Executive Functioning and Figurative Language Comprehension in Learning Disabilities

Abstract

The goal of the research was to examine executive functioning and figurative language comprehension amongstudents with learning disabilities as compared to students without learning disabilities. As part of the research, weexamined 20 students with learning disabilities and 21 students with no learning disabilities, both groups of studentsattend 7th and 8th grade (ages 12-13). The participants were selected using: Glantz Abstract Verbal Thinking Test ofcognitive skills (2010), reading words with and without visual punctuation(Note 1) as well as a set of dummy words(Hadad, 2010). The level of executive functioning was evaluated using three types of assessment tools: a multiplemeaning word questionnaire, semantic fluency and phonetic fluency tests. The level of figurative speech wasevaluated using four assessment tools: idioms, colloquial expression, metaphor questionnaire and a pictorialmetaphor test.The development of language proficiency along with enhanced use of aural and visual metaphors among childrenwith learning disabilities, may contribute to improving the ability to plan, reinforce flexibility, bolster workingmemory and establish self monitor fluency; this in turn, builds up creative and abstract thinking as well as the abilityto understand and produce a metaphor. These findings and conclusions have implications on a variety ofpedagogical experiences including the reduction in school dropout rate, advancement of student achievementsthereby bolstering academic self esteem.