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Causes of Learning Disabilities in Basic Skills of Students at Primary Level and Remedial Techniques Used by The Teachers
Causes of Learning Disabilities in Basic Skills of Students at Primary Level and Remedial Techniques Used by The Teachers
2, 2014 (December)
Abstract
The study was to investigate the external causes of learning disabilities in basic
skills of students at primary level. The major objectives of the study were to find
out the external causes of learning disabilities in basic skills of reading, writing
and arithmetic among students at primary level and to find out the remedial
techniques used by the primary school teachers to help disabled students in
learning. The research questions were to see that physical deficiencies, socio-
economic factors, home environment, teaching skills and status of parents cause
which learning disabilities among students? Due to time and financial
constraints the study was delimited to the Government Boys Primary Schools of
District Mianwali. All the teachers teaching primary classes and all the learning
disabled students of 3rd, 4th and 5th classes (indicated by the teachers) in the
Government Boys Primary Schools of District Mianwali were included in
population. Fifty primary schools were randomly selected as sample from the
district and all the disabled students (indicated by the class teachers) studying in
the selected schools were included in the sample, according to the check list
prepared by the researchers. One check list and two opinionnaires were
developed for the study. Check list was used to indicate the learning disabled
students. One opinionnaire was for the teachers and the other for the students to
collect their responses about the causes of learning disabilities. After validation
through pilot testing the opinionnaires were administered to 88 teachers and 95
students of the selected schools. Responses were analyzed on the percentage
basis. This study revealed that educationally weak peers, lack of facility of media
resources were the causes of reading, writing and fundamental math disabilities.
Lack of teaching skills, teachers’ attention, use of Audio-Visuals aids (AV-aids)
in teaching and lack of opportunities of learning experiences also caused
reading, writing and fundamental math disabilities in primary grade students.
Teachers were using the remedial techniques like simple individualized and
group techniques, affectionate and encouraging attitude, drill and practice in
disable area. They were also keeping liaison with the parents. However they
were not using the modern techniques due to lack of special trainings in this
regard.
Introduction
It is right of every child to receive help in learning to the limits of his capacity. According
to Law of Individual with Disability Education Act 97-IDEA (1997), “The duty of state is
to provide equal opportunity for learning to all the children whether they are normal or
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There are a number of problems faced by many children in learning specific subject
areas. Usually learning problems may occur due to any one or combination of the various
factors, i.e. low level of intelligence, visual impairment, motor handicaps and learning
difficulties. Children included in this field are those who are slow in learning to talk or to
acquire other communication skills or to develop visual or auditory perception. They face
difficulties in reading, writing, spelling and calculation (Lin, n.d). Such children are not
receptive to language, but or not deaf. They are not blind and mentally retarded but
cannot learn with ordinary methods of instruction. All these children are disabled
learners.
Learning disabled children are not special children; they are normal but slow due to some
reason (Lin, n.d). The National Joint Committee for Learning Disabilities as mentioned
by Dash (2003); Ministry of Education, British Columbia (2011) that learning disability
is a generic term; it refers to a diverse nature of disorders that are evident by considerable
difficulties in the attainment and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning,
or mathematical abilities. These are intrinsic to the children and are supposed to be due to
central nervous system dysfunction. Even through a learning disability may arise
alongside with other handicapping conditions like sensory impairment, mental
retardation, social and emotional disturbance, insufficient/ inappropriate instruction,
psychogenic factors.
It can be comprehended that some time learning disability occurs due to some sort of
impairment and sometimes due to some psychological problem. The National Advisory
Committee on handicapped children as quoted by Gallagher (2003) defined “Learning
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There are many factors helping in the identification of learning disabled child but during
schooling low or underachievement is the necessary component of students’ learning
disability (Falconer, 2010; Ministry of Education, British Columbia (2011)). During
process of education learning disabled students show low achievement in one or more
skills or areas (Westwood, 2004).
Exact causes of learning disability are not agreed upon by the experts. According to Heck
(2002) generally the factors causing learning disabilities may be categorised in three ways
as (i) genetic or heredity factors; (ii) organic or physiological factors and (iii)
environmental factors. He further explained that environmental factors many include
improper and uncongenial conditions and features of an individual’s physical social
culture and education environment may be the causes of learning disability. On combining
first two factors we can categorize them in two as non-environmental factors i.e. genetic,
heredity and organic or physiological factors and environmental factors like domestic
problems, socio-economic elements, home facilities and educational facilities.
