Impact of Peer Tutoring on Reading Achievement of Students with Dyslexia in Kaduna State Secondary Schools

This study examines the impact of peer tutoring on the reading achievement of students identified with dyslexia in secondary schools in Kaduna State, North West Nigeria. Dyslexia, a specific learning disability characterised by difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition, affects a significant proportion of students worldwide, yet intervention strategies tailored to the Nigerian secondary school context remain scarce in published literature. This study adopts a quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test measures applied to both experimental and control groups drawn from two co-educational secondary schools in Kaduna metropolis. Students in the experimental group participate in a structured peer tutoring programme over eight weeks, while the control group continues with standard classroom instruction. Reading achievement is measured using the Informal Reading Inventory adapted to the Nigerian curriculum context. Data are analysed using analysis of variance to determine significant group differences. The study also explores how the relationship quality between tutor and tutee affects programme outcomes. Preliminary literature suggests that peer-based interventions are particularly effective when tutors receive focused training in dyslexia-sensitive reading strategies. Recommendations include training selected students as peer reading coaches and building peer tutoring into school improvement plans across secondary schools in Kaduna State. Findings will be shared with the Kaduna State Ministry of Education to inform differentiated instruction policy. Keywords: peer tutoring, dyslexia, reading achievement, Kaduna State, secondary schools.