Original Research

Development and validation of a teacher awareness questionnaire about dyslexia

Franca O. Okechukwu, Philip C. Mefoh, Uju I. Nubia, Ezinne J. Nwauzoije, Chidiogo L. Umennuihe, Chibundo A. Nwobi, Kalu T. Ogba, Moses E. Chukweze, Joseph C. Aliche, Ezeda K. Ogbonnaya, Dorathy N. Okoli, Clara C. Onyekachi, Stephen Abang, Esther Epistle, Chioma Nnorodi, Chidera V. Obi
South African Journal of Childhood Education | Vol 13, No 1 | a1228 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v13i1.1228 | © 2023 Franca O. Okechukwu, Philip C. Mefoh, Uju I. Nubia, Ezinne J. Nwauzoije, Chidiogo L. Umennuihe, Chibundo A. Nwobi, Kalu T. Ogba, Moses E. Chukweze, Joseph C. Aliche, Ezeda K. Ogbonnaya, Dorathy N. Okoli, Clara C. Onyekachi, Stephen Abang, Esther Epistle, | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 10 June 2022 | Published: 20 January 2023

About the author(s)

Franca O. Okechukwu, Department of Home Science and Management, Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Philip C. Mefoh, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Uju I. Nubia, Department of Home Science and Management, Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Ezinne J. Nwauzoije, Department of Home Science and Management, Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Chidiogo L. Umennuihe, Department of Home Science and Management, Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Chibundo A. Nwobi, Department of Home Science and Management, Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Kalu T. Ogba, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Moses E. Chukweze, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Joseph C. Aliche, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Ezeda K. Ogbonnaya, Department of Vocational Teachers Education (VTE), Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Dorathy N. Okoli, Department of Home Science and Management, Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Clara C. Onyekachi, Department of Home Science and Management, Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Stephen Abang, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Esther Epistle, Department of Home Science and Management, Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Chioma Nnorodi, Department of Home Science and Management, Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Chidera V. Obi, Department of Home Science and Management, Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects children of school-going age and exists in all cultures and backgrounds. Dyslexic children are deficient in phonological awareness, which makes the children to fail to attain the skills of reading, writing and spelling commensurate with their intellectual abilities. Inadequate knowledge about the nature of dyslexia by primary school teachers results in poor categorisation of at-risk children.

Aim: This study sought to achieve two objectives. The first was to develop and validate the Teachers Awareness Questionnaire (TAQ), while the second goal was to use the validated TAQ to assess primary school teachers’ level of awareness about dyslexia.

Setting: Primary school teachers in Nsukka and nearby rural communities filled the TAQ and the Scale of Knowledge and belief about Developmental Dyslexia. Nsukka is called the university town and it is a slow-paced environment that is devoid of the usual hustle and bustle of most major towns in Nigeria.

Methods: The cross-sectional design was employed to gather data for the measurement process. Data were analysed using bivariate correlations and descriptive statistics.

Results: The TAQ has good internal consistency (r = 0.77) and an adequate convergent validity (r = 0.74, p < 0.01). Results also reveal that primary school teachers possessed low level of awareness about dyslexia.

Conclusion: The study findings show that primary school teachers in Nigeria lack the requisite knowledge about dyslexia. The study suggests psycho-education for primary school teachers to empower them with information about the condition.

Contribution: This study measured primary school teachers’ level of awareness about dyslexia. The results showed that primary school teachers’ awareness about dyslexia is poor, and this suggests that the use of labels (e.g., dullard) by some primary school teachers to describe their pupils may be incorrect. The study recommend to School Management Boards to take action to improve the teachers level of awareness about dyslexia, which would promote early identification of dyslexic pupils and possible intervention.


Keywords

dyslexia; phonological processing; reading difficulties; Teachers Awareness Questionnaire; psycho-education

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