The foundation for the present study was based on the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, 2001), Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) 2004, and Florida Response to Intervention (RTI) (Florida RTI, 2009). In line with the NCLB Act, Florida requires students to pass the reading portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) on grade level in order to graduate (FL-DOE, 2001). In alignment with the RTI framework, READ 180 is presently being implemented as a Tier 2 intervention with adolescent struggling readers across the nation. The methodology for this research was a retrospective research design, with the use of multiple regression and logistic regression models which are consistent with the purpose. Neither of the analyses indicated a significant relationship between READ 180 and the attainment of the minimum yearly gain on the developmental scale score (DSS) of the reading portion of the FCAT. The data analyses supported previous research results indicating that students who are identified as White, from non-low SES families, and not identified with a disability, have more academic success. The results indicated that the regular classroom with reading strategies instruction was just as effective for promoting reading achievement as the separate classroom with specific reading instruction. Because students who participated in the intensive reading intervention forfeit the opportunity to participate in other courses, policy makers and educators need to weigh carefully the costs and benefits of such programs.

The main aim of this study was to assess teachers’ awareness levels of dyslexia, their perceptions of their ability to identify and manage dyslexia, and their perceptions of the adequacy of their pre-service and in-service training in dyslexia. The sample comprised teachers at 16 mainstream high schools in the Western Cape. A Likert type scale questionnaire was used to collect data that were analysed by means of a sign test of difference and a Kruskal-Wallis test of variance. The results indicated that teachers had adequate knowledge of dyslexia, believed they are able to identify and manage dyslexia, and believed that they received little or no pre-service and in-service training in dyslexia. The main conclusion that can be drawn is that teachers need on-going adequate pre-service and in-service training in the field of dyslexia. / Department of Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

The main aim of this study was to assess teachers’ awareness levels of dyslexia, their perceptions of their ability to identify and manage dyslexia, and their perceptions of the adequacy of their pre-service and in-service training in dyslexia. The sample comprised teachers at 16 mainstream high schools in the Western Cape. A Likert type scale questionnaire was used to collect data that were analysed by means of a sign test of difference and a Kruskal-Wallis test of variance. The results indicated that teachers had adequate knowledge of dyslexia, believed they are able to identify and manage dyslexia, and believed that they received little or no pre-service and in-service training in dyslexia. The main conclusion that can be drawn is that teachers need on-going adequate pre-service and in-service training in the field of dyslexia. / Department of Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)