The Effectiveness of Training of Reading Assistant Package on Dyslexic childrens’ Working Memory - a Multiple Baseline Single Case Study

ln literature review, cognitive problems such as poor working memory is considered as one of the main reading problems among dyslexic children. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the effect of Reading Assistant Package training on the working memory of dyslexic children.

The present study was a single-subject research design of multiple baseline types with a follow-up period. The statistical population included all male and female children of the third grade of elementary school who were referred to Sarvabad Learning Disorders Center due to the reading problems in the academic year of 2019-2020. Six qualified children (three boys and three girls) were selected volunteerily and entered the study gradually in fixed intervals. The therapeutic sessions were performed individually for all subjects. Research tools included Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, fourth edition, (Wechsler 2003), the reading and dyslexia test (NEMA) (Kormi-Nouri and Moradi 2005), and "Corsi" working memory test with PEBL software (Corsi 1972).

The results of the improvement percentage of working memory scores in the intervention stage in boys (42.40) and girls (50.31) and in the follow-up stage in boys (74.05) and girls (74.05) showed a positive effect of the intervention. Visual analyses and the results of the inter-positional and intra-positional analysis showed a significant difference between baseline and intervention stage for all subjects (PND = 100). The persistence of the effect of the Reading Assistant Package on the working memory of the subjects in the follow-up stage was confirmed.

According to the findings of this study, the Reading Assistant Package training affects the improvement of the dyslexic childrens’ working memory. Therefore, the reading assistant package is recommended as a complementary tool for dyslexia treatment.