Strategies used in teaching reading to learners with intellectual disabilities: a case of UTH special school, Lusaka, Zambia.

The purpose of this study was to establish the strategies that were used in teaching reading skills to learners with intellectual disability (ID) at UTH Special School in Lusaka. The study was guided by the following objectives: To establish strategies teachers used in teaching reading to learners with ID, To ascertain the appropriateness of the teaching strategies teachers used in teaching reading skills to learners with ID and to ascertain the challenges teachers faced in teaching reading to learners with ID. The study was purely qualitative and a descriptive research design was employed. The sample size consisted of 10 participants comprising 2 administrators and 8 special teachers. Data was collected through interviews and observation checklists. Participants were selected through use of purposive sampling technique. Analysis of data was done thematically leading to merging themes. These were presented descriptively. The findings of the study have revealed that the strategies teachers used in teaching reading skills to learners with ID were phonics, word card/picture, pair and group reading and individual reading, dictation, Language Experience Approach and syllabic. Furthermore, the findings indicated that the most used teaching strategies were phonics and word card/picture. With regards to the appropriateness of the teaching strategies, the study found that the teaching strategies were appropriate for example, word picture helped children to learn new words easily, and phonic made learners develop the understanding of the letter-sound relationship, group reading facilitated peer teaching. The study further revealed that the major challenges faced by teachers in teaching reading to learners
with ID were inadequate teaching/learning resources and absenteeism. The study therefore recommends that the Ministry of General Education should ensure that there is adequate provision of teaching/learning materials to enhance the teaching of reading skills to learners with ID. A special curriculum for learners with intellectual disability should be developed by specialists from the Curriculum Development Center (CDC). Keywords: Strategies, Intellectual Disabilities and Reading