Reading and visual processing in Greek dyslexic children: an eye-movement study

Abstract

We examined the impact of the effects of dyslexia on various processing and cognitive components (e.g., reading speed and accuracy) in a language with high phonological and orthographic consistency. Greek dyslexic children were compared with a chronological age-matched group on tasks that tested participants' phonological and orthographic awareness during reading and spelling, as well as their efficiency to detect a specific target-letter during a sequential visual search task. Dyslexic children showed impaired reading and spelling that was reflected in slow reading speed and error-prone performance, especially for non-words. Eye movement measures of text reading also provided supporting evidence for a reading deficit, with dyslexic participants producing more fixations and longer fixation duration as opposed to non-dyslexic participants. The results of the visual search task showed similar performance between the two groups, but when they were compared with the results of text reading, dyslexic participants were found to be able to process fewer stimuli (i.e., letters) at each fixation than non-dyslexics. Our findings further suggest that, although Greek dyslexics have the advantage of a consistent orthographic system which facilitates acquisition of reading and phonological awareness, they demonstrate more impaired access to orthographic forms than dyslexics of other transparent orthographies.

Are Auditory and Visual Processing Deficits Related to Developmental Dyslexia?

“…Similar findings have been reported in previous studies in consistent orthographies (e.g. Bekebrede, van der Leij, & Share, 2009;Bergmann & Wimmer, 2008;Hatzidaki, Gianneli, Petrakis, Makaronas, & Aslanides, 2010).…”

Immaturity of the Oculomotor Saccade and Vergence Interaction in Dyslexic Children: Evidence from a Reading and Visual Search Study

“…Furthermore, in Chinese dyslexic children, Li et al [7] reported abnormal eye movements in picture searching, slow and more fixations and frequent saccades of small amplitude. Recently, Trauzettel-Klosinski et al [8] reported in German dyslexic children slower reading speed and high number of saccades and regressions; similar findings have been also reported in Greek dyslexic children by Hatzidaki et al [9].…”

Tracking the effects of dyslexia in reading and spelling development: A longitudinal study of Greek readers

“…Consistent with findings in other languages, studies of Greek children with dyslexia have documented deficits in phonological awareness, word and pseudoword reading accuracy and speed, spelling, rapid automatized naming, stress assignment, and verbal working memory, through primary and secondary education (Anastasiou & Protopapas, ; Constantinidou & Evripidou, ; Constantinidou & Stainthorp, ; Diamanti, Goulandris, Stuart, & Campbell, ; Hatzidaki, Gianneli, Petrakis, Makaronas, & Aslanides, ; Papadopoulos, Georgiou, & Kendeou, ; Protopapas et al, ; Protopapas & Skaloumbakas, , ; Protopapas, Skaloumbakas, & Bali, ). As expected for a relatively consistent orthography, children with dyslexia are primarily distinguished from typically developing readers in timed measures of reading (i.e., speed or fluency; Protopapas & Skaloumbakas, ) and exhibit impaired spelling performance commensurate with their level of reading and phonological development (Diamanti et al, ; Protopapas et al, ).…”