A review of German research studies on dyslexia since 1970 found 70 studies that were either empirical investigations or new theoretical perspectives on already existing data. These studies were then classified according to whether they were explicitly or implicitly related to educational procedures and according to their inherent assumptions about the nature of reading disability and reading or spelling programs. Studies with implicit educational value were again classified according to how they identified characteristics of poor readers or spellers: causal factors, deficits in psychomotor or cognitive domains, characteristic symptoms in reading or spelling (eye movements and errors), and partial deficit processes. Studies with explicit educational value were divided according to their psychological interventions (cognitive, psychomotor, psychotherapeutic, muscle relaxation, autogenes) and according to their specific program (cognitive, linguistic, comprehensive, prevention, remedial). Studies reviewed revealed some of the following: (1) training effect was independent of the IQ of the children; (2) despite 2 years of remedial education in the elementary school, 20% to 30% of the children still had severe spelling problems; (3) many children were able to overcome their dyslexia through specific instruction and without psychotherapeutic interventions; and (4) programs that were specifically designed to meet individual needs were more effective than comprehensive programs. (HOD)