Teaching Dyslexia In Kenya

ABSTRACT

The Kenyan education system only offers teachers basic knowledge. Public school teachers especially lack the privilege of acquiring anything but basic teaching skills. Therefore they lack enough training to be able to identify dyslexics and help them improve their reading skills.

The objective of this study is to establish teacher awareness of dyslexia in Kenya. If there are teachers who are trained to teach dyslexics, if their training helped them in any way

Both primary and secondary methods of research were conducted. Questionnaires were given to a sample size of 100 teachers in Nairobi.

It was found that 77% of teachers were unaware of what dyslexia was. Only 8% had gone for training. Secondary data that was found indicated

Is there teacher awareness of dyslexia in Kenya?

2. Are Kenyan teachers given enough training to deal with dyslexic learners?

3. Are the teachers able identify and help the dyslexics after training (did the training help the teachers)?

1.6 HYPOTHESIS

1.6.1 Null Hypothesis:

Teachers in Kenya are not given sufficient training on how to identify and assist dyslexic children.

1.6.2 Alternate Hypothesis:

Teaches in Kenya have enough training on dyslexia and are able to easily identify and work to help the dyslexic children.

1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Dyslexia is a common disorder in the world. It occurs in one child in every class room in the USA. In Kenya about 7.49% of children are at risk of acquiring dyslexia (Cheruiyot, 2015). The significance of the study is to help parents and teachers understand what exactly dyslexia is and how they can assist the dyslexics. This can reduce the percentage of dyslexics in Kenya. The most important people who can bring change are the teachers. Thus it is significant that the teachers themselves recognize dyslexics. This way they can help the children and parents accept and deal with the disorder. Substantially more children can be helped and school drop outs and violent delinquents can

Dyslexia is likely to be presented at birth. Most scientists have deemed the actual causes of dyslexia as unclear. Despite this vagueness, dyslexia is said to be acquired in three major ways:

1. Genetic Factors: Children, whose parents are dyslexic, have a higher chance of attaining dyslexia. Parents need to get their children regularly checked for early detection of this disorder. Heredity therefore can be a factor leading to dyslexia.

2. Neurobiological Factors: these are factors that involve problems in the development of certain areas of the brain that aid with reading and other literary skills. This may happen due to an injury in the mother’s womb or due to an accident during birth. Pregnant women must be careful to avoid their children from becoming dyslexic.

3. Environmental Factors: environments where children acquire knowledge and home environments playa huge role as a cause of dyslexia. It is necessary that children are kept in friendly environments. Poor households, delay in certain stages of development, especially at prenatal stages, can lead to a child becoming dyslexic.

(Cheruiyot, 2015)

2.3 TEACHER