Thaindian News

London, Oct 5 (IANS) Slogging helps children resolve reading and writing problems better than the traditional tuition offered by schools, a new study shows.

The study trained, by educationists from the University of Gothenburg, more than 50 nine-year-olds with reading and writing problems for 40 minutes’ daily for 12 weeks.

The training comprised intensive and structured exercises in understanding the alphabetical code. It also incorporated space for creativity, play and curiosity, according to a Gothenburg statement.

They were then compared with an equivalent group that had been given the traditional remedial tuition offered by schools.

“The underlying problem is a limited phonological ability,” or “limited awareness of the sounds that make up spoken words”, says Ulrika Wolff, lecturer in education at Gothenburg who led the study.

The results show that children underwent training coped significantly better than their peers given traditional remedial tuition, and that they did so in all of the areas tested — word decoding, spelling, reading speed and reading comprehension.

“Structured and individual teaching meant that these children made significant progress. Reading and writing difficulties often lead to low self-esteem and poor self-confidence, which can make learning to read even more difficult for children,” says Wolff.