Reading Skills Teaching Strategies for Students with Learning Disabilities

Abstract

The National Education Policy has emphasized education in Malaysia to improve reading, writing, and speaking abilities among all students, including students with learning disabilities. However the problem of reading among students with learning disabilities is getting more serious. This qualitative study was conducted to identify the opinions of special education teachers on the selection, implementation of teaching strategies for students that have multi-level reading problems as well as the impact of the strategy on them. Three study samples were purposely selected in Terengganu primary schools. Semi-structured interviews, observations, and document analysis were used in the data collection of the study. The results of the interviews were transcribed along with field notes and a daily teaching plan (RPH). Based on the results of this study, students with learning disabilities’ learning styles should be given priority in the selection of teaching strategies. Multisensory strategies, interactive multimedia, and group mentoring were used to plan the teaching of reading skills. Students with learning disabilities showed both positive and negative effects on the strategies that the study sample undertook. Therefore, researchers in the future can refer to this study as a reference source on teaching strategies for students with learning disabilities that have multi-level reading problems.