Cognitive hypothesis testing and response to intervention for children with reading problems

Abstract

Response to intervention (RTI) must be combined with comprehensive cognitive assessment to identify children with learning disabilities. This article presents the Cognitive Hypothesis Testing (CHT) model for integrating RTI and comprehensive evaluation practices in the identification of children with reading disabilities. The CHT model utilizes a scientific method approach for interpreting cognitive and neuropsychological processes together with evaluation of ecological and treatment validity data to develop targeted interventions for students who do not respond to standard academic interventions. A case study highlights how CHT practices can lead to effective interventions for a child who did not respond to a phonologically based reading intervention. In addition, discriminant analyses of 128 children with reading disabilities revealed the presence of Global, Phonemic, Fluency-Comprehension, and Orthographic subtypes. Results suggest subtypes show disparate cognitive profiles that differentially impact their reading achievement, supporting our contention that individual assessment of cognitive processing strengths and weaknesses is not only necessary for identifying children with reading disabilities but also can lead to individualized interventions designed to meet their unique learning needs.

Neurocognitive Predictors of Reading Outcomes for Children With Reading Disabilities

“…Gathercole and Alloway (2006) recently described how short-term and working memory are amenable to intervention, with an emphasis on both strategies to compensate for deficits in these areas and training to expand capacity. Thus, at the level of practice, the present study supports the use and inclusion of a broader range of cognitive and neuropsychological factors as targets for generating individualized hypotheses about intransigent reading difficulties (for a description of such an approach, see Fiorello et al, 2006).…”

Introduction to the special issue: Current research in Cattell–Horn–Carroll–based assessment

“…It is important to note, however, that supporters of cognitive testing within the RTI framework argue that school psychologists should focus less on the overall full-scale IQ, be more selective and focused in their assessments, and examine profiles of CHC cognitive abilities to better understand strengths and weaknesses (Fiorello, Hale, & Snyder, 2006;Hale, Naglieri, Kaufman, & Kavale, 2004;Kavale & Flanagan, 2007;Mather & Wendling, 2005).…”

WISC-V and the Evolving Role of Intelligence Testing in the Assessment of Learning Disabilities

“…The student demonstrates weaknesses primarily in basic reading skills, as evidenced by a WIAT-III Basic Reading composite score in the below average range (with similarly low scores on both Word Reading and Pseudoword Decoding). Based on prior research (e.g., Fiorello, Hale, & Snyder, 2006;Hale, Fiorello, Kavanagh, Hoeppner, & Gaither, 2001) and given the validity support for the theoretical constructs measured by the WISC-V indexes, it would be appropriate to consider the following WISC-V index scores as cognitive processing weaknesses that could be associated with a weakness in basic reading skills: WMI, PSI, AWMI, STI, SRI, and NSI. Note that phonological processing is also a relevant processing weakness to consider; measures of phonological processing are typically included in diagnostic language and achievement tests.…”