Kohli, Tehal. (2001). Comparison of various Remedial Strategies in Reducing Language Disabilities of Dyslexic Children. Unpublished. ERIC, Education
Objectives of the study:
To identify dyslexic children from among primary school children (grade I, II & III) studying in English medium schools of Chandigarh.
To identify deficiencies in neuro-psychological process of dyslexic children.
To study the differential impact of various remedial strategies to eliminate or reduce reading difficulties of dyslexic children.
To compare differential effectiveness of various remedial strategies for reducing the comprehension difficulties of dyslexics.
To find out the effect of reduction in reading difficulties on reduction of neuro-psychological deficits.
To study the impact of remedial strategies on boosting up of motivation of dyslexics.
Sample of the study:
In the present study multi-staged randomized sampling technique was used.
Stage I
The list of English medium schools of Chandigarh was collected from Director of Public Instructions (Schools). Out of these schools, 10 schools were randomly selected for the purpose of data collection.
Stage II
During the second stage, teachers were made aware of the specific learning disabilities of the children. After that Teacher's Referral Form was given to teachers to assess the children's specific learning disabilities from each of ten schools randomly selected. Children fulfilling the following criteria were included in the initial sample:
Children between the age range of seven to ten years and belonging to first, second & third grade.
Children who scored 65% & above on Teacher's Referral Form.
Children not been absent from school frequently.
Children without any apparent emotional disturbance.
Children having specific reading disability.
Stage III
In the third & final stage children between the age range of seven and ten years who were identified as having reading, writing and comprehension problems constituted the final sample. These children were administered. Indian adaptation of Weschler Intelligence Scale for children (Primary) by Malin (1969), Colored Progressive Matrices by Raven, Court & Raven (1977), Socio-Economic Status Scale by Srivastava (1991). Multivariable motivation test by Roma Pal (1962). Aston Index (revised) by Newton and Thomson (1982) and Brigance Diagnostic Comprehensive Inventory of Basic Skills by Brigance (1982)
On the basis of these tests, children who fulfilled the following criteria besides the above mentioned criteria for initial sample were included in the final sample
Average or above average intellectual ability (1Q 90 or above).
All children were from lower or middle class families.
At least one year and above retarded in word reading.
On the basis of above-mentioned criteria, out of 307 (referred cases), first, second and third grade children; only seventy-five were selected for the final sample. Out of these seventy-five children, fifteen children were randomly assigned to each of the five groups that are four experimental groups
and one control group.
Tools Used:
Indian adaptation of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (Primary) by Malin (1969)
Colored Progressive Matrices by Raven, Court & Raven (1977)
Aston Index (revised) by Newton and Thomson (1982)
Brigance Diagnostic Comprehensive Inventory of Basic Skills (Brigance,1982)
Socio-Economic Status
Methodology:
The present study followed experimental control group design with four experimental groups and one control group. All the five groups were tested before and after treatment.
Statistical techniques:
Statistical techniques like Mean, Standard deviation, t-test and Analysis of Variance were used.
Findings of the study:
Percentage of primary school children suffering from dyslexia
In the present study, 75 dyslexic children represented 24.42% children suffering from this disability.
Improvement in Neuro-psychological processes as the result of intervention
Mean differentials between pre and post test scores of all EGs for all neuro-psychological abilities were significant at 0.01 level of confidence.
Mean differentials between pre and post-test scores of all EGs for spelling were significant at 0.01 level of confidence. Mean differentials between post-test scores of all EGs and CG were also significant at 0.01 level.
Effectiveness of various remedial strategies:
Mean differentials between pre and post-test scores on oral reading from LG1 TO UGIII were found significant at 0.01 level of confidence. Mean differentials between post-test scores of different EGs and CG were also found significant at 0.01 level of confidence.
Mean differentials between pre and post-test scores on reading comprehension from primary to UGIII and between different EGs and CG on the basis of post-test were found significant at 0.01 level of confidence.
Mean differentials between post-test scores of different EGs and CG with regard to reading age were found significant at 0.01 level of confidence.
The above mentioned significant values verifies that different remedial strategies have significant effect in reducing reading difficulties of dyslexics children of all experimental groups.
Differential Impact of Remedial Strategies:
Mean differentials among the post-test scores on oral reading between EG3 and EG4 (LG1) were found significant at 0.01 level of confidence. t-values among the post-test scores on oral reading between EG1 and EG4 (LGII) were found significant at 0.01 level of confidence. Mean differentials among the post-test scores on oral reading between EG1, EG2, EG3 and EG4 (UGII) were found significant at 0.05 level of confidence.
Mean differentials among the post-test scores on reading comprehension between EG1 and EG2 (LG1) were found significant at 0.05 level of confidence. Mean differentials among the post-test scores on reading comprehension between EG1 and EG4 (LG1I) were found significant at 0.02 level of confidence.
Impact of Remedial Strategies in boosting up of motivation of dyslexics
Mean differentials between pre and post-test scores of all EGs for motivation level were significant at 0.01 level of confidence. t-values between post-test scores of all EGs and CG were also significant at 0.01 level of confidence.
Educational Implications:
Special education being a relatively new field, the research in this field is at an embryonic stage. The present study has greater importance in the present day, as there is a growing realization of learning disabilities.
The present study has revealed the prevalence rate of learning disabled primary school children to be 24.42%. Seeing this substantial number of prevalence it won't be wrong to say that this field needs immediate attention of all concerned i.e. educationists, teachers, planners and administrators. This study will be helpful to these concerned personnel in identifying the dyslexics at an early stage so that remediation can take place at the earliest.
In the present investigation, effect of various remedial strategies was seen in reducing the problems of dyslexic children. The findings can be useful for teachers training institutions and other agencies involved in primary school education in usage of such intervention strategies, which have been found useful in the present study.
Learning disabled children suffer from lack of motivation. It is therefore the role of the school teacher to boost their morale and improve their self-confidence. It has been inferred from the present investigation that different remedial strategies increase motivation level of students.
In conclusion it may be said that to meet the gigantic social and educational, problems of dyslexic children, a well designed programme of special instruction on language development based on individual attention should be executed to help these children.
Keyword(s): DYSLEXIC CHILDREN, LANGUAGE DISABILITY