An investigation of the theories relating to developmental dyslexia and their application in assessment and remediation

Abstract

The objective of this study has been to provide both a theoretical and practical framework for dealing with developmental dyslexia within mainstream schooling. Thus, the firat section summarizes current genetic, neurological and cognitive findings relating to the problem. By combining this theoretical perspective with a practical investigation of the usefulness of three established classroom screening tests (i.e. The Boder- Test of Reading and Spelling, The Aston Index, and The Bangor Dyslexia Test) conclusions have been drawn on suitable assessment procedures for older dyslexic subjects.
In a follow-up study a further simple diagnostic test has been developed which aims to indicate points at which problems are
occurring in the reading/spelling process. The test reflects current theoretical ideas on dyslexia and is simple- to use in the
class situation. It has also been linked with a computerized profiling system which summarizes assessment findings and
indicates suitable remediation strategies.
A comparison of techniques for teaching spelling to dyslexic subjects has also been made. Using computerized teaching, three multi sensory strategies (audio-visual, audio-visual-tactile, audio-visual-musical) were investigated. The first method
reflected the typical way in which pupils learn spellings in secondary school. The - second method used finger tracing, -a
recommended technique for teaching dyslexics. The third method tested the hypothesis that the employment of a technique based on right hemispherical processing would enhance learning in dyslexics. -Results from a year-long study did not find any -method significantly better or worse either with the whole group of subjects or when they were grouped into dyslexic subtypes.