Teachers and Parents Perception on the Relationship Between Dyslexia and Self-esteem of Thirteen-fourteen Years Old Learners in Public Schools in Nairobi County

Abstract

Dyslexia may intensely affect self-esteem, even though the influence may be increased by lack of understanding of the issues underlying low self-esteem in dyslexic students and consequently offer therapy and support. The main aim of this research was to establish teachers and parent’s perception on the relationship between dyslexia and self-esteem of thirteen-fourteen years old learners in public schools in Nairobi County. The study objectives include; to establish teachers and parents’ perception on the relationship between phonological awareness and self-esteem of dyslexic students. To establish teachers and parents’ perception on the relationship between verbal memory and self-esteem of dyslexic students. To establish teachers and parents’ perception on the relationship between processing speed and self-esteem of dyslexic students. The study employed a mixed method research design where semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire were utilized to answer the research questions, giving a mix of qualitative and quantitative data. A total of 20 teachers and parents of students diagnosed with dyslexia aged 13–14 years were used for the study. Data was analyzed using SPSS 26. The findings revealed that according to parents and teachers’ perception the presence of dyslexia significantly affected the self-esteem of students, although it was noticeable in the students with poor verbal memory and slow processing speed. The results further revealed that phonological awareness, verbal memory, and processing speed explain 91.3% of the variation in self-esteem. The study provides multiple recommendations for early interventions to improve the overall quality of learning for dyslexic students. The study’s results add a new dimension to the current literature on the relationship of dyslexia and self-esteem. Further study is required to understand the relationship between dyslexia and self-esteem better.