The Effects of Elementary School Teachers’ Instructional Practices on the Self-Confidence of College Students with Dyslexia

When learning to cope with dyslexia, it is not uncommon for a child to develop a lack of self-confidence when falling behind academically in comparison to his or her same-aged peers. The teaching style and method of instruction in the classroom directly affects a dyslexic student’s self-confidence (Burden, 2009). Teacher responses collected through a questionnaire and voice recorded interviews were compared to college students with dyslexia’s survey and interview responses. This research determined there are discrepancies that exist among students self-identified with dyslexia, their descriptions of the impacts of elementary school teachers, and the perceptions of the strategies, attitudes, and approaches reported by elementary teachers. Results of the investigation bridge the ‘disconnect’ between what adult students with dyslexia, and what elementary teachers of student’s with dyslexia, believes impacts their self-confidence. This investigation proposes recommendations for future practices of elementary teachers that positively enhance student self-esteem