Reading Disabilities Related to Word Recognition: Underlying Deficits and Diagnostic Approaches

Abstract

Correspondence concerning this article should be sent to: Betty Reiter, 473 Hawkford Way NW, Calgary, Alberta T3G 3J6 This article provides an overview of the underlying core deficits (i.e., phonological processing, rapid naming speed, and the "double deficit" hypothesis) believed to be associated with reading disabilities in the word recognition area. In order to emphasize the importance of accurate diagnosis, examples of appropriate intervention strategies for the different deficit areas are presented. This is followed by a general discussion of current assessment practices. Although school systems typically utilize IQ-achievement discrepancy analysis for identifying reading disabilities in children, this procedure appears to have a number of shortcomings. Alternative approaches for identifying children with reading disabilities related to word recognition are offered. Cet article offre un survol des principaux deficits concernant les processus cognitifs fondamentaux censis être associis aux déficiences en lecture. On prisente des exemples de strategles d'intervention appropriées aux diverses sphères de deficits de fafon à souligner l'importance d'un diagnostic precis. Ceci sera suivi d'une discussion ginlrale portant sur les pratiques d'évaluation actuelles. Bien que les systemes scolaires aient en general recours a l'analyse de I'anomalie entre le Q.L et la performance scolaire pour diagnostiquer les dificiences en lecture chez les enfants, il semble que cette procedure contienne plusieurs points faibles. On offre d'autres approches au diagnostic des enfants prisentant des déficiences en lecture.

Rapid Automatized Naming and Learning Disabilities: Does RAN Have a Specific Connection to Reading or Not?

“…Therefore one of the suggestions for the primary clinical use of RAN test is to use it as a predictor of reading performance before reading instruction begins (Reiter, 2001;Wolf et al 2000) and during school age as one of the tools for exploring the background of reading disabilities more thoroughly (Hammill, 2004).…”