Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
A Scientific Success Story: A Scientific Success Story: Specific Reading Disabilities, or Specific Reading Disabilities, or
Developmental DyslexiaDevelopmental Dyslexia
Dr. Joseph K. TorgesenDr. Joseph K. TorgesenFlorida State University and Florida State University and
Florida Center for Reading ResearchFlorida Center for Reading Research
Florida Council for Exceptional Children, October, Florida Council for Exceptional Children, October, 20062006
Alexis….Alexis….
To identify students like Alexis, we developed To identify students like Alexis, we developed definitions by exclusion:definitions by exclusion:
Alexis, and many other students, have reading difficulties not caused by:
Low intelligence, or general ability Lack of support, or learning opportunities, at
home Poor instruction Other disabilities like vision or hearing
Made the assumption, that these disabilities were intrinsic to the child, but didn’t know what they actually were
A short detour: How do we define a A short detour: How do we define a proficient reader – what is our ultimate proficient reader – what is our ultimate instructional goal in reading?instructional goal in reading?
We want students to be able to read grade We want students to be able to read grade level text with a strong level of level text with a strong level of understandingunderstanding
Reading ComprehensionReading Comprehension is our ultimate goal – is our ultimate goal – we want children to be able to understand we want children to be able to understand and learn from what they read. This, for and learn from what they read. This, for example, is what the example, is what the FCATFCAT measures. measures.
What skills, knowledge, and
attitudes are required for good
reading comprehension?
What we know about the factors that What we know about the factors that affect reading comprehensionaffect reading comprehension
Proficient comprehension of text is influenced by:Proficient comprehension of text is influenced by:
Accurate and fluent word reading skillsAccurate and fluent word reading skills
Oral language skills (vocabulary, linguistic comprehension)Oral language skills (vocabulary, linguistic comprehension)
Extent of conceptual and factual knowledgeExtent of conceptual and factual knowledge
Knowledge and skill in use of cognitive strategies to Knowledge and skill in use of cognitive strategies to improve comprehension or repair it when it breaks down.improve comprehension or repair it when it breaks down.
Reasoning and inferential skillsReasoning and inferential skills
Motivation to understand and interest in task and Motivation to understand and interest in task and materialsmaterials
Reading is a multifaceted skill, gradually acquired over years of instruction and practice.
The Many Strands that are Woven into Skilled Reading(Scarborough, 2001)
BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE
VOCABULARY KNOWLEDGE LANGUAGE STRUCTURES VERBAL REASONING
LITERACY KNOWLEDGE
PHON. AWARENESS
DECODING (and SPELLING) SIGHT RECOGNITION
SKILLED READING: fluent execution and coordination of word recognition and text comprehension.
LANGUAGE COMPREHENSION
WORD RECOGNITION
increasingly
automatic
increasingly
strategic
Skilled Reading- fluent coordination of
word reading and comprehension
processes
1. Difficulty learning to 1. Difficulty learning to read wordsread words accurately and fluently accurately and fluently
2. Insufficient vocabulary, general knowledge, and 2. Insufficient vocabulary, general knowledge, and reasoning skills to support reasoning skills to support comprehensioncomprehension of of written languagewritten language
3. Absence or loss of initial 3. Absence or loss of initial motivationmotivation to read, or failure to read, or failure to develop a mature appreciation of the rewards of to develop a mature appreciation of the rewards of reading.reading.
Three potential stumbling blocks to Three potential stumbling blocks to becoming a good readerbecoming a good reader (NRC Report, 1998)(NRC Report, 1998)
What is the most critical What is the most critical problem for students with problem for students with
specific disabilities in specific disabilities in reading, or dyslexia?reading, or dyslexia?
1. Difficulty learning to 1. Difficulty learning to read wordsread words accurately and fluently accurately and fluently
2. Insufficient vocabulary, general knowledge, and 2. Insufficient vocabulary, general knowledge, and reasoning skills to support reasoning skills to support comprehensioncomprehension of of written languagewritten language
3. Absence or loss of initial 3. Absence or loss of initial motivationmotivation to read, or failure to read, or failure to develop a mature appreciation of the rewards of to develop a mature appreciation of the rewards of reading.reading.
