Specific learning difficulties in primary school children

Abstract

This dissertation investigated the prevalence of children with specific learning difficulties (dyslexia) in Maltese Government Primary Schools. It was assumed that children with specific learning difficulties would be identified through a large discrepancy between their general ability and their achievement in literacy skills. A general ability test (Raven's) and four other tests in Maltese and English reading and spelling were administered to a random sample of 240 children aged between 8 years and 10 years 6 months. The data was subjected to statistical analysis by means of the Anovas Test. An analysis of results revealed a significant difference between the age-groups' scores. It was also found that in most cases, children who were good readers were also good spellers. Moreover, children who could read and write well in Maltese could also do in English. The analysis of the data also revealed only 3 subjects (1.25 %) with an ability - achievement discrepancy of 2 or more standard deviations. A comparison of the error patterns of these 3 subjects with the pattern of errors resulting from an analysis of a subsample of 24 subjects showed that children with specific learning difficulties made more 'nonsense' errors.