Positive Psychology and Enhancement of Home-School Support for Students with Dyslexia: An Evaluative Study

Abstract

Since the 1990s, teachers and parents in Hong Kong have finally established some understanding of children suffering from dyslexia. However, helping them to attain academic progress still posed a nearly insurmountable challenge to them. In 2003, the current research team successfully convinced three secondary schools in Hong Kong that feelings of being understood and accepted can bring confidence and improvements in study attitude and even enhance performance in such children. A home-school cooperation project was then launched in each of the schools to cultivate the necessary understanding and acceptance to make these students feel secure. Principles of positive psychology and strength-based education were strategically applied in their individualized education and enrichment programs to encourage them to try to attain their self-designed goals. Qualitative and quantitative data like scores on the Parental Stress Index and the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory were collected to compare their psychosocial condition across different phases of the study. This paper reports on the encouraging progress of such students after the first phase of the IEP was completed. The usefulness of positive psychology in the context of the tripartite interaction of the parents, teachers and students with special educational needs was identified and discussed.