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skills’ pretest and posttest mean scores of learners with mild and those with moderate degree of intellectual disabilities in the experimental and control groups after treatment.

expression of ideas in an interactive environment, which LEA as a methodology is known for.

4.2.3 Receptive Language Skills of Learners with Intellectual Disabilities

In Hypothesis Three, the researcher investigated the receptive language skill of learners with intellectual disabilities after exposure to intervention. The results of the experimental group when compared to that of the control group revealed a significant difference in level of performance in the sense that the experimental group performed better than the control group. This is reflected in the data contained in Table 10. This further confirms the view that LEA is an effective means of helping learners with receptive language difficulty to acquire the skill for meaningful literacy activity. This revelation is in line with the view advanced by Gomwalk (2016) which found out that learners with receptive language difficulties need to be actively and meaningfully engaged in listening communication for them to be able to improve on their overall language receptive skills. According to Gomwalk, such learners would need a lot of language activities in the form of stories, games and discussions in order to further widen their communicative and receptive language experiences.

4.2.4 Expressive Language Skill of Learners with Intellectual Disabilities

In Hypothesis Four, the researcher tested both the experimental and control groups, after exposing only the experimental group to intervention, using LEA. Table 11 showed performance in expressive language skill of the learners. The experimental group demonstrated better expressive skills than the control group. From the study results, it can be said that the LEA has had positive and beneficial effects on the experimental group.

Gotom (1998) corroborated this study and upheld the use of interactive environment in developing literacy skills. The author reported that when learners are provided with

plenty of experiences to talk about, such learners are encouraged to acquire expressive skill that helps them to learn. Matter and Goldstein (2005) also affirmed that expressive language skills can be enhanced by teachers through the encouragement of open discussions and free expression of thoughts within an interactive environment.

4.2.5 Sight Vocabulary skill of Learners with Intellectual Disabilities

In Hypothesis Five, the researcher sought to find out the effects of LEA on the sight word – recognition skill of learners with intellectual disabilities. After comparing the performance levels of both experimental and control groups, it was discovered that there was significant differences between the two groups as revealed in Table 12. The experimental group was exposed to intervention using LEA, while the control group through conventional method. The difference could be attributed to the exposure to LEA methodology. Umolu (1985b) had identified sight vocabulary skill as a central ingredient to success in learning how to read generally among learners, including those with various types of disabilities. Atii (2013) also suggested that teachers need to teach words that are already in learners’ oral vocabulary. These are words which learners are able to recognize if spoken out aloud. The results from Table 12 also suggested that the use of LEA with learners with intellectual disabilities seem to significantly help such learners to improve on their sight vocabulary skills.

4.2.6 Writing skill of Learners with Intellectual Disabilities

In Hypothesis Six, the researcher sought to find out the effects of LEA on the writing skills of learners with intellectual disabilities. After comparing the performance levels of both experimental and control groups, it was discovered that there was significant difference between the two groups as revealed in Table 13. The results showed that the writing skill of learners with intellectual disabilities in the experimental group was enhanced by the use of LEA methodology after intervention. It was observed

that the performance of learners in the experimental group was significantly higher than those of the control group. This means that LEA gave the experimental group experiential background which aided their improvement in writing skill. This agrees with the view expressed by Time 4 Learning (2006) that receptive and expressive language skills are central ingredients for bringing about success in learning how to read and write among learners generally. Lock (2010) asserted that learners’ writing skills can improve progressively as he practices writing regularly. In other words, regular writing practice serves to further improve overall writing skills with the passage of time. Miller (1977) further attested to the fact that when writing is emphasized at the early stage of language experience stories, learners naturally become interested in writing.

4.2.7 Literal Reading Comprehension skill of learners with intellectual Disabilities In Hypothesis Seven, the researcher sought to find out the effects of LEA on the literal reading comprehension skill of learners with intellectual disabilities. After comparing the performance levels of both experimental and control groups, it was discovered that there was a significant difference between the two groups as revealed in Table 14. The data revealed that the literal reading comprehension skill of learners with intellectual disabilities in the experimental group was enhanced. After treatment, there was significant difference in the performance between the experimental and control groups. Those in the experimental group performed better than those in the control groups. The difference in the performance could be attributed to the intervention received using LEA. This finding agreed with the conclusions of Landis, Umolu, and Mancha (2010) who reported on the power of language experience of cross –cultural reading and writing. The finding in the Landi et al study showed that life experience narrative and information texts produce by learners can be used to clarify learners own ideas while also extending their reading vocabulary through class –wide discussion of what to

include in their transcriptions. Additionally, Umolu and Oyetunde (1990) explained that this approach affords the opportunity to begin initial reading instruction in a situation where books are in short supply. Since the learner is leaning to read through his own dictated stories, it is expected that comprehension will be facilitated.

4.2.8 Literacy skills based on Mild and Moderate Degrees of Learners with Intellectual Disabilities.

In Hypothesis Eight, the researcher sought to find out the effects of LEA on the literacy skills of learners with intellectual disabilities, based on mild/moderate degrees of disabilities. The study as shown in Table 15 indicated that there was a significant difference in the acquisition of literacy skills amongst learners with mild and those with moderate intellectual disabilities. Those in the experimental group performed better than those in the control group. The experimental group acquired more literacy skills than the control group after intervention. The experimental group of learners with mild intellectual disabilities gained more than those in the control group. In addition, the experimental group of learners with moderate intellectual disabilities gained more than those in the control group. The experimental group did acquire more literacy skills than the control group after treatment.

From these results relating to the experimental and control groups, it can be concluded that the LEA methodology improved literacy skills of both the mild and moderate learners with intellectual disabilities. Abang (2005) noted that learners with intellectual disabilities are able to learn and acquire literacy skills at varying degrees.

Lere (2013) further observed that the low intellectual functioning associated with most learners with intellectual disabilities, affect their academic performance and closely related to the degree of disability of an affected learner. The research findings from Allor et. al. (2010) had also demonstrated that the learners with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities can learn basic literacy skills given consistent, explicit and comprehensive literacy instruction across an expanded period of time.

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

1. There was no significant difference in literacy skills performance between the experimental and control groups before the intervention using the Language Experience Approach.

2. Learners with intellectual disabilities who were exposed to literacy skills instruction using the Language Experience Approach performed better than those who were not exposed.

3. The receptive language skill of learners with intellectual disabilities in the experimental group significantly improved after being exposed to the Language Experience Approach.

4. Finding revealed that the expressive language skill of learners with intellectual disabilities in the experimental group significantly improved after being exposed to the Language Experience Approach instruction.

5. The study found that the sight vocabulary of the learners with intellectual disabilities in the experimental group significantly improved better than control group after being exposed to the Language Experience Approach.

6. Furthermore, the study revealed better improvement in writing skill of learners with intellectual disabilities who were in the experimental group better than the control group after intervention using the Language Experience Approach.

7. Similarly, learners with intellectual disabilities who were exposed to the Language Experience Approach comprehended better in literal comprehension skill than those who were not exposed.

8. Learners with mild intellectual disabilities equally performed better than those with moderate intellectual disabilities after exposure to the Language Experience Approach.