Reading is a basic tool for learning. For effective learning through reading, it is important to use reading-to-learn strategies that assist students in achieving their learning objectives. Students who are aware of this, possess highly developed metacognitive strategies and control their learning process. Students with specific learning difficulties (hereinafter SLD) and deficiencies in specific learning areas (DSLA) have difficulties with their metacognitive skills, they find it harder to focus on reading-to-learn strategies in the learning process and can, as a result, be less successful than their peers.
In this thesis we examined reading-to-learn strategies of students with SLD and compared them to their peers without SLD. This description of students includes students with SLD as well as students with DSLA, who have significant difficulties and are enrolled into the adapted educational program with additional professional assistance. In the introductory part, we defined specific learning strategies, identified the reading process and reading strategies, and also indicated the various modes of teaching reading strategies. In the study part, we determined the differences between the frequency of using reading strategies in students with SLD and students without SLD, while also comparing their views on the importance of reading strategies. We wanted to know whether the frequent use of reading-to-learn strategies has an effect on the children's academic achievement in school and if it is also linked to using various learning resources. We also looked at the frequency of using reading strategies by gender. 105 students from Year 7 in primary school were included in the study, 45 with SLD and 60 without SLD. We collected data via a questionnaire on learning strategies. We applied the descriptive statistical method in the statistical analysis of data, the Mann-Whitney U test and linear regression. We found that there were no statistically significant differences in the frequency of applying reading strategies in students with SLD and students without SLD.
Moreover, we found no statistically significant correlation in the frequency of applying reading-to-learn strategies and the children's academic achievement in both groups of our sample. Using various sources for learning, statistically also had no significant influence on the children’s performance. Students with SLD and students without SLD attribute the same value to reading-to-learn strategies. However, we were able to prove that girls, both with and without SLD use reading-to-learn strategies more often than boys, especially strategies during reading and after reading.
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