Awareness about learning disabilities is necessary for parents and teachers, for proper
learning of students. So, it is necessary to find out the environmental causes which affect
the learning of students. Due to these factors learning disabilities arise. In Pakistan least
has been done in this regard. The study was designed to investigate the environmental
causes of learning disabilities in basic skills of students at primary school level like
domestic problems, socio-economic elements, home facilities and educational facilities
and remedial techniques being used by the teachers.
i. Find out that domestic factors, socio-economic factors and environmental factors
causes which learning disabilities in basic skills i.e. reading, writing, comprehension,
fundamental math, memory and organizing, among the primary level students.
ii. Point out the learning disabilities caused by deficit teaching skills of primary
teachers.
iii. Indicate remedial techniques to minimize the effects of learning disabilities being
used by the teachers
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Research Questions
Following research questions were constructed to address the objectives:
i. What are the domestic problems causing learning disabilities in basic skills
among the primary level students?
ii. Which learning disabilities in basic skills among students at elementary level
are caused by the socio-economic factors
iii. Which learning disabilities in basic skills are caused by the lack of home
facilities and home environment?
iv. Does the lack of teaching skills of teacher cause the learning disability
among the students?
v. Which different techniques are being used by the primary school teachers to
remediate the students with learning disabilities?
All the learning disabled students of 3rd, 4th and 5th classes (indicated by the teachers)
studying in the randomly selected 50 Govt. Boys primary Schools of District Mianwali
were included in the study. All the teachers having two years or more experience of
dealing with learning disabled students and one hundred (100) learning disabled students
were selected purposively.
One checklist to point out the learning disabled students and two opinionnaires were
developed according to local requirements following the tests suggested by Johson
(1980) and Silver (2001) and with the help of teachers having more than two years
experience of dealing with learning disabled students. The check list included the aspects
of reading, learning comprehension, writing, fundamental math and memory disabilities.
One opinionnaire was for the teachers and the other for the students to collect the
responses about the causes of learning disabilities. Items of the opinionnaires were
developed keeping in view the aspects of learning disabilities in basic skills i.e. reading,
writing, comprehension, fundamental math and organizing etc, and memory disability
with respect to physical deficiencies, socio-economic status of parents, home and school
environment and educational causes for learning disabilities. The two opinionnaires were
pilot tested to the group of 15 teachers and 20 (learning disabled) students. These
teachers and students were not included in the actual sample. The opinionnaires were also
discussed with five (5) experts (four senior teachers with M. Phil and PhD qualification
and one senior professor of education) and were improved in the light of their
suggestions.
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Reading Disability RD
Listening Comprehension Disability LCD
Writing Disability WD
Fundamental Math. Disability FMD
Memory Disability MD
Organizing Disability OD
Uncertain UNC
Table 1 shows that 70% teachers and 57% students told that undue restrictions of parents
is the cause for listening comprehension disability (LCD), 64% teachers and 59%
students counted it cause for memory disability (MD). While 59% students opined that it
is also a cause for fundamental math disability (FMD). Teachers and students in
consensus (60% & 58%) said that emotional reaction due to conflict between parents is a
cause for listening comprehension disability (LCD). They also mentioned consensually
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(74% & 65%) that it also causes memory disability (MD). 68% teachers and 55%
students both counted separation between parents (due to divorce or due to some other
reason) as a cause for Memory disability (MD). Majority of the teachers 62% & 60%)
and students (60% & 50%) said that being orphan becomes cause for reading disability
(RD) and memory disability (MD). Opinion of the teachers about less attention of parents
is surprising as they took less attention of parents as a cause for (FMD) fundamental
math disability (70%), a cause for (WD) writing disability (64%), a cause for (RD)
reading disability (62%), a cause for (LCD) listening comprehension disability (60%) and
also a cause for (MD) memory disability (60%) while significant number of students did
not took less attention of parents as a cause for any disability. Perhaps students could not
understand the term less attention of parents.
Students 11 09 17 10 16 10 53
9 Occupation of parents
Teachers 12 18 04 16 20 08 10
Students 12 13 13 08 15 08 12
10 Effects of local games Teachers 76 24 74 26 11 14 10
Students 79 21 61 19 18 11 18
Table 2 shows that according to teachers, lack of in time treatment of physical problem is
the cause for (MD) memory disability (78%), a cause for (RD) reading disability (64%), a
cause for (WD) writing disability (64%), and also a cause for (FMD) fundamental math
disability (62%). Whereas significant number of students did not take the ‘lack of in time
treatment of physical problem’ as a cause for any disability. The reason may be that no
students, in the sample, was having any physical problem or disability, so they could not
conceive its effect upon disabilities. The teachers (70%) and students (57%) counted
economical problems of parents as a cause for memory disability (MD) and 60% teachers
counted it a cause for writing disability (WD) also. The responses of teachers and
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students regarding social status of parents and occupation of parents as causes for any
disability were very low and not considerable. The reason may be that at primary level
among students, the social status and occupation of parents are not considered by the
students as they are unable to feel and describe the possible effects of these variables on
their learning disabilities. The teachers and students were of the view that local games
become the cause for (RD) reading disability (76% & 79%), and (WD) writing disability
(74% & 61%).
