Language problems in poor readers

Abstract

In recent definitions of dyslexia there is agreement on the following: dyslexia is a language (-based) disorder restricted to difficulties in phonological processing abilities. This causes primary problems in word decoding and spelling, and, as a consequence, also in reading comprehension. This is in accordance with the widely accepted reading model, which regards decoding as a prerequisite for reading comprehension. In this paper, we will discuss the relevance of these definitions, and the reading model they are based on, using data from a longitudinal study of readers who were diagnosed as being language-impaired when they were pre-schoolers. This group will be compared with a control group having no history of language impairments and also with groups of adolescent and adult dyslexics.

Key Words:

• dyslexia definitions
• reading problems
• decoding
• reading comprehension
• phonological processing