Common Aspects of Reading Impairment among Pupils of First Cycle of Basic Education in the Sultanate of Oman as Perceived by their Teachers

Abstract

This study aimed at identifying the aspects of reading impairment among Grade Four pupils in the Sultanate of Oman from their teachers’ perspectives and unfolding statistically significant differences in their responses according to their governorate and teaching experience. The study was based on a questionnaire comprising a list of 41 statements on reading impairment divided into two categories: 27 statements on oral reading and 14 statements on reading comprehension. Responses of 102 teachers was received from the governorates of Muscat, Interior and Al-Batina South. It was revealed that the means of teachers’ responses ranged from 2.59 to 2.87, which means that reading weakness aspects are common among more than 50% of Grade Four pupils. The most common aspects were weaknesses in the ability to distinguish between fixed ta’(ta’ marboota) and opened ta’ (ta’ maftooha), in reading doubled letters (mushaddad), and in reading word by word in addition to slow reading. Moreover, the ANOVA results showed that there were no statistically significant differences in teachers’ responses based on their governorate or teaching experience.