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Original Articles

Conciencia fonológica y retraso lector en una ortografía transparente

Phonemic processes and reading disabilities in transparent orthography

Pages 109-121 | Received 01 Mar 1995, Accepted 01 Feb 1996, Published online: 23 Jan 2014
 

Resumen

La presente investigación trata de encontrar una relación causal entre diferentes niveles de conciencia fonológica y el retraso lector en una ortografía transparente, como es el caso de la lengua española. Se utilizeó un diseño de nivel de lectura de tres grupos. Un grupo experimental formado por 45 malos lectores; un grupo control de 45 buenos lectores de igual edad cronológica; y un grupo control de 45 buenos lectores más jóvenes. Se les administró distintas tareaspara evaluar la conciencia de unidades intrasilábicas y fonémicas. No se encontraron diferencias entre malos lectores y el grupo control de buenos lectores más jóvenes en la tarea basada en juicios de comparación, y, en cambio, sí existían diferencias entre estos grupos en las tareas de segmentación e inversión de fonemas. En términos generales, la conciencia de unidades intrasilábicas y fonémicas era superior en los buenos lectores que tenían la misma edad cronológica que los malos lectores. De acuerdo a estos resultados, se sugiere que la conciencia intrasilábica no explica el retraso lector, y, en cambio, el déficit observado en conciencia fonémica sí explicaría el retraso lector en una ortografía transparente. Esto último es analizado desde una perspectiva bidireccional.

Abstract

The current study examined the relationship in Spanish (v.g., a transparent orthography) between different levels of phonological awareness and reading disabilities. A three-group reading level design was used. A sample of 135 subjects were selected and organized into three different groups: 1) An experimental group of 45 reading-disabledchildren; 2) A control group of 45 good readers matched in age with the reading disabled; and 3) A control group of 45 younger children at the same reading level as the reading disabled. Three phonological awareness tasks were used to measure levels of intrasyllabic and phonemic awareness. The reading disabled group was equivalent to the younger reading-level-matched control group in the odd-man-out task. However, there were differences in the phonemic tasks (v.g., segmentation and inversion of phonemes) because the reading disabled group performed worse than the younger children. Overall, the children matched in age with the reading disabled group were superior in all phonological awareness tasks. According to these results, intrasyllabic awareness was not a relevant factor in explaining reading disabilities. However, these disabilities in a transparent orthography were better explained by phonemic awareness. These results were interpretedfrom a bi-directional perspective.

Extended Summary

Learning to read in an alphabetic system requires a metalinguistic effort, as such a system reflects the phonological units of speech. Children are required to learn to identify phonological segments within words. Some studies have shown that children with reading disabilities, usually have difficulties in analysing words into phonemes. Most of this findings come from studies carried out in the English language, which has a deep orthography. It has for example been shown that intrasyllabic awareness has a direct influence on learning to read in the English language. We suppose that phonological awareness is also a relevant factor in a language with a transparent orthography. The aim of this study is to analyse what levels of phonological awareness would better explain reading disabilities in alphabetic systems with a transparent orthography, such as the Spanish language.

Studies using traditional designs involving a target group, such as reading-disabled children, matched in age with normal readers, have numerous methodological problems. Differences between the groups (e.g., phonemic segmentation) have been interpreted as reflecting causal deficits in reading delays. However, reading deficits could occur as a result of reduced experience with written language, rather than be caused by poor reading skills. In an attempt to overcome these problems and control the effect of reading experience, groups matched in reading level were selected in the present research work. The aim was to study the causal relation between phonological awareness and reading performance. In particular, to find a causal relationship between different levels of phonological awareness and delay in reading in a transparent orthography. In addition, it is our intention to study what levels of phonological awareness would better explain the difficulties encountered by children while learning to read.

135 subjects 6 to 10 years of age were assigned to one of following three different reading groups: 1) 45 poor readers (experimental group); 2) 45 good readers matched in age with the poor readers (control group 1); and 3) 45 younger children who were at the same reading level as the poor readers (control group 2). Three phonological awareness tasks were administered to measure levels of intrasyllabic and phonemic awareness.

Results showed no differences between the performance of the poor readers and younger readers in the odd-man-out task, based on personal comparisons. However, poor readers performed worse than the younger children on the phonemic tasks (e.g., phoneme segmentation and inversion). Compared with the poor readers, overall, good readers obtained higher scores on all phonological awareness tasks. According to these results, intrasyllabic awareness was not a relevant factor in explaining reading disabilities. The observed deficit in phonemic awareness would however explain the reading delay in a transparent orthography. These results were interpreted from a bi-directional perspective.

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