Dyslexia in Primary Schools’ Children: A Study to Explore Saudi Teachers’ Knowledge and Attitudes in the Jazan Region

Abstract

Background: Dyslexia is a reading disability that was classified as a specific learning disorder and a type of neurodevelopmental disorder. This study explores primary school teachers’ knowledge and attitudes regarding dyslexia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out using an online survey. The knowledge and attitude levels were ranked low, medium, and high. The associations to sociodemographic variables were assessed, and statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: In this study, 421 teachers were included; 75.1% were aged 30–49 years, 61.8% were female, and 78.4.3% lived in the urban area of Jazan. Regarding teaching experiences, 63.2% had more than 10 years of experience, and 84.3% worked in public schools. More than a third of the teachers had a medium level of knowledge (39.9%); however, medium attitudes toward dyslexia were reported in 76.2% of teachers. The high knowledge levels were related to gender and previous knowledge of dyslexia. Conclusion: Primary school teachers in the Jazan region were rated to have fair knowledge and attitudes regarding dyslexia. This study highlights an essential basis for constructing an educational program to raise cognition and knowledge regarding dyslexia in the Saudi community.

Keywords

• attitude
• dyslexia
• knowledge
• primary schools
• saudi
• teachers