Kindergarten children at risk of developing language problems were administered the Florida Kindergarten Screening Battery. A principal components analysis revealed a verbal and a visual-spatial component and subsequent discriminant function analyses a high verbal/low visual-spatial group (LAL: Latent L) and a high visual-spatial flow verbal group…

Church records of adult reading abilities as evaluated yearly by Swedish priests were examined from the eighteenth century in families characterized by poor reading and good reading ability. Although descendents of poor readers tended to demonstrate lower reading scores, transmission patterns did not indicate a simple genetic mechanism. (Author/DB)

The Dyslexia Unit at University College of North Wales, Bangor, Wales has formed some conclusions about the necessary conditions for success of cost effective programs for dyslexic students. Efficiency can be improved by setting targets for entry to secondary school, referring children early, using structured phonic teaching methods and…

Preliminary results from data on 146 Australian, 284 American, and 70 Norwegian preschool twins indicate reliable genetic influences on phonological awareness and memory and learning. Vocabulary, grammar, and morphology showed significant shared environment and negligible genetic effects. A print knowledge composite showed genetic and shared…

This article examines how to interpret reading problems among individuals with a home language (L1) that is different from the language of instruction in school (L2). A tentative model is proposed where the various factors involved in L2 reading are specified, providing guidelines for assessment strategies. (Contains references.) (CR)

The development of dyslexia research and treatment in Germany is traced, focusing on the antidyslexia movement that has influenced the public schools and led to the establishment of private sector programs. The programs recognize the importance of individual differences, clinical diagnosis, and educational treatment based on scientific…

The paper discusses (1) sources of difficulty in comprehending technical writing, (2) distinctions between content structure and text structure, (3) building blocks for expository writing and techniques of text design, (4) contrasts between American and Japanese science and social studies texts, and (5) suggestions for promoting comprehension.…

Assessment of 125 fourth graders in Japan found that 4 boys and 4 girls qualified as dyslexic, challenging the belief that dyslexia is largely absent among Japanese children. Japanese schoolchildren who decoded kana text slowly also performed poorly in digits reversed and other areas. Characteristics of these students are described. (Author/JDD)

Illiterate immigrant adults (n=14) in France were assessed on ability to master three metalinguistic tasks: judgment of phonological length of words, initial consonant deletion, and lexical segmentation of sentences. Performance of illiterates and partial illiterates dramatically improved after training which involved corrective feedback and…

This study of 508 Israeli kindergarten children learning to read Hebrew found that phonemic segmentation skills and reading acquisition are highly interrelated. Learning to read was the main factor accounting for the sharp increase in phonological awareness between six and seven years of age, and reading acquisition was facilitated by prior…

A study involving 11,804 British children (age 10) found that when specified criteria for dyslexia were used, 269 children qualified as dyslexic. These included 223 boys and 46 girls, for a ratio of 4.51 to 1. Difficulties in interpreting these data are discussed and a defense of the criteria is provided. (Author/CR)

Describes the Dyslexia Early Screening Test (DEST) and the Cognitive Profiling System, both normed and designed to be administered to children four years and older. Reliability and validity of the tests are discussed, as well as their use to identify children at risk before they fail. (Author/CR)

A study investigated the effects of a new intervention paradigm on learning musical notation for five Dutch students with dyslexia and four typical students. Results found that the dyslexic children needed more time to learn musical notation, made more mistakes, and produced more "third transpositions." Implications for teaching are…

Discusses the outcomes of a study from Ontario that compared 29 gifted students (ages 9-14) with dyslexia to students who were either gifted (n=23) or dyslexic (n=25). Intellectual, academic, socioemotional, and creative thinking differences are described. Two different curriculum approaches for gifted children with dyslexia are provided.…

Describes the Language and Learning Seminar, a college course at York University, Ontario, that is designed to help students with learning disabilities grapple with learned helplessness issues. The supportive group process of learning therapy is embedded into the writing course, helping students address the emotional concomitants of failure and…