Investigation of reading error types, reading levels and reading speeds of students with special learning difficulties

Abstract

The main aim of this study is to investigate reading error types, reading levels and reading speeds of students with special learning difficulties (SLD). A case study model was used in the research. The research was carried out with 34 students enrolled in Grades 3–8, who were diagnosed with SLD in Konya in the 2019–2020 academic year. In the data analysis, while ‘error analysis’ was used for reading error types, the formula Number of Words Correctly Read ÷ Total Word Number of Text × 100 was utilised to determine reading levels. As for the identification of reading rates, the number of words read correctly in one minute was determined. According to the results of the research, the error types displayed by the students with SLD in the texts that are suitable for the classes that they attend and in the texts that belong to lower grade levels than their actual grade levels were found to be misreading, hesitating while reading, repeating, omitting a sound/syllable/word or skipping a line, substituting a sound/syllable or a word, pausing while reading, correction and reversing sounds.

Keywords: Special learning difficulties, reading difficulty, reading error types, reading levels, case study.