Proficiency Level in Five Areas of Reading Among Students with Mild Intellectual Disabilities at Primary Level: A Quantitative Analysis

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to explore the current proficiency level in five areas of reading among students with mild intellectual disabilities at Primary level. Intellectual disabilities are often characterized by limitations in both intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior, which includes social, practical, and academic skills. A quantitative research approach was chosen for this study because of its ability to provide objective measurements of reading skills. The population for this study was students with mild intellectual disabilities at primary level from Punjab. The sample of this study consisted of 15 students exhibiting mild intellectual disabilities. Researchers selected 15 students with mild intellectual disabilities (10 boys and 5 girls) through purposive sampling technique with a specific focus on Lahore division, out of nine divisions of Punjab, Pakistan. A checklist was developed to systematically assess the Urdu reading skills of students with intellectual disabilities at the primary level. The researchers also employed the use of descriptive statistics, including frequencies, means, and standard deviations, to provide an overview of the data. Mean of Phonemic Awareness is 1.82 and standard deviation is 0.42 with limited skill. Mean of Word Recognition is 1.85 and standard deviation is 0.43 with limited skill. Researchers suggested that students with mild intellectual disabilities face significant challenges in acquiring foundational reading skills, particularly in fluency and comprehension, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to support their literacy development.