Table 3 shows those 70% teachers and 52% students told that interruption of home
environment in academic affairs is the cause for reading disability (RD) while only 50%
students counted it as a cause for learning comprehension disability (LCD). The teachers
(80%), and student (77%) counted unsuitable environment at home as a cause for reading
disability (RD), only teachers (62%) counted it a cause for writing disability (WD) also.
68% teachers and 62% students counted effects of educationally week peers as a cause
for reading disability (RD), along with that 60% teachers and 68% students counted it as
a cause for writing disability (WD). The opinion of 70% teachers and 62% students was
that lack of facility of media resources i.e. news papers, TV etc is a cause for listening
comprehension disability (LCD) while, 64% teachers and 69% students took it as a cause
for reading disability (RD) also.
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Table 4 shows that 84% teachers and 52% students told that lack of teaching skills in
teachers at primary level was the cause for reading disability (RD), 80% teachers and
42% students counted it as a cause for writing disability (WD) and 76% teachers along
with 62% students took it as cause for fundamental math disability (FMD). The responses
of 80% teachers and 53% students were that lack of individual attention of teachers at
primary level was a cause for writing disability (WD), teachers (78%) and students (46%)
also took it as a cause for reading disability (RD) whereas 72% teachers with 49%
students took it as a cause for fundamental math disability (FMD). According to 70%
teachers and 65% students counted less or no use of AV-aids in teaching at primary level
as a cause for listening comprehension disability (LCD) while only 68% teachers counted
it as a cause of memory disability (MD). These were only teachers who took lack of
opportunities of co-curricular activities for students as a cause for organizing disability
(OD) while no significant number of students took it as cause for any disability. The
possible reason may be that students took co-curricular activities as extra work and have
least interest. The teachers (68%) and students (63%) counted lack of support of
textbooks for disabled students as a cause for reading disability (RD) while 64% teachers
and 55% students took it as a cause for learning comprehension disability (LCD).
According to 70% teachers and 60% students discouraging attitude of class fellows was
the cause of learning comprehension disability (LCD) while 60% teachers and 65%
students took it as a cause for fundamental math disability (FMD).
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flexible for children. They also use students’ counselling technique to create
sense of responsibility being son.
2. Majority of the teachers said that addressing emotional reaction of children due
to conflict between parents; the parents’ were advised to compromise for their
children and the students of such parents were dealt with affectionate individual
attention and counselling.
3. Separation between parents due to divorce or due to some other reason is another
major factor of learning disabilities. Teachers’ claim was that they use practice of
affectionate individual attention & counselling to the students. They were not
willing to say anything to the parents due to the sensitivity of such type of issues
in society.
4. Teachers said that for less attention of parents to the children their practices were
advice to parents and affectionate counselling of the students. On the other hand
keep the students busy in different interesting educational games and story books
to minimize the effects.
7. Majority of the teachers explained that low social status of parents and parents’
occupation are mostly not causing any serious learning disability. The possible
reason may be that at younger age students do not care for such things.
8. To remediate the effects of local games like keeping cocks, quails and dogs for
fighting games etc teachers’ practices reported were advice to parents and
teaching the time management skills to the students. They said it is useless to
stop the students from such games because social factor is powerful and stress
causes drop out of the students.
9. Most of the teachers said that to minimize the adverse effects of home
environment and unsuitable basic facilities at home they use the techniques of
parents’ guidance, students counselling and treat them with encouraging attitude.
Few teachers indicated that they give extra time to such students for supervised
reading practice.
10. Majority of the teachers expressed that to remediate the factor of company of
educationally week peers, they frequently changes seating arrangement and
group formations.
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11. Most of the teachers expressed that for lack of media facilities i.e. news papers,
TV etc they exposed the available AV-aids and educational games like card
game, word games etc.
12. Addressing lack of teaching skills in teachers at primary level, to cope up with
this deficiency, colleague teachers help such teachers and providing them with
tips for better teaching. Moreover, heads of institutions recommend such teachers
for in-service training.
13. Lack of individual attention of teachers is serious problem for teaching learning
process; in this regard seniors help such teachers for improvement.
