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Proposed guidelines have been published recently (Al-Hilawani, 2016) to help identify and determine for the first time the existence of learning disabilities among students in the Middle East Arab (M.E.A.) countries. These guidelines have been drawn from recent and up-to-date information available on learning disabilities. The purpose of this article is to present a simplified step-by-step decision procedure to reduce to a minimum the learning disabilities identification errors, mistakes, and/or misinterpretations of the published guidelines. These detailed steps are necessary in the Middle East to create a clear orientation and consistency in determining the presence of a learning disability in the region. Due to the lack of standardized norm and criterion reference tests, informal assessment measures (e.g., Curriculum-Based Measurement; teacher's made tools and prepared procedures) are advocated.

This is a reflection brief on the psychosocial educational practices in higher education institutions in several Middle East Arab countries. These practices have influenced and led to the formation of current mentalities (i.e., the way of thinking about the prospect and outlook for the future) and realities in the region. The points recounted in this brief could be used as educational learning outcomes for higher education and formal schooling reforms. In the same way that failure is a result of within, success must also come from within. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between metacognition as measured in real-life situations and IQ scores as reflected by performance on the Raven Standard Progressive Matrices Scale. It is also intended in this study to report on whether or not there were significant differences in performance on the metacognitive instrument (i.e. metacognitive test, reaction time, and metacognitive test scores divided by mean reaction time) among participants with typical development, deaf and hard-of-hearing (dhh), and low-achieving individuals with and without the influence of IQ. Analysis showed significant correlations between IQ, metacognitive test, and metacognitive test scores divided by mean reaction time but not with reaction time itself. Results revealed the influence of IQ on metacognition being greater than the influence of metacognition on IQ. Results showed when controlling for the effect of IQ, differences among the three groups of participants on the metacognitive instrument become non-significant. Implications and suggestions are presented.

At a conference, titled: "Childhood Disabilities: Assessment and Early Intervention" held between March 20-22, 2006, at Kuwait University, a range of discussion topics were considered that would enhance and design specific best practices in special education for the Middle East Arab Gulf region. Governmental representatives, post-secondary educators, educational specialist, teachers, administrators, parents and concerned citizens grappled with past, current and future educational practices in an attempt to enhance educational services for students with special needs in the Middle East Arab Gulf region. Five distinct topical areas focused on assessment and diagnosis, early intervention, educational strategies, professional development and community awareness as areas of importance. Keynote speakers were drawn from educational specialists in the Middle East Arab Gulf region as well as selected individuals with expertise in best practices from the United States. As a result of the presentations and discussions, recommendations were compiled for implementation. (Contains 1 table.)

The relationship between IQ, metacognition, and self-perception of quality of life as measured by the Mooney checklist was explored. Participants who were hearing and deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) were compared using these outcome variables, with gender as an additional grouping variable. Results revealed performances on these measures were significantly correlated. There were significant differences on the Mooney measure in favor of the D/HH group (i.e., participants with hearing loss reported significantly less problems and concerns when compared with participants who had typical hearing). Analyses showed no significant differences between males and females in both groups on the metacognitive test, but males took more time and obtained a lower metacognitive score divided by time compared to females; and males showed no significant differences on the metacognitive test in reaction time, or on the metacognitive test scores divided by time. Results showed females with typical hearing performed significantly better on the three dependent variables derived from the metacognitive instrument. Limitations and suggestions for future research were discussed.

This study examined the differences among the typically developing, low-achieving, and young offender participants on indices of oral and silent reading, listening comprehension, the Raven and behavior scales, and parental status. A convenient sample of 81 males and females from the same geographical region in the Sultanate of Oman took part in this study. Analyses showed that the typically developing participants obtained a higher Raven score, achieved better on the behavior scale, and performed commensurately with their current grade placement in oral, silent, and listening skills when compared with both the young offenders and low-achieving participants. The academic skills of the young offenders were better than those of the low-achieving participants, a strong indication that the low-achieving group had more serious academic difficulties when compared with the young offenders. The young offenders living with married parents obtained a better score on the adjustment disorder domain than those who had divorced or deceased parents. The results suggested that the young offender and underachieving participants were not entirely identical in their profiles. Implications and limitations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between metacognition in real life situations and study skills and habits was examined using a sample of college students. Results showed no significant relationship between these two variables nor was there a significant relationship between study skills and reaction time as measured on the metacognitive test. However, there was a positive significant correlation between study skills, and high school and college GPA's; a significant negative relationship between high school GPA and reaction time; and a positive significant correlation between high school GPA and metacognitive test scores calculated based on reaction time. High school GPA was significantly related to study skills and to the relationship between study skills and academic performance as opposed to college GPA. The importance of college GPA as a significant predictor of study skills depends on whether or not students grades were assigned objectively without manipulation or inflation.

