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Factors for Influencing Intervention for Dyslexia CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by Aquila Digital Community The University of Southern Mississippi The Aquila Digital Community Dissertations Fall 12-1-2018 Factors for Influencing Intervention for Dyslexia Michele Schraeder University of Southern Mississippi Follow this and additional works at: https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations Recommended Citation Schraeder, Michele, "Factors for Influencing Intervention for Dyslexia" (2018). Dissertations. 1584. https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations/1584 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by The Aquila Digital Community. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of The Aquila Digital Community. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FACTORS FOR INFLUENCING INTERVENTION FOR DYSLEXIA by Michele Schraeder A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate School, the College of Education and Human Sciences and the School of Education at The University of Southern Mississippi in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Approved by: Dr. Richard S. Mohn, Committee Chair Dr. James T. Fox Dr. Maureen K. Martin Dr. Kyna Shelley ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ Dr. Richard S. Mohn Dr. Sandra Nichols Dr. Karen S. Coats Committee Chair Director of School Dean of the Graduate School December 2018 COPYRIGHT BY Michele Schraeder 2018 Published by the Graduate School ABSTRACT Although instructional leadership and transformational leadership styles of elementary school principals have been found to be effective variables in increasing academic progress for students, the integration of instructional and transformational leadership behaviors has proved to be the most effective form of leadership. However, many students in elementary schools have difficulty learning to read despite good leadership by the principal, with 5-20% of students being diagnosed with dyslexia. While these students need phonetic, multisensory intervention to build necessary reading skills, many principals report lack of knowledge of this specialized instruction. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to explore variables that determine the school-based level of appropriate intervention for students with dyslexia. A questionnaire assessing leadership skills, knowledge and beliefs about dyslexia, preparation in reading disorders and/or dyslexia received from degree programs and professional development, and services provided to students with dyslexia was given to principals serving in K-2 elementary schools across the United States. Results indicate the variables of leadership style of the school principal, knowledge received from the principal’s degree program, and knowledge received from professional development provided outside of the local school district do not significantly influence the school-based level of intervention for students with dyslexia. However, this study found that principals who have greater knowledge and more correct beliefs about dyslexia, along with those who received more knowledge from internal professional development, are those who provide more appropriate services for students with dyslexia. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my outstanding dissertation committee for their help and support during this process. I have been fortunate to have two committee members who served as committee chair. First, to Dr. Jim Fox, thank you for beginning this journey with me. Your help in my completion of the literature review, determining methodology, and setting up data analysis was invaluable. We will miss you at Southern Miss. Second, to Dr. Rich Mohn, thank you for taking on this role mid-stream. I appreciate your much- needed guidance, especially during data analysis and completion of the defense process. Thank you also to Dr. Kyna Shelley, especially for your help during the discovery of the methodology used in my research. I appreciate your insight and questioning during these meetings which helped me determine the true questions I wanted to ask. Finally, thank you to Dr. Maureen Martin who served not only as a committee member but as my mentor and friend for over 20 years. Thank you for helping me to develop my potential, for encouraging me to further my academic career, and for your guidance and support not only in this dissertation process but throughout my professional career. In addition to my dissertation committee, I would like to thank another outstanding professional, Daphne Cornett. Daphne also was my mentor, and she taught me so much about working with students with speech, language, and reading difficulties. I appreciate your continued guidance and friendship. iii DEDICATION To my family for their love, support, and constant encouragement—I could not have done this without you. To the children over the years of my professional practice who have inspired me with their courage, positive attitudes, and hard work in the face of constant learning challenges and have taught me more than I ever taught them. To their parents for trusting me to work with their children. To the teachers and staff of the DuBard School for Language Disorders I have been privileged to work alongside in this journey to bring language to children and hope to their families. These groups are true heroes. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iii DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................................. x LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ............................................................................................. xi CHAPTER I - INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 1 Background ..................................................................................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................ 8 Purpose ............................................................................................................................ 9 Justification of the Study ................................................................................................ 9 Transformational and Instructional Theories of Educational Leadership..................... 10 Integration of Transformational and Instructional Leadership ..................................... 11 Phonological and Double-Deficit Theories of Dyslexia ............................................... 12 Research Questions ....................................................................................................... 13 Definitions..................................................................................................................... 13 Delimitations of the Study ............................................................................................ 18 Assumptions of the Study ............................................................................................. 18 Overview of Methodology ............................................................................................ 19 CHAPTER II - REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ......................................................... 20 v Reading Definitions ...................................................................................................... 20 Prevalence of Reading Disabilities ............................................................................... 23 Dyslexia ........................................................................................................................ 25 Phonological Theory of Dyslexia ............................................................................. 26 Double-Deficit Hypothesis of Dyslexia .................................................................... 30 Prevalence of Dyslexia ............................................................................................. 31 Comorbid Conditions ................................................................................................ 31 Dyslexia and Vision .................................................................................................. 33 Genetic Factors of Dyslexia ...................................................................................... 34 Gender Differences in Dyslexia ................................................................................ 35 Characteristics of Individuals with Dyslexia ............................................................ 36 Effective Intervention for Dyslexia .......................................................................... 37 Efficacy of intervention ........................................................................................ 40 Brain differences following intervention. ............................................................. 41 Methodologies used for intervention. ................................................................... 41 Theories of Educational Leadership ............................................................................. 42 Instructional Leadership...........................................................................................
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