Dyslexia and the school counsellor: A Maltese case study

Abstract

Aim: This paper seeks to understand whether Maltese school counsellors are equipped to deal with dyslexic clients, considers whether specific strategies need to be used, and what positive effects, if any, counselling has on these clients. Previous studies: A literature review on self‐concept and techniques on how to improve the self‐concept of children with Learning Disabilities (LD)/Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) will place the current study in context. Method: Questionnaires (available from the authors on request) were distributed to all school counsellors on the island and analysed using content analysis. Findings: Findings from respondents indicate a need for more training, evidence‐based knowledge of specific techniques when dealing effectively and successfully with dyslexic clients, specific specialised training to understand dyslexic clients and that counselling has a positive effect on dyslexic clients.

A Content Analysis of Research on Disability: American Counseling Association Journals Between 2003 and 2013

“…Similarly, Olkin (2002) noted that most professional counselors often engage in cross-cultural counseling with IWDs without sufficient training, which significantly increases the risk of client attrition, resistance to counseling intervention, and unsuccessful counseling outcomes in this population. Other studies (Bell, 2013;Falzon & Camilleri, 2010;Milsom & Akos, 2003;Walker, 2009) with counselors in various counseling settings (e.g., college counseling, mental health counseling, school counseling) also reported that counselors received very little training about disability issues. These findings imply that although IWDs continue to grow and their mental health needs are diverse, very few counseling programs provide requisite disability-competence training to build awareness, knowledge, and skills for their students who will serve clients with disabilities (Artman & Daniels, 2010;Olkin & Taliaferro, 2006;Pledger, 2003).…”

Causal modeling for relationships among quality of life, fear of (COVID-19), psychological resilience, social anxiety, religiosity, and the big five factors of personality in the Arabian community

“…Learned helplessness is commonly exhibited by undergraduates with LD (Falzon & Camilleri, 2010;Klassen, Krawchuk, Lynch & Rajani, 2008;Voughn & Fuchs, 2003;Peleg, 2011). As such, the current intervention aimed to design a program that successfully delivered an encouraging and rewarding learning environment for students with LD while also providing training exercises that effectively trained their working memory.…”

Reflecting on Maltese school‐based counselling practices: An autoethnographic collaborative writing project

“…I remember one fourth‐former with a profile of dyslexia. She had been so discouraged that she had even given up training with a national sports' team (Falzon & Camilleri, ; Riley & Rustique‐Forrester, ). She was feeling lonely, had been bullied and was even feeling suicidal.…”

“…Her mother was at her wits' end. I encouraged her to resume her training, helped her boost her self‐esteem and to be assertive when necessary (Falzon & Camilleri, ). This led to her academic achievement being significantly improved (Alexander‐Passe, ; Kannangara, ).…”