Language Basis of Reading and Reading Disabilities: Evidence From a Longitudinal Investigation

Abstract

The contributions of phonological processing & oral language abilities to reading & reading disabilities in children were investigated using two approaches. In the first approach, participants (N = 604) were divided into good & poor readers on the basis of reading performance in second grade. Reading groups were then compared in terms of kindergarten phonological processing & other language abilities. In the second approach, multiple regression was employed to investigate the relative contributions of phonological processing & oral language abilities in predicting second-grade reading achievement across reading groups. Results indicated that over 70% of poor readers had a history of language deficits in kindergarten. Most of these children had problems in both phonological processing & oral language. Regression analyses further indicated that oral language & phonological processing abilities each accounted for unique variance in reading achievement. These results suggest that language-based theories of reading & reading disabilities must include both phonological processing & oral language abilities. 11 Tables, 2 Figures, 97 References. Adapted from the source document.