Dyslexia最新文献

Detecting students with reading difficulties (RD) is particularly important in the context of the Response to Intervention (RTI) model, in terms of both research and professional practice. However, there is no unanimous agreement on the best procedure to carry it out. In addition, most of the research in this field has been carried out in the English language, and there is little evidence on how these measures behave in other languages. This study focuses on identifying the best procedure for detecting RD in Spanish in older elementary students, comparing the validity, accuracy and goodness of fit of three different universal screening assessment approaches—the Psychometric Assessment Approach, the Curriculum-Based Assessment Approach and the Teacher Detection Approach—using RTI as a criterion to determine the goodness of fit of the different approaches. A total of 154 fifth-year primary students participated in this study. The results reveal that the multivariate inclusion of the evaluation approaches used is the best means of ensuring an efficient, valid assessment when attempting to identify RD among fifth graders. This finding has practical implications for the implementation of the RTI model in the field of RD.

Impairments of auditory processing are among frequent findings in dyslexia. However, it is unclear how auditory signals are gated from brainstem to higher central processing stages in these individuals. The present study was done to investigate auditory sensory gating in children with developmental dyslexia (DD), and to determine whether sensory gating correlates with performance on behavioural tasks. Auditory sensory gating at P50, N1 and P2 waves was evaluated in two groups including 20 children with DD and 19 children with typical reading development (TRD). Behavioural tests were used to evaluate phonological working memory (PWM) and selective attention abilities. Sensory gating in children with DD was significantly less efficient than their peers at P50, N1 and P2 waves. Lower auditory evoked potential (AEP) amplitudes were found in the DD group. The children with TRD scored better in all the behavioural tests. Relationships were reported between sensory gating at P50, N1, P2 and behavioural performance in the two groups. Children with dyslexia had deficient sensory gating in comparison with controls. In addition, children with dyslexia experienced problems with PWM and selective attention tasks. The function of sensory gating was associated with attentional and PWM performances in this group.

The present paper assessed how dyslexia can be identified in school children with another language than their first language. Participants were school children with Norwegian as their second language (L2), and two groups of children with Norwegian as their first language (L1): a control group (L1-Con), and a dyslexia group (L1-Dys). All were 2nd and 3rd graders who had attended Norwegian schools from 1st grade on. None of the individuals in L1-Con or the L2 group were identified with any learning disability. However, slow literacy progress was seen in some L2-children. The children were tested individually within the symptomatic and cognitive levels. Results were analysed in two steps: (1) group comparisons; (2) L2 individual profiles and tentative L2 subgrouping. An unexpected L2 profile showed language scores below norm, coupled with some scores within and some scores above norm within the cognitive domain. Case assessment of the L2 group resulted in three subgroups: one comparable to L1-Con, one comparable to L1-Dys, and one with a result in between these two groups. Low linguistic scores cannot be considered valid markers of dyslexia in L2. Within the cognitive domain, a variety of low scores can indicate dyslexia, while high scores can be compensatory.

Technological reading and writing tools can help students with dyslexia improve their writing, but students do not use reading and writing functions as much as expected. However, research addressing relevant technological functions is scarce. This study explored the needs of writers with dyslexia and how technological writing tools developed for three Nordic languages meet these needs. Snowball sampling was used to identify different technological features, spellchecker, word prediction, auto-correction, text-to-speech and speech-to-text functions available in nine widely used programmes were investigated. The results indicated that students with moderate spelling difficulties can now achieve accurate spellings using the most sophisticated spelling aids; however, most of these features require time and attention, and this can disturb writing fluency and hamper text production. The implication of this study is that the underlying conflict between spelling accuracy and writing fluency must be actively managed, which necessitates competence in the use of technological tools for both students and teachers in school. Also, further development of tools for scaffolding transcription must consider the dilemma of achieving both writing fluency and spelling accuracy. Further, the accuracy of the aid for students with severe spelling difficulties remains unclear and must be investigated.

Teaching phoneme awareness to children at risk for early reading difficulties has been recognized as successful in several studies. In this randomized controlled trial (RCT)-study, we add to this research by optimizing core procedural as well as teaching components in a phonics-directed intervention and extend the RCT reading intervention research into a semi-transparent language context. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a novel Swedish intensive phonics program. This randomized controlled pre-test and post-test intervention study targeted second-grade students with early reading difficulties. Students were identified by a repeated screening procedure and allocated to intervention (n = 34) and control (n = 34) conditions. A 9-week intensive phonics-based program was administrated one-to-one, by special education teachers in Swedish mainstream elementary schools. Results show an improvement in the intervention group, compared with the controls on all outcome measures. Findings indicate that the supplementary phonics program, delivered with high intensity, can significantly increase word reading skills and reading comprehension in second-grade students with early reading difficulties.