14. Most of the teachers said that less or no use of AV-aids in teaching is due to the
unavailability of AV-aids. This problem is addressed with use of no-cost, low-
cost local materials.
15. Most of the teachers claimed that in government schools, opportunities of co-
curricular activities, is less however weekly tutorial periods and annual games are
conducted for students. Usually it is not permitted by the administration to
frequently conduct such activities. At classroom level teachers try to give
opportunity to the students as and when possible.
16. According to majority of the teachers, to cope up with the problem of lack of
support of textbooks for disabled students, teachers use library books.
17. For the discouraging attitude of class fellows, teachers claimed that they counsel
the students with moral tales and discourage such behaviours.
I. Most of the teachers claimed that to remediate the reading disability (RD), they use
technique of supervised practice using alternate books like story books with
encouraging attitude. Ormrod (2003) also suggest that “Find alternative textbooks
that are suitable for their reading levels”.
II. Majority of teachers expressed that for the learning comprehension disability (LCD),
they use remedial techniques of supervised practise of reading and re-writing in own
words starting from one sentence to onward. Many teachers use technique of literary
activities like speech contest, discussion, and story making. Few teachers claimed
that they use comprehension activities like missing words games and writing one life
event daily. Ormrod (2003) suggested that “Provides mnemonics to help them
remember specific pieces of information”.
III. Teachers said that writing disability (WD) is of two dimensions; one is style or way
of writing and the other is creative writing. The way of writing is improved by
guiding them, giving more time for writing practice and ignoring writing while
assessing the class work. Woolfolk (2004) also suggested that “Increase the time
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allowed or decrease the amount of writing and omit handwriting as a criterion for
evaluating reports”. For creative writing disability, the teachers use the technique of
sentence making using given words, sentence completion and story building from the
outline or form a sentence.
IV. According to majority of teachers, the remedial techniques used for the fundamental
math disability (FMD) are practicing math with daily life activities and peer tutoring.
While Woolfolk (2004) suggested that “Provide opportunities for group projects, peer
tutoring” in this regard.
V. Majority of the teachers responded that memory disability (MD) among the
students is minimized by affectionate individual attention and counselling to the
students. Moreover many teachers claimed that they use education games like
show, hide and write words, re-write the read paragraph etc. Woolfolk (2004)
also suggested that ask such students to write summaries of reading assignments.
VI. The organizing disability (OD) is ignored by the teachers as many teachers could
not tell any technique for this. Few highly qualified teachers addressed this
disability, and claimed that they frequently provide the chance of being class
leader to every students and lead in the activities like arranging the seats,
arranging the class height wise and arranging the groups with respect to
achievements and different abilities etc.
Conclusions
Summarizing all the results, conclusions are drawn and presented in the following table.
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14 Lack of facility of media resources i.e. news papers, TV etc. RD & LCD
Educational causes of learning disabilities
15 Lack of teaching skills in teachers at primary level RD, WD & FMD
16 Lack of individual attention of teachers RD, LCD, WD & FMD
17 Less or no use of AV-aids in teaching LCD & FMD
18 Lack of opportunities of co-curricular activities for students OD
19 Lack of support of textbooks for disabled students RD & LCD
20 Discouraging attitude of class fellows LCD & FMD
In remediating the learning disabilities, primary teachers are using some simple
individualized and group techniques. They are also keeping liaison with the parents. They
are not using the modern techniques like individual educational program (IEP), use of
AV-aids, and information communication technology (ICT), visual imagery, Mnemonic
Devices, Advance Unit Organizer, self-management or self-regulation strategies, brain-
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Recommendations
Children are not only the future of their parents but also the future of the nation so, that
children may get protected from all sorts of learning disabilities. It is recommended that
1. Parents may be careful about their conflicts which causes learning disabilities in the
children. Parents may also keep watch on the educationally week peers of their
children which causes learning disabilities.
2. Parents may arrange for suitable environment for study and may arrange for
treatment of temporary physical disabilities so that these may not affect the learning
process of children.
3. Teachers may be careful in teaching especially at primary level and may give full
individual attention to the students to protect them from learning disabilities, use AV-
aids to support their teaching and use especial learning strategies i.e. mastery learning
etc for learning disabled students and slow learners and may not be harsh with such
students.
4. Head teacher may supervise teachers to be careful for such students having learning
disability or tendency to be learning disabled i.e. slow learners and may arrange
teachers’ parents meetings to solve the problems of learning disabled students and
may also arrange medical and psychological treatment for such students.
6. Special content should be available by the content writer to match the needs of these
students
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References
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