TITLE:
The Effects of Two Training Programs Regarding Reading Development among Children with Reading Disabilities
AUTHORS:
Linda Fälth, Idor Svensson, Tomas Tjus
KEYWORDS:
Children, Intervention, Reading and Writing Disabilities
JOURNAL NAME:
Psychology,
Vol.2 No.3,
July
2,
2011
ABSTRACT: The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of two different training programs regarding reading skills in 14 reading disabled Swedish children in grade two. Method: The children’s results from two different decoding measures plus identification by teachers as having reading difficulties were used to select the participants. Seven of the children used Omega-IS, which entails computerized top-down, orthographic training and no additional homework, and seven children used non-computerized Reading Recovery inspired training with some components of phonological training included plus 20 homework occasions. For both programs the training sessions were conducted individually (one-to-one teaching) and lasted between 15 and 45 minutes. Results: Both groups improved significantly in all tests assessing word and non-word decoding as a result of the intervention. No significant differences were yielded between the intervention programs. Conclusion: The conclusion is that one-to-one teaching has a positive impact regardless whether a top-down or a reading instructional strategy with phonological components is implemented. Due to the result of the Omega-IS group it might also be possible to reduce homework for reading disabled children if reading is well tutored in school.