Abstracts
Abstract
The current study examined elementary teachers’ knowledge about late-emerging reading disabilities (LERDs) and their ability to identify and support students with late-emerging reading comprehension difficulties. Sixty-three teachers from Ontario, Canada, completed a questionnaire that included items assessing their knowledge of LERDs. Three case studies about fictional students experiencing comprehension difficulties that had begun only in Grade 4 were also included. The case studies differed by school context: English-medium school, French immersion school, and no provided context. Respondents were asked to identify the importance of underlying reading skills (e.g., phonological awareness, inferencing) for each case and to report strategies they might use to support a student experiencing comprehension difficulties. Results indicated that 29% of participating teachers reported prior knowledge of a LERD and only 55% expressed some degree of confidence in identifying a LERD profile. Among a provided list of reading skills, teachers most strongly associated identifying the main idea, inferencing ability, and vocabulary knowledge to comprehension difficulties. However, only 44% of teachers proposed strategies that would directly target comprehension difficulties when asked about supporting the students. A primary implication of this research is a need for greater professional development specific to comprehension difficulties with respect to both assessment and teaching approaches.
Keywords:
- Reading Disabilities,
- Elementary Teachers,
- Professional Development
Appendices
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