The purpose of this paper is to provide description, analyses, and insights with respect to the procedures and services currently available to students enrolled in the learning disability (LD) program in Oman. Traditionally, students in Oman were identified based on low academic achievement by the end of first grade without applying any exclusionary criteria (e.g., low IQ and inadequate instruction). This simple approach of using low academic achievement to diagnose LD does not accurately reflect the meaning of LD (i.e., unexpected underachievement) and it has led to the formation of a heterogeneous group of students enrolled in the program. The overall conclusion is that adequate practices, appropriate services, and equal opportunities are yet to be fully provided based on the current knowledge on LD. Therefore, a proposed set of guidelines to identify students with LD is presented to create consistency and cohesiveness in determining eligibility and to provide better services that could benefit not only children with LD in Oman, but also in countries with similar circumstances.

In this study, metacognition refers to performing visual analysis and discrimination of real life events and situations in naïve psychology, naïve physics, and naïve biology domains. It is used, along with measuring reaction time, to examine differences in the ability of four groups of students to select appropriate pictures that correspond with other pictures representing specific events, actions, or behaviors. Results showed no significant differences between deaf, hearing students from public Arabic schools, and hearing multinational students from private English school when correct responses were measured based on reaction time. These three groups of students obtained significantly higher correct scores and took significantly less reaction time to respond to items on the test compared to students with mild mental disabilities. This study suggests that students' age, processing time, and nuances that accompany the behavior could be advanced toward developing a model that explains inter- and intra-differences in metacognition.

A conference titled "Preparing Special Education Teachers in Mild/Moderate Disabilities: Programs, Models, and Exemplary Field Experiences" was organized by College of Education at Kuwait University between April 11-13, 2010. This conference was intended to lead to a better teacher preparation program in the region in the area of mild and moderate disabilities. Government representatives attended the conference. But unlike the previous 2006 conference, only a few postsecondary educators, educational specialists, teachers, administrators, parents, and concerned citizens were present to address the subject of preparing teachers for mild and moderate disabilities. The lack of attendance was obvious in all sessions and workshops. Issues proposed to be addressed including the philosophy of inclusion, teachers' characteristics, standards for designing teacher preparation programs in mild and moderate disabilities, needed services, curriculum, effective teaching, and partnership with civic and community organizations. During the course of this conference, critical issues emerged that tainted the whole conference with exclusionary practices. Contrary to the official conference recommendations which were worded broadly and vaguely, opinions and recommendations solicited after the conference revealed inefficiencies and disorganization.

The purpose of this study was to use the picture format to examine in depth the metacognitive performances and reaction time in general education, low-achieving, and institutionally raised students. Results revealed that institutionally raised students, unlike low-achieving students, took significantly the longest reaction time to finish the test but obtained correct scores comparable to general education students only when accounting for the effect of school achievements. The performances of low-achieving and institutionally raised students were at disadvantage on the test of metacognition when time was used as a factor to determine correct responses. (Contains 2 tables.)

A sample of 83 kindergarten teachers participated in this study to examine their knowledge, skills, and classroom practices concerning phonological awareness. Analyses of data revealed significant gaps between knowledge and practice, knowledge and skills, and skills and practice. The gap between knowledge and skills, on one hand, and classroom practices, on the other hand, was significantly noticeable, an indication that participants did not practice, in reality, significant proportions of their knowledge and skills during teaching. Analyses showed that in-service training affected the result of this study and that skills in phonological awareness predicted classroom practices. (Contains 3 tables.)

A small sample of 20 hearing students and 20 students who are deaf and hard-of-hearing participated in this study, which compared their performances on two measures of metacognition. The first measure required participants to visually analyse real-life pictures and then to choose a response from four options (voiced or signed) indicating which was the best explanation of what was depicted. The second measure required participants to look at five pictures and then to point to the picture that was different. Results identified no significant differences between the performances of the two groups of students on either measure. Males in both groups performed at comparable levels on the two measures, whereas females who were hearing and those who were deaf or hard-of-hearing performed significantly better on the visual-voiced measure than on the visual-visual measure. Limitations of this study and recommendations for future research are discussed. (Contains 3 tables.)

This study compares the performances of students with typical hearing, students who are deaf and hard of hearing, students with typical hearing who were low-achieving, and students with typical hearing who were institutionally raised by testing with a newly constructed tool of metacognition that also measured reaction time. Results revealed no significant differences between students with typical hearing and students who are deaf and hard of hearing in scores on the instrument and in reaction time. The performance of these two groups of students was significantly better in obtaining correct scores and in having less reaction time compared to performances of students who were institutionally raised and low-achieving. The performance of institutionalized students did not differ significantly from that of low-achieving students in obtaining correct scores, but the institutionalized students' reaction time was significantly longer. When time was used as a factor in determining students' correct responses, the performance of institutionally raised and low-achieving students was disadvantaged when compared with that of students with typical hearing and students who are deaf and hard of hearing.

