Examining the reading and writing performance of students with learning disabilities and students with low and high reading achievement

In this study, the reading and writing performance of students with learning disabilities were compared to those of students with low and high reading achievement, and the distribution of achievement levels was examined. The study employed a correlational survey design, one of the quantitative research methods. Participants included 24 third- and fourth-grade students diagnosed with learning disabilities, along with 23 students demonstrating low reading achievement and 24 students demonstrating high reading achievement from the same classrooms as the students with learning disabilities. Measurements were conducted for variables including reading fluency, reading accuracy, reading comprehension, spelling, writing productivity, and content quality. The assessments utilized four tests from the Literacy Assessment Battery (Passage Reading Fluency Test, Passage Comprehension Test, Spelling Test, and Written Expression Test). The analysis revealed significant differences among the groups for all examined variables. Post-hoc test results indicated significant differences among all groups for reading fluency. For other variables, the learning disabilities and low reading achievement groups scored significantly lower than the high reading achievement group. However, no significant differences were found between the learning disabilities and low reading achievement groups. When group differences were analyzed based on z-scores, the gap between the learning disabilities group and the high reading achievement group ranged from 1 to 2 standard deviations across all variables. An analysis of the distribution of achievement levels showed that students in the learning disabilities and low reading achievement groups typically fell within very low and low levels for reading fluency and reading comprehension, while those in the high reading achievement group were mostly at moderate and high levels. For reading accuracy, the learning disabilities and low reading achievement groups were predominantly at the frustration level, whereas the high reading achievement group was at the independent level. Although the distribution patterns for spelling were less distinct than those for reading skills, students in the learning disabilities and low reading achievement groups tended to cluster at low and very low levels for writing productivity and content quality. In contrast, students in the high reading achievement group was predominantly at high levels. The findings were discussed in relation to previous research, and several recommendations were provided for future studies and practice.