Dynamic tests as a language-free method for assessing reading in a multilingual setting

Abstract

It is difficult to assess reading ability or diagnose dyslexia in Malaysia due to its complex linguistic background of simultaneous multilingualism and multiliteracy. Low scores on traditional reading tests could be explained by language and contextual factors rather than indicating reading difficulty. One method shown to be less sensitive to specific language factors is the Dynamic Testing paradigm (Elbro et al., 2012). Fifty-nine Malaysian adult readers of English and Bahasa Melayu and/or Chinese were recruited and their performances on the dynamic test assessed. Scores on the Dynamic Test significantly predicted potential reading difficulty as measured by the Adult Reading History Questionnaire (Lefly & Pennington, 2000) but not reading proficiency measured by a Lexical Decision Task (LDT). Participants were then grouped by language of first literacy: alphabetic (English and Bahasa Melayu) or morphosyllabic (Chinese). No significant differences were found between those reading morphosyllabic versus alphabetic orthographies for the Dynamic Test. The Dynamic Test was a significant predictor of potential reading difficulty in the alphabetic group only. Thus, it was concluded that the dynamic format could be a suitable assessment tool for multilinguals, but that further research is required to determine its utility, especially in non-alphabetic languages.