Editorial Type:
Article Category: Research Article
 | 
Online Publication Date: 01 May 2016

Effect of Amharic Letter Acquisition and Fluency Instruction on the Reading Achievement of Ethiopian Students at Risk for Reading Difficulties

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Page Range: 59 – 68
DOI: 10.9782/2159-4341-19.2.59
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Abstract

This study took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and examined the impact of explicit instruction and fluency practice of letter/sound combinations on reading Amharic letters and words. First grade students at risk for reading difficulties were assigned via stratified random assignment to treatment or control condition. Students in the treatment group received explicit instruction and fluency practice on grade one Amharic letters, two times a week for 18 weeks for 36 sessions. Students in the control condition received typical Amharic reading instruction. Results indicate that students in the treatment condition significantly outperformed students in control on letter sound identification and word reading fluency.

Keywords: Ethiopian Reading Achievement; Amharic Letter Sound Fluency Instruction; Reading; Learning Disabilities
Copyright: Copyright © 2016 Division of International Special Education and Services 2016
Figure 1:
Figure 1:

Example Fidel Consonant/Vowel Combination Symbols

Figure 2:
Figure 2:

Letter Probe

Figure 3:
Figure 3:

Word Probe

Contributor Notes

William J. Therrien, University of Virginia, Curry School of Education, Bavaro Hall- 221, Charlottesville, VA 22904, therrien@virginia.edu, (319) 400-6117
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