can do so only if he provides the watertight evidence that it is actually better than the old one. If, however comes to how we should teach our children, then we do not seek the scientific method of systematic inquiry and research. "In his recently published book" Medicine for the creation of "calls, the educational landscape in Germany through an evidence-based to guide education in a better future (Manfred Spitzer: Medicine for the training. A way out of crisis. Spectrum Publications).

source Universitätsklinikum Ulm