The Prevalence of Learning Difficulties and Its Academic Impact Among Elementary School Students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Journal Title: International Journal of Medical Research Professionals - Year 2017, Vol 3, Issue 6
Abstract
Introduction: Learning Difficulty (LD) is a disorder in one or more of basic psychological processes involved in understanding or using language spoken or written, that may manifest itself on student’s academic performance. Objectives: To measure the prevalence of LD among elementary school students in Riyadh city, to identify the types of LD and the most common type among them, to measure the proportion of trained teachers on identifying and dealing with students with LD, and to verify the relation between LD and school performance. Method: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in 2015 at public and private girls schools in Riyadh, including a random sample of 24 teachers and 720 students from 1st grade to 6th grade, conducted through a closed-ended questionnaire directed to home teachers. Data was analyzed using SPSS. Results: The study showed that 172 out of 720 students (23.89%) have some sort of learning difficulty. The most common of all types were dyslexia and dysgraphia, which represent 31.4% and 27.3% respectively. 45.8% of their teachers reported that they have not been trained to identify or deal with this group of students. The academic performance is lower in students with learning difficulty than in normal students, as 68% of students with learning difficulty are below average while only 14.7 % of the normal children are below average. Dyslexia showed to have the most influence on academic achievements. Conclusion: The prevalence of students with some type of learning difficulty is considered high, investing in training teachers on dealing with students who have learning difficulties, and providing the environment and support to the students who need it, will improve their performance and achievements.
Authors and Affiliations
Najla S. Ewain, Alia Alkhleb, Atheer Alhoshan, Ghada Al Qahtani, Lama Alotaibi, Leejin Bin Kleib, Marah Alatrash, Norah Alqartun, Reem Alomairi, Seham Alanazi, Shatha Sulaiman
Keywords
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- EP ID EP548812
- DOI 10.21276/ijmrp.2017.3.6.051
- Views 188
- Downloads 1
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