Abstract:

Inclusion, equity, and the development of strategies to promote the academic success of Roma children are significant concerns in Europe. From the early years of schooling, Roma children face difficulties in learning to read and write, compromising their ability to reach higher educational levels in the short and medium term. Additionally, underperforming in education systems is both a result and a cause of encountering specific barriers to their integration, which have consequences for the development of their potential, mental health, and well-being. The use of digital resources in teaching and learning to read has the potential not only to foster learning but also to serve as a means of intervening with students facing reading difficulties and ensuring equity and inclusion.

The primary goals of the study here presented are to elucidate how a digital resource designed for teaching reading and writing (TLP - Teaching and Learning Portuguese) can facilitate learning to read from first to third grade, as well as to analyze both the constraints and the factors contributing to its effects on the learning of Roma students.

A multi-case design was adopted. Three Roma students participated in the study, two of whom were girls from 1st (n=1), 2nd (n=2), and grades. With the exception of the 1st-grade student, all had reading disabilities, scoring below the 25th percentile in word recognition, reading fluency, and comprehension tests. Participation was authorized by the respective legal guardians. The digital resource was implemented in the school over a 13-week period, with weekly sessions lasting 45 minutes each for the first-grade student. For the second grade, sessions lasted 120 minutes, with a 15-minute break included. During this time, students had the opportunity to share aspects of their culture, listen to Roma music, and choose to engage in painting and/or drawing activities. Data collection involved maintaining a logbook and conducting interviews with parents, teachers, and students.

In this communication, we describe the learning domains covered by the TLP, along with its features, and discuss the qualitative results, highlighting its significance in assisting Roma students in overcoming difficulties in learning to read.

Keywords:

Technology, Reading disabilities, Learning to read, Roma students.