Pictogram naming in dyslexic and normal children assessed by SLO

Abstract

We measured pictogram naming (PN) and text reading in dyslexic and normally reading young teenagers. Eye movements were monitored by scanning laser ophthalmoscope, revealing positions of fovea, stimuli on the retina, and speech simultaneously. While text reading speed showed the expected difference between groups, PN speeds overlapped widely. PN was mainly controlled by retrieval time in both groups and correlated with age in dyslexics. During PN, only backward saccades occurred more frequently in dyslexics. We conclude that PN activates visual/eidetic mechanisms that are distinct from the phonemic/analytic pathway necessary for reading. This dual organization leads to a wide range of combinations of performances in PN and text reading.

Eye movements in German‐speaking children with and without dyslexia when reading aloud

“…Word length and word frequency influence the number and duration of fixations (Hyönä & Olson 1995). In a previous study, we found a pathological eye movement pattern for reading words, but not for naming pictures (Trauzettel‐Klosinski et al. 2002).…”

“…Word length and word frequency influence the number and duration of Eye movements in Germanspeaking children with and without dyslexia when reading aloud fixations (Hyo¨na¨& Olson 1995). In a previous study, we found a pathological eye movement pattern for reading words, but not for naming pictures (Trauzettel-Klosinski et al 2002). This indicates the phonological deficit as one of the main causes of dyslexia (Bradley & Bryant 1978;Tallal 1980;Frith 1981;Golden & Zenhausern 1983;Wimmer 1993;Fox 1994;Rumsey et al 1997;Swan & Goswami 1997;Shaywitz et al 1998;Schulte-Ko¨rne et al 1999;Warnke 1999; [for a review, see von Suchodoletz 1999]).…”

“…In the present study, the dyslexia group had an increased number of ATRSs compared with the control group, which may reflect their uncertainty about text comprehension. It cannot be attributed to an oculomotor deficit because we previously found ATRS data to be in the normal range in children with dyslexia during a picture‐naming task, where the pictures were presented in a manner similar to the way text is presented (grouped and in several lines) (Trauzettel‐Klosinski et al. 2002).…”

Word length and word frequency affect eye movements in dyslexic children reading in a regular (German) orthography

“…Abnormal eye-movement patterns occur for reading words but not naming pictures (Trauzettel-Klosinski et al, 2002). Dyslexic children show delayed cortical magnetoencephalographic activation at 235-285 ms in the temporal superior and angular gyri during word reading, but not picture naming (Trauzettel-Klosinski et al, 2006).…”

“…Several studies explored this possibility by using non-reading tasks with perceptual and oculomotor demands closely resembling those imposed by reading (De Luca et al, 1999;Hawelka & Wimmer, 2005;Hutzler et al, 2006;Olson et al, 1991;Prado et al, 2007;Trauzettel-Klosinski et al, 2002). The outcome makes a strong case against the primary vision or oculomotor problems in dyslexia, since dyslexic and control children exhibit only slight or no differences, for example, in visual search and pictogram naming.…”