While research has identified multiple deficits that may lead to dyslexia, the profiles of adolescents with dyslexia and dyslexia subtypes are yet fully understood. This study examined the profiles of Chinese adolescents with dyslexia and identified dyslexia subtypes. Adolescents from grades 7 to 9 (n = 184, 92 with dyslexia) were evaluated on morphological skills, visual-orthographic knowledge, rapid naming, working memory, word reading, word spelling, reading fluency and reading comprehension. The results revealed that adolescents with dyslexia performed less well on the cognitive-linguistic and literacy measures than typically developing adolescents. A logistic regression analysis also showed that morphological skills, visual-orthographic knowledge and rapid naming were significantly predictive of dyslexia status. Using cluster analysis and guided by the multiple deficit hypothesis, this study identified four dyslexia subtypes: morphological deficit, visual-orthographic knowledge deficit, rapid naming deficit and global deficit showing multiple cognitive-linguistic and literacy problems. Understanding the profiles and subtypes of dyslexia could enable educational psychologists and educators to select appropriate assessment measures and develop intervention strategies to support the learning of Chinese adolescents with dyslexia.

In the present study, we aimed to clarify variation in prospective poor decoders by studying the development of their word decoding skills during the first 1½ years of formal reading education and their unique pre-reading profiles before the onset of formal reading education. Using structural equation modelling and a factorial mixed model analysis of variance (ANOVA), we found autoregression and growth in the word decoding efficiency of prospective poor decoders (n = 90) and matched prospective adequate decoders (n = 90) in first and second grade. However, the gap between the two groups widened over time. Next, we zoomed in on the group of poor decoders by retrospectively studying their individual variation regarding cognitive and linguistic pre-reading skills. Using latent profile analysis, we found three distinct pre-reading profiles: (1) Poor PA, Letter Knowledge, RAN, and Verbal STM; (2) Poor PA and Letter Knowledge; and (3) Poor RAN. Together, these findings suggest that reading difficulties emerge at the intersection of multiple risk factors which can be detected in kindergarten, and that these reading problems persist throughout early reading education.

Many studies have highlighted short-term memory (STM) impairment in dyslexic individuals. Several studies showed deficits for both item and serial order aspects of verbal STM in dyslexic individuals. These group-based studies, however, do not inform us about the prevalence of these deficits and, importantly, their potential heterogeneity at the individual level. The present study examined both group-level and individual STM profiles in dyslexic and age-matched non-dyslexic children. While confirming previous group-based results of both item and serial order STM deficits, individual analyses indicated two distinct profiles: one profile was associated with verbal item STM and phonological impairment while another profile showed selective serial STM deficits in both verbal and visual domains. Our results highlight the need for practitioners to consider the heterogeneous nature of STM impairment in dyslexia and to adapt STM and reading treatment strategies accordingly.

When students with dyslexia enter higher education, studying often creates challenges at different levels. Universities differ in the way they facilitate students with dyslexia in their educational careers. This study focusses on studying with dyslexia from a value-driven perspective. The aim of the study is to investigate valuable goals of students with dyslexia in higher education and the conversion factors that are stimulating and inhibiting in the realization of these valuable goals. Data were collected during focus groups: five focus groups of students with dyslexia (23 participants) and two focus groups of student counsellors (10 participants). Important values for students are their personal development and to prove they can succeed at university level. Not all students are able or being enabled to show their knowledge and skills and to grow within the educational system. Different personal and environmental factors are described that inhibit or facilitate the realization of valuable goals. The results are presented from two perspectives: of students and student counsellors. The implications of the results and guidelines for future research are discussed.

Sufficient activation of the left fusiform gyrus is important in reading ability acquisition due to its role in reading and naming, working memory (WM), and balance tasks. Recently, a newly-designed training program, Verbal Working Memory-Balance (VWM-B), has been evaluated on children with dyslexia, and its positive effects were shown on reading ability, WM capacity, and postural control. In the present study, we aimed to estimate the functional connectivity alterations of the left fusiform gyrus following training by the VWM-B. Before and after 15 sessions of training, the fMRI and other tools data were collected on a sample of children with dyslexia, who were allocated into two control and experiment groups. Data analyses showed the increased functional connectivity of the left fusiform gyrus between the left anterior temporal fusiform cortex, left and right Crus II regions of the cerebellum, and the left middle frontal gyrus. Moreover, VWM-B training significantly improved the reading and naming ability, WM capacity, and postural control of participants in the experiment group in comparison to the control. The current study findings emphasize the critical role of the left fusiform gyrus in reading ability. Moreover, it provides evidence to support the existence of cerebellar deficits in dyslexia.