Effectiveness of Fernald's multidisciplinary teaching method on enhancing the performance of reading components of Dyslexic students

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Fernald's multisensory training on increasing the performance of reading components of Dyslexic students. The study was quasi-experimental with a pretest-posttest design design and a control group. The statistical population included all dyslexic girl and boy students from the first to the fourth grade in the city of Babol. From among the research population, 44 individuals were selected from Babol Learning Disabilities Centers using the available sampling method based on Karami and Moradi reading and dyslexia questionnaires and were randomly placed in experiment (22 people) and control (22 subjects) groups. At first, both groups were evaluated by Karami and Moradi Reading and Dyslexia questionnaire (2008). The experiment group received 45 minutes of Fernald's Sensory Training twice a week in 15 sessions. Finally, both groups were re-evaluated. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance and SPSS24. The results of this study showed that teaching Fernald's multisensory method was effective on increasing the performance of word chain components and text comprehension (at the level of P <0.05) and components of rhyme test, eliminating sounds, reading quasi-words, letter signs and category signs (at the level of P <0.01). In Fernald's method, the student uses his visual, auditory, and kinetic-tactile senses while learning words, and engages with words to construct sentences, thus making learning and reading more productive.