The metacognitive performance of four groups of students was examined. The students' processes of visual analysis and discrimination of real-life pictures were used to measure metacognition. There were 61 participants: 18 hearing students, 18 deaf and hard of hearing students, 16 students with mild mental disabilities, and 9 students with physical disabilities. Analysis revealed no significant differences among hearing students, deaf and hard of hearing students, and students with physical disabilities. The performance of these three groups of students was significantly better than the performance of students with mild mental disabilities. It appears that students with mild mental disabilities encountered difficulties with pictures that required complex visual analyses and discriminations. These difficulties were manifested in a form of deficient simultaneous visual processing along with a low level of knowledge acquisition. (Contains 1 table.)

Metacognitive Performance of four groups of students (hearing high-achieving, hearing average-achieving, hearing underachieving, and deaf and hard of hearing) in first through third grade in the United Arab Emirates was examined and compared. Metacognition was measured using analyses of pictures depicting real-life problematic events, situations, and behaviors. Participants drew on their ability to apply problem solving and logical reasoning through visual analysis and discrimination of test materials rather than through verbal analysis. Results revealed that metacognition is influenced by students' age. Older students scored significantly higher on the metacognitive measure than younger students. Further analysis indicated that hearing high-achieving students scored significantly higher on the test than the other three groups when the age variable was controlled for. Deaf and hard of hearing students performed similarly to age-matched hearing students in applying reasoning skills to real-life situations. (Contains 2 figures and 1 note.)

The reading comprehension performance of 30 third-graders with hearing impairments from the United Arab Emirates was examined under three teaching conditions, the key word strategy, modified reciprocal teaching, and the basic reading approach. Key word strategy and modified reciprocal teaching significantly enhanced performance in reading comprehension scores. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Third-graders with and without hearing loss in the United States and the United Arab Emirates (n=72) were compared on their perspectives on specific life situations. Students did not differ in their metacognitive interpretations of the experiences when they were from the same culture, but students from separate cultures differed. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

The metacognitive performance of 87 Arab typically developing adolescents and 20 Arab adolescents with deafness was examined. There was no significant difference between the students in metacognitive performance, nor were there gender-based differences among students with deafness. However, hearing female students scored significantly higher on the test than hearing male students. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

A study examined differences in metacognition among United Arab Emirates third-graders who were hearing average-achieving (N=58), had hearing impairments (N=25), and who were hearing underachieving (N=33). Students who were hearing average-achieving or had hearing impairments achieved significantly better on a metacognition evaluation than those who were haring underachieving. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Twenty students from the United Arab Emirates who had hearing impairments participated in a study of three different techniques for teaching reading comprehension: the Experience-Based Approach, a modified version of Reciprocal Teaching, and a Key Word Strategy. Reading comprehension was highest under the Key Word Strategy conditions. (Author/CR)

This article was prepared to extend the traditional view of metacognition to include the orientation of thematic and common features analyses of events in daily-life interactions. A brief historical development of metacognition was presented and discussed to pave the way for this new orientation. This heuristic conceptualization and direction of metacognition was realized and materialized due to research in deaf education. Metacognition, as presented in this article, dispelled misconceptions about the cognitive ability of individuals who live with deafness. It was viewed impetus for continued research. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of this paper is to provide description, analyses, and insights with respect to the procedures and services currently available to students enrolled in the learning disability (LD) program in Oman. Traditionally, students in Oman were identified based on low academic achievement by the end of first grade without applying any exclusionary criteria (e.g., low IQ and inadequate instruction). This simple approach of using low academic achievement to diagnose LD does not accurately reflect the meaning of LD (i.e., unexpected underachievement) and it has led to the formation of a heterogeneous group of students enrolled in the program. The overall conclusion is that adequate practices, appropriate services, and equal opportunities are yet to be fully provided based on the current knowledge on LD. Therefore, a proposed set of guidelines to identify students with LD is presented to create consistency and cohesiveness in determining eligibility and to provide better services that could benefit not only children with LD in Oman, but also in countries with similar circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty students from the United Arab Emirates who were deaf or hard of hearing participated in this study of three different techniques for teaching reading comprehension: the Experience-Based Approach, a modified version of Reciprocal Teaching, and a Key Word Strategy. Students were currently being taught under the Experience-Based Approach. Three units of reading instruction were covered, one using each of the three strategies. Reading comprehension was assessed after intervention. Reading comprehension was highest under the Key Word Strategy conditions. Descriptions of the three approaches are given along with suggestions for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Looks at the influence of college grade point average (GPA), academic majors, and academic levels on the study skills and habits of female college students. Revelation that there were no significant differences on study skills and habits due to student's academic levels; Claim that college students with low GPA had inadequate study skills and habits.