Individualized Educational Therapy for Child with Dyslexia at Tsehay Chora Primary School, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Dyslexia is one of the most common manifestations of specific learning disorders. Early diagnosis, appropriate educational therapy, and support can mitigate dyslexia before it advances to severe level. The maxim “catch the child before he/she fails” is an inspiring and sensible axiology. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of individualized educational therapy for students with dyslexia. Wakuma (pseudonym) was identified as a student with dyslexia based on diagnostic baseline assessment tests. A-B single-subject experimental research design with repeated measures and visual inspection techniques were used to investigate effectiveness of individualized educational therapy for student with dyslexia. Three different alphabet tests were used to collect data. Educational therapy package that has four individualized educational therapies and positive reinforcement was manipulated through alphabet song, alphabet naming, matching alphabet, and wooden letters arranging game. Diagnostic baseline assessments result showed that Wakuma’s level of alphabet recognition was 39.6%. Mean stable alphabet recognition of pretest was 10.3. Post-therapy results showed that the change in level between pretest and post-test was 14.2 and the immediacy of educational therapy effect was 15.3. Literacy scores at post-test were significantly higher than pre-test scores. The study has implication that intervention through individualized educational therapy was effective in bringing change in alphabets recognition of student with dyslexia.