Can Reading Disabilities Be Diagnosed Without Using Intelligence Tests?

Abstract

Unlike conventional procedures, which use IQ in making diagnostic and eligibility decisions regarding learning disabilities, this demonstration study used listening comprehension and other reading-related tasks to make a differential diagnosis of reading disabilities. Tests of listening and reading comprehension were administered to 180 children from Grades 3 through 8. A regression equation was then derived to predict reading comprehension from listening comprehension. The regression equation was applied to the listening comprehension scores of seven children from Grades 3 to 8 who had reading difficulties, and their reading comprehension was predicted. Based on the discrepancy between their actual reading comprehension and the predicted reading comprehension, their reading difficulty was attributed to one of the following three factors: (a) poor decoding, (b) poor comprehension, or (c) a combination of poor decoding and poor comprehension. The validity of these diagnostic decisions was assessed by testing independently these children's word-decoding skill and reading speed. The results suggest that this diagnostic procedure has potential utility.

Subgrouping Poor Readers on the Basis of Individual Differences in Reading-Related Abilities

“…Critics also have noted the lack of evidence of qualitative differences between IQ-achievement discrepancy subgroups on reading-related factors (Ellis, McDougall, & Monk, 1996;Fletcher et al, 1994;Flowers, Meyer, Lovato, Wood, & Felton, 2001;Pennington, Gilger, Olson, & DeFries, 1992;Stanovich & Siegel, 1994). Another major issue of particular relevance to the present investigation has been the inability of the IQachievement discrepancy approach to provide guidance for intervention (Aaron, 1991;Forness, Sinclair, & Guthrie, 1983). As applied, the IQ diagnostic model does not identify individual subgroup differences that can be used to plan specific intervention goals or activities.…”

“…The former have often been referred to as children with dyslexia or specific reading disability, and the latter are frequently labeled slow learners or garden-variety poor readers. Whereas classification based on IQ-achievement discrepancy has been widespread, its validity and utility have been challenged, especially in recent years (Aaron, 1991(Aaron, , 1997Fletcher et al, 1998;Siegel, 1989;Stanovich, 1991).…”

Language Basis of Reading Disabilities and Implications for Early Identification and Remediation

“…Even though this is the case, the model does highlight the strengths and weaknesses of many poor readers across these dimensions. By considering children's strengths and weaknesses in word recognition and language comprehension, practitioners may be better able to describe reading problems, plan intervention, monitor progress, and determine prognosis (Aaron, 1991).…”

“…This assessment might include traditional measures of receptive vocabulary and grammatical knowledge (Carrow-Woolfolk, 1999;DiSimoni, 1978;Dunn & Dunn, 1997), as well as measures of the comprehension of extended spoken text. Although standardized measures involving spoken texts are currently available (Newcomer, 2001;Semel, Wiig, & Secord, 1998), it may be useful to use an alternative form of a reading comprehension test which can be read aloud to evaluate listening comprehension (Aaron, 1991).…”

Elements towards a diagnostic assessment of low literacy levels

“…L'identification visuelle des mots dépend de l'efficacité de ces processus élémentaires. Dans le cas d'une maîtrise insuffisante de la lecture, ces derniers mobilisent une grande quantité d'attention, laquelle étant limitée ne peut s'orienter vers des processus de plus haut niveau tels que la compréhension (Aaron, 1991 ;Braibant, 1994).…”