DEVELOPING READING COMPREHENSION

SKILLS IN STUDENTS WITH LEARNING

DISABILITIES

E. Stranovská, K. Chválová, I. Poulíková

Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (SLOVAKIA)
Research Objectives
- To assess the development of teachers' competencies in improving
reading comprehension for learners with learning disabilities

- To explore the strategies used to identify students with learning

disabilities

- Investigate the relationship between the use of reading strategies and the
enhancement of students' reading comprehension skills
Theoretical Framework

- Understanding the reading comprehension process

- Identifying specific professional competencies necessary for teaching

students with learning disabilities

- Characteristics of this exceptional learner group

SEN Learners
- Learners with Special Educational Needs (SEN), including dysgraphia and
dyslexia, face unique challenges in reading comprehension

- Dysgraphia affects handwriting and fine motor skills, while dyslexia hinders
reading fluency and decoding

- Challenges impact academic performance and mental health

- Personalized teaching approaches boost confidence and create a welcoming

environment
Research Sample
- Location: Nitra and Liptov regions, Slovakia

- Schools: Grammar schools, lower-secondary schools, and a language school

- Participants: 47 teachers and 17 students

- Diverse group in terms of age and English proficiency levels

Hypotheses

1. Teachers have a greater influence on improving the reading comprehension of

learners with dyslexia and dysgraphia than materials.

2. Pupils with dyslexia and dysgraphia generally prefer the teaching methods
used by their teachers to improve their reading skills over the approaches
presented in course books.
Methodology

- Quantitative and qualitative data analysis

- Questionnaires for teachers and students

- Analysis of questionnaire data and insights into strategies for

enhancing reading comprehension
Questionnaire for Teachers

- Developed after literature review

- Administered to 47 teachers in various settings in Nitra and Liptov regions

- Aim: To assess teachers' use of coursebook materials for students with learning
disabilities

- 12 questions cover material quality, adaptability, balance with other resources, and
effectiveness

- Provides insights into teaching practices for SEN learners

Questionnaire for Students
- Surveys created after literature review

- Administered to 17 students in Nitra and Liptov regions

- Aim: To assess reading strategies and comprehension of coursebook instructions

- 5 questions covered interests, skills, and reading strategies

- Explored reading environment and challenges

- Aims to enhance support for academic success in an inclusive framework

- Initial inquiry focused on assessing
teachers' effectiveness in identifying
students with learning disabilities Results
- Results:
- 21.3% fully agreed with screening,
monitoring, and observation
- 36.2% partially agreed
- 25.5% remained neutral, suggesting a
potential need for further training
- 17.0% partially disagreed, indicating
alternative strategies or reliability
concerns

- Varied responses highlight the absence of

a standardized approach to identification,
emphasizing the need for consistency
across schools and districts
- The research sought to understand
teachers' perspectives on the interest and
engagement of students with learning Results
disabilities in reading comprehension
exercises

- Results
- 25.5% agreed
- 19.1% partially agreed
- 42.6% were neutral
- 12.8% partially disagreed

- Emphasizes the need to create a

supportive learning environment, using
engaging materials, positive
reinforcement, and recognizing
achievements to enhance comprehension
skills and academic success
- Teachers' views on coursebook instructions for
students with learning disabilities were assessed
Results
- Findings align with the importance of multisensory
methods, especially visual aids, for enhancing
reading comprehension.

- Cooperative learning fosters social skills,

teamwork, and a sense of community

- Asking questions, summarization, and visual aids

are effective strategies to engage and support
learning

- Challenges include the need for more training in

incorporating reading comprehension activities,
particularly for learners with learning disabilities

- Individual student preferences and needs should

be considered when using visual aids
Conclusions

- Two hypotheses were tested:

1. Teachers have a greater impact on improving reading comprehension for learners with dyslexia
and dysgraphia than materials.

2. Learners with dyslexia and dysgraphia generally prefer their teachers' methods over course books.

- Findings support the significance of specialized help and teaching in reading comprehension
techniques for students with learning difficulties.
Alignment with Research and Guidelines

- Our study aligns with prior work showing the value of reading comprehension exercises for
students with learning difficulties

- Emphasizes the importance of explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,

vocabulary, and comprehension methods in line with the National Reading Panel's guidelines

- Reading comprehension exercises can aid students with learning difficulties in comprehending
texts in greater detail
Teacher's Role and Support

- Teachers have a significant impact on enhancing reading comprehension for learners with dyslexia
and dysgraphia

- Learners typically prefer their teachers' methods for improving reading skills

- Highlights the importance of teacher-centered approaches tailored to student needs and

preferences.
Experimental Teaching Insights

- Valuable insights into effective teaching methods obtained

- Emphasizes not only the content of reading materials but also their presentation and text types

- Suggests the need for more support and training for teachers to effectively incorporate activities
into their teaching practice

- Reinforces the importance of providing explicit instruction in comprehension strategies for

learners with learning disabilities, in line with existing research
Thank you for
your attention !

E. Stranovská, K. Chválová, I. Poulíková

Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (SLOVAKIA)