COUNSELLING OF RETARDED READERS BY NON‐PROFESSIONALS

This Study is an extension of a previous investigation into the individual counselling of retarded readers (Lawrence, 1971). It was planned to test the hypothesis that it would be possible for non‐professional personnel to achieve the same results as those obtained previously by a trained educational psychologist. Before embarking on this study, a pilot experiment was carried out in two schools. The results of this justified the setting up of the experiment proper. Four village schools were then selected and two matched groups of retarded readers obtained within each school. One group received counselling while the other group served as the control. The experiment lasted for two terms, at the end of which all counselled groups showed a rise in reading attainment.