Researchers have long been interested in the role of the corpus callosum in reading disorder, but existing studies have yielded inconsistent results. Some have found larger corpus callosa in those with reading disorder, others have found smaller corpus callosa, and some have found no differences in the corpus callosa of persons with and without reading disability. Some possible problems with past studies include failure to control for whole brain size, intelligence, gender, lateral dominance, and the presence of other syndromes such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The current study is an examination of the corpus callosum in 68 readers nested in 24 families. Data were centered around the family mean so that the variance within families could be determined. Corpus callosum volumes were measured and controlled for whole brain volume, intelligence, and gender. A series of regressions were used to determine whether the volume of the corpus callosum significantly contributed to the variance in oral reading, phonological processing, and rapid naming. The midsagittal slice was segmented into fifths, and similar regressions were performed. A logistic regression was used to determine whether variation in corpus callosum volume could predict RD and no RD group membership. Finally, left and right volumes were compared and a correlation between corpus callosum volume and area at the midsagittal slice were conducted. Results suggest that better readers within families have larger corpus callosum areas in the midsagittal slice at the midbody. Better phonological processors within families had smaller corpus callosum volumes, but a problem with restricted range for phonological processing scores renders this finding unreliable. Rapid naming scores appear to be unrelated to the corpus callosum in this sample. Differences in the corpus callosum are not robust enough to predict diagnostic group and there appears to be no differences between left and right hemisphere volumes of the corpus callosum. Measurements of area at the midsagittal slice are highly correlated with the volumetric measurements suggesting that for subsequent studies, area at the midsagittal slice may be sufficient. / text

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Developmental dyslexia is a common disorder affecting around 10% of the British population characterized by difficulties with reading despite adequate intelligence and education (IDA, 2007). Although most researchers and practitioners would agree that early identification is key in limiting negative consequences of reading problems, this is still difficult to achieve due to theoretical and practical inconsistencies in the field. This thesis focuses on investigating a novel, computer and tablet-based “dot-to-dot” (DtD) task that may aid the process of identification particularly in pre-reading children and English as additional language (EAL) individuals who, by definition, are more susceptible to misidentification. Performance on this task was tested in primary school children (N = 457) and in adults (N = 111) together with a set of dyslexia-sensitive, vision and reasoning tests. Performance on DtD (especially the first sector error) demonstrated significant differences between children at high and low risk of dyslexia (as assessed by Lucid Rapid), as well as between children prospectively identified as poor and typical readers. DtD measures added small but statistically significant unique contributions to the models predicting reading scores and reading level group membership, and DtD measures could distinguish between poor and typical readers as well as between adults with and without diagnosed dyslexia. The findings provide evidence for the DtD test to be a useful addition to existing tests as it presumably relates to a number of mechanisms in line with automaticity and cerebellar deficits theories of dyslexia. It also has a potential to identify a distinct type of dyslexia that is not related to phonological processing which has important theoretical and practical implications.

<p>Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka hur lärare i skolan kan underlätta för elever med läs- och skrivsvårigheter genom att använda sig av praktiska tillvägagångssätt och passande metodik. Tio lärare har intervjuats för att ge en god grund till undersökningen.</p><p>Detta ämne är särskilt intressant eftersom undersökningar visar att läs- och skrivsvårigheter och dyslexi är ett av de vanligaste handikappen i dagens skolor. Det är därmed även viktigt för lärare att vara medvetna och kunniga inom ämnet, så att symptomen uppmärksammas så tidigt som möjligt. Viktigt är också att ha kunskap om hur dessa svårigheter bäst kan underlättas och förmildras genom anpassad undervisning.</p><p><p>Läs- och skrivsvårigheter är aldrig sammankopplat med intelligensen, men kan däremot ofta ha ärftliga orsaker. Symptomen kan variera från tragglig läsning, kanske i form av felläsning vid ord, till sen motorisk utveckling med mera. Neurologiska faktorer kan även vara en orsak till dessa svårigheter. Läs- och skrivsvårigheter är vanligast hos pojkar. Någon klar orsak till detta finns inte än, men några teorier behandlas i denna uppsats.</p><p>Att som lärare samarbeta med kolleger och familjen till dessa elever är otroligt viktigt för att kunna sammanställa ett åtgärdsprogram genom vilket eleven på bästa sätt skall stöttas i sina skolprestationer för att nå bättre resultat. I klassrummet bör metodiken anpassas för dessa elever, erfarenhet har visat att exempelvis Wittingmetoden ger mycket goda resultat. Även användningen av praktiska hjälpmedel, såsom datorer och programvaror som exempelvis talsyntes är att föredra. Viktigt är att även anpassa läxor och prov för dessa elever, så att de får en känsla av att deras prestationer blir rättvist bedömda. Därigenom undviks även uppkomsten av ett svagt självförtroende, vilket är viktigt att arbeta för då detta är ett vanligt fenomen hos dessa elever.</p></p>

Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka hur lärare i skolan kan underlätta för elever med läs- och skrivsvårigheter genom att använda sig av praktiska tillvägagångssätt och passande metodik. Tio lärare har intervjuats för att ge en god grund till undersökningen. Detta ämne är särskilt intressant eftersom undersökningar visar att läs- och skrivsvårigheter och dyslexi är ett av de vanligaste handikappen i dagens skolor. Det är därmed även viktigt för lärare att vara medvetna och kunniga inom ämnet, så att symptomen uppmärksammas så tidigt som möjligt. Viktigt är också att ha kunskap om hur dessa svårigheter bäst kan underlättas och förmildras genom anpassad undervisning. Läs- och skrivsvårigheter är aldrig sammankopplat med intelligensen, men kan däremot ofta ha ärftliga orsaker. Symptomen kan variera från tragglig läsning, kanske i form av felläsning vid ord, till sen motorisk utveckling med mera. Neurologiska faktorer kan även vara en orsak till dessa svårigheter. Läs- och skrivsvårigheter är vanligast hos pojkar. Någon klar orsak till detta finns inte än, men några teorier behandlas i denna uppsats. Att som lärare samarbeta med kolleger och familjen till dessa elever är otroligt viktigt för att kunna sammanställa ett åtgärdsprogram genom vilket eleven på bästa sätt skall stöttas i sina skolprestationer för att nå bättre resultat. I klassrummet bör metodiken anpassas för dessa elever, erfarenhet har visat att exempelvis Wittingmetoden ger mycket goda resultat. Även användningen av praktiska hjälpmedel, såsom datorer och programvaror som exempelvis talsyntes är att föredra. Viktigt är att även anpassa läxor och prov för dessa elever, så att de får en känsla av att deras prestationer blir rättvist bedömda. Därigenom undviks även uppkomsten av ett svagt självförtroende, vilket är viktigt att arbeta för då detta är ett vanligt fenomen hos dessa elever.

The current longitudinal research examined the story-writing development of students from Grades 4 to 6 (N = 178). All students began formal schooling in English in Grade 1. Students were classified in Grade 4 as typical readers (scoring above the 40th percentile in both decoding and reading comprehension; n = 72), poor decoders (scoring below the 30th percentile in decoding; n = 53), or poor comprehenders (scoring above the 40th percentile on decoding but below the 30th percentile, relative to their language group, in reading comprehension; n = 26). Students who spoke English as a first language (EL1s) and English language learners (ELLs) were proportionally represented in each reading group. A series of repeated measures ANOVAs tested the effects of language and reading group on students’ cognitive, linguistic and literacy development. Despite the fact that ELLs did not achieve native-like English language proficiency, showing delays in vocabulary and reading comprehension, they matched their EL1 peers in all other areas of cognitive and literacy development, including story-writing. Both EL1s and ELLs developed story-writing skills in a similar manner, showing significant growth from Grade 4 to Grade 6. Typically developing ELLs were thus able to attain age-appropriate story-writing levels. Additionally, poor decoders and poor comprehenders generally showed similar profiles of strengths and weaknesses, regardless of whether English was their first or second language. The major difference was that ELL poor comprehenders were more likely to have longstanding reading comprehension problems, while many EL1 poor comprehenders had improved by Grade 6. In general, poor decoders displayed more pervasive difficulties across cognitive, linguistic and literacy domains, while poor comprehenders had specific weakness in nonverbal reasoning, receptive vocabulary and listening comprehension. Nevertheless, both reading disorder groups had significant difficulties in story-writing, struggling with the mechanics of writing, sentence structure, and overall story organization. Regression analyses indicated that cognitive, linguistic and language skills were strong concurrent and longitudinal predictors of story-writing. However, the strongest predictor of Grade 6 story-writing skill was Grade 4 story-writing performance, suggesting that story-writing skills tend to be relatively stable over time. The results generally support the ‘simple view of writing’ (Berninger, 2000). Practical recommendations for assessment and instruction are presented.

The current longitudinal research examined the story-writing development of students from Grades 4 to 6 (N = 178). All students began formal schooling in English in Grade 1. Students were classified in Grade 4 as typical readers (scoring above the 40th percentile in both decoding and reading comprehension; n = 72), poor decoders (scoring below the 30th percentile in decoding; n = 53), or poor comprehenders (scoring above the 40th percentile on decoding but below the 30th percentile, relative to their language group, in reading comprehension; n = 26). Students who spoke English as a first language (EL1s) and English language learners (ELLs) were proportionally represented in each reading group. A series of repeated measures ANOVAs tested the effects of language and reading group on students’ cognitive, linguistic and literacy development. Despite the fact that ELLs did not achieve native-like English language proficiency, showing delays in vocabulary and reading comprehension, they matched their EL1 peers in all other areas of cognitive and literacy development, including story-writing. Both EL1s and ELLs developed story-writing skills in a similar manner, showing significant growth from Grade 4 to Grade 6. Typically developing ELLs were thus able to attain age-appropriate story-writing levels. Additionally, poor decoders and poor comprehenders generally showed similar profiles of strengths and weaknesses, regardless of whether English was their first or second language. The major difference was that ELL poor comprehenders were more likely to have longstanding reading comprehension problems, while many EL1 poor comprehenders had improved by Grade 6. In general, poor decoders displayed more pervasive difficulties across cognitive, linguistic and literacy domains, while poor comprehenders had specific weakness in nonverbal reasoning, receptive vocabulary and listening comprehension. Nevertheless, both reading disorder groups had significant difficulties in story-writing, struggling with the mechanics of writing, sentence structure, and overall story organization. Regression analyses indicated that cognitive, linguistic and language skills were strong concurrent and longitudinal predictors of story-writing. However, the strongest predictor of Grade 6 story-writing skill was Grade 4 story-writing performance, suggesting that story-writing skills tend to be relatively stable over time. The results generally support the ‘simple view of writing’ (Berninger, 2000). Practical recommendations for assessment and instruction are presented.

ABSTRACT LANGUAGE AND SPEECH PREDICTORS OF READING ACHIEVEMENT IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN WITH LANGUAGE DISORDERS by Juliet K. Haarbauer-Krupa The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine the relationship between language and reading in children diagnosed with developmental language disorder (DLD) during preschool. An archival data set was available for analysis. Preschool children with DLD who were assessed between 35 and 74 months for preschool language and speech abilities (Rapin, 1996) returned for language, speech and reading testing at age seven years. Children who enrolled in the study were a clinically referred sample, met criteria for average nonverbal intellectual functioning, and demonstrated below average performance on a composite language measure. To evaluate a hypothesis about the contribution of vocabulary, grammar, and speech articulation to reading outcome measures, a series of regression analyses tested models to identify predictors of reading achievement at age seven. Results indicated a strong, positive relationship between language skills assessed at both ages and reading comprehension. School-age language and speech skills explained 25% of the variance in reading comprehension after controlling for word identification skills. Grammar at school age was a significant unique predictor of reading comprehension. Preschool language and speech skills explained 22% of the variance after controlling for word identification skills. Speech articulation was not related to reading outcomes. In contrast, regression analyses suggested that language and speech skills did not predict word reading abilities. Children who had reading comprehension difficulties had weaker vocabulary, grammar and speech skills compared to children who had average and above comprehension skills. Findings support previous research describing a relationship between language skills and reading comprehension. Language skills measured at preschool can predict reading comprehension difficulties in elementary school for children with DLD. Results highlight the importance of early identification and intervention of language impairment in children to improve areas of vocabulary and grammar critical to reading success.

Children who are English Language Learners (ELLs) are often falsely identified with reading disorders. Similarly, some ELLs with true reading disorders are overlooked because it is assumed that they are still acquiring the necessary reading skills in English. This review of current bilingual assessment literature focuses on the use of early screening tasks to identify potential reading disorders among ELLs. These assessment tasks cover phonological, letter naming, rapid naming, sequencing and reading skill sets. This review synthesizes current research findings to determine which tasks are the most appropriate for assessing future reading disorders among children from linguistically diverse backgrounds. Results were mixed. Further research is needed to determine the best methods for reading assessment of ELLs. / text