Three potential stumbling blocks to Three potential stumbling blocks to becoming a good readerbecoming a good reader (NRC Report, 1998)(NRC Report, 1998)
Extreme difficulties mastering the use of Extreme difficulties mastering the use of “phonics” skills as an aid to early, independent “phonics” skills as an aid to early, independent readingreading
• difficulties with the skills of blending and analyzing difficulties with the skills of blending and analyzing
the sounds in words (phonemic awareness). the sounds in words (phonemic awareness).• difficulties learning letter-sound correspondencesdifficulties learning letter-sound correspondences
Slow development of “sight vocabulary” Slow development of “sight vocabulary” arising from:arising from:
•limited exposure to textlimited exposure to text•lack of strategies to reliably identify words in textlack of strategies to reliably identify words in text
The nature of the underlying difficulty for most The nature of the underlying difficulty for most children who have specific reading disabilities children who have specific reading disabilities
or dyslexiaor dyslexia
Weaknesses in the phonological area of language Weaknesses in the phonological area of language abilityability
inherent, or intrinsic, disabilityinherent, or intrinsic, disability
Temple, 2001, CONB
Visual CortexAuditory
Cortex
Recent Functional Neuroimaging findings on Adults
The nature of the underlying difficulty for most The nature of the underlying difficulty for most children who have specific reading disabilities children who have specific reading disabilities
or dyslexiaor dyslexia
Weaknesses in the phonological area of language Weaknesses in the phonological area of language abilityability
Expressed primarily by delays in the development Expressed primarily by delays in the development of phonemic awareness and phonics skillsof phonemic awareness and phonics skills
inherent, or intrinsic, disabilityinherent, or intrinsic, disability
2
4
6
1 2 3 4 5
1
3
5
5.9
2.3
Low PA
K
Ave. PA
Grade level corresponding to age
Rea
ding
Gra
de L
evel
Growth in “phonics” ability of children who begin first grade in the bottom 20% in Phoneme Awareness and Letter Knowledge (Torgesen & Mathes, 2000)
LowAverage
Low PA 5.7
3.5
2
4
6
1
3
5
K
Ave. PA
Grade level corresponding to age 1 2 3 4 5
Growth in word reading ability of children who begin first grade in the bottom 20% in Phoneme Awareness and Letter Knowledge (Torgesen & Mathes, 2000)
Rea
ding
gra
de le
vel
LowAverage
1 2 3 4 5
Low PA
3.4
2
4
6
1
3
5
K Ave. PA
6.9
Growth in reading comprehension of children who begin first grade in the bottom 20% in Phoneme Awareness and Letter Knowledge (Torgesen & Mathes, 2000)
Grade level corresponding to age
Rea
ding
Gra
de L
evel
LowAverage
Same verbal ability – very different Reading Comprehension
The Basic Discovery:The Basic Discovery:
Specific reading disabilities, or developmental Specific reading disabilities, or developmental dyslexia, is caused by a weakness, or lack of dyslexia, is caused by a weakness, or lack of talent, in the talent, in the phonological domain of languagephonological domain of language
This weakness makes it difficult to acquire This weakness makes it difficult to acquire phonemic awareness and alphabetic reading phonemic awareness and alphabetic reading skills—which interferes with the growth of skills—which interferes with the growth of accurate reading skills.accurate reading skills.
A recent definition of dyslexia that A recent definition of dyslexia that incorporates the new knowledgeincorporates the new knowledge
““Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction.” effective classroom instruction.” (Lyon & (Lyon &
Shaywitz, 2003)Shaywitz, 2003)
Important facts about talent in the Important facts about talent in the phonological language domain:phonological language domain:
It is like most other talents in that it is It is like most other talents in that it is distributed distributed normallynormally in the population in the population
“Phonological talent” is normally distributed in the population
100
50th
85
16th
70
2nd
130
98th
115
84th
Standard Scores
Percentile Ranks
Children can be strong in this talent-like my grandson Andrew
“Phonological ability” is normally distributed in the population
100
50th
85
16th
70
2nd
130
98th
115
84th
Standard Scores
Percentile Ranks
Children can be moderately weak in this talent-like David
David
Each of these kinds of weakness is normally distributed in the population
100
50th
85
16th
70
2nd
130
98th
115
84th
Standard Scores
Percentile Ranks
Serious difficulties-probably require special interventions and a lot of extra support-like Alexis
Another important fact about talent in the Another important fact about talent in the phonological language domain:phonological language domain:
It is only weakly correlated with broad It is only weakly correlated with broad verbal ability or general intelligenceverbal ability or general intelligence
Phonological Language Ability is not highly Correlated with General Verbal Ability as measured by IQ tests
Verbal Intelligence
Pho
nolo
gica
l A
bilit
y
Low High
High
Low
Dyslexic
Phonological Language Ability is not highly Correlated with General Verbal Ability as measured by IQ tests
Verbal Intelligence
Pho
nolo
gica
l A
bilit
y
Low High
High
Low
Dyslexic
One more important fact about talent in One more important fact about talent in the phonological language domain:the phonological language domain:
Children’s ability in this area when they Children’s ability in this area when they come to school is influenced both by come to school is influenced both by
biologically based talent, and by biologically based talent, and by opportunities to learn from their pre-opportunities to learn from their pre-
school environmentschool environment
Children come to school very Children come to school very different from one another in the different from one another in the experience they have had that experience they have had that prepares them for learning to prepares them for learning to
readread
Development of Phonological Development of Phonological SensitivitySensitivity
Cross-sectional study comparing Cross-sectional study comparing the performance of 250 the performance of 250
children from higher income children from higher income families to 170 children from families to 170 children from
lower income families.lower income families.
Children were between two- Children were between two- and five-years of age.and five-years of age.
To summarize:To summarize:
Children can come to school weak in Children can come to school weak in phonological ability phonological ability either because of their either because of their biology or their language experiencebiology or their language experience
Regardless of whether they also have Regardless of whether they also have broader weaknesses in verbal ability, broader weaknesses in verbal ability, both both types of children need similar intensive early types of children need similar intensive early reading support in order to prevent reading reading support in order to prevent reading failurefailure
Do we know how to prevent reading Do we know how to prevent reading failure in children who come to school failure in children who come to school with weaknesses in the phonological with weaknesses in the phonological domain?domain?
An Example of an An Example of an Effective Effective
IntervententionInterventention
Design of Study in which intervention occurredDesign of Study in which intervention occurred1. Most “at risk” first graders from five elementary school - 1. Most “at risk” first graders from five elementary school -
PPVT above 70PPVT above 70
2.Instruction provided in 45 min. sessions every day from 2.Instruction provided in 45 min. sessions every day from October through May in groups of 3 or 5 by experienced October through May in groups of 3 or 5 by experienced teachers or well-trained paraprofessionals teachers or well-trained paraprofessionals
3. Used a structured (scripted) reading program that 3. Used a structured (scripted) reading program that contained instruction and practice in phonemic contained instruction and practice in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and comprehensionawareness, phonics, fluency, and comprehension
4. Used a number of methods to achieve fidelity of 4. Used a number of methods to achieve fidelity of implementationimplementation
3 days of initial training3 days of initial training
Weekly supervisory visitsWeekly supervisory visits
Monthly inservice (3 hours)Monthly inservice (3 hours)
Work on phonemic awarenessWork on phonemic awareness
Blending sounds into wordsBlending sounds into words
Directly building sight recognition of high utility wordsDirectly building sight recognition of high utility words
Reading text…Reading text…
30
70 75th
50th
25th
October January May
Nati
on
al
Perc
en
tile
Growth in Word Reading Ability
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
Growth in Correct Words Per Minute on First Grade Level Passages
T3 T5 P3 P5
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
58.155.952.456.6
Comprehension on SAT9 = 50th percentile
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
Growth in Correct Words Per Minute on First Grade Level Passages for four lowest performers
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
55.7
22211715
What about remediation for What about remediation for older students who did not get older students who did not get
effective preventive effective preventive interventions?interventions?
A study of intensive, highly skilled intervention with A study of intensive, highly skilled intervention with 60 children who had severe reading disabilities60 children who had severe reading disabilities
Children were between 8 and 10 years of ageChildren were between 8 and 10 years of age
Had been receiving special education services for an average of Had been receiving special education services for an average of 16 months16 monthsNominated as worst readers: at least 1.5 S.D’s below grade levelNominated as worst readers: at least 1.5 S.D’s below grade level
Average Word Attack=69, Word Identification=69, Verbal IQ=93Average Word Attack=69, Word Identification=69, Verbal IQ=93
Randomly assigned to two instructional conditions that both Randomly assigned to two instructional conditions that both taught “phonics” explicitly, but used different procedures with taught “phonics” explicitly, but used different procedures with different emphasisdifferent emphasisChildren in both conditions received 67.5 hours of one-on-one Children in both conditions received 67.5 hours of one-on-one instruction, 2 hours a day for 8 weeksinstruction, 2 hours a day for 8 weeks
Children were followed for two years after the intervention was Children were followed for two years after the intervention was completedcompleted
Interval in Months Between Measurements
P-Pretest Pre Post 1 year 2 year
75
80
85
90
95
LIPS
EP
Growth in Total Reading Skill Before, During, and Following Intensive Intervention
Sta
ndar
d S
core
As we acquire more and more As we acquire more and more knowledge of what works…..knowledge of what works…..
Another set of questions assumes Another set of questions assumes more and more importance….more and more importance….
How do we make this kind of How do we make this kind of instruction available to every child instruction available to every child who needs it?who needs it?
The challenge for this group--The challenge for this group--
The essential elements for success
Practices from effectivePractices from effectiveDistricts, Schools, and Districts, Schools, and
ClassroomsClassrooms
Provides information about how to assemble
and integrate all the components that are effective in improving
achievement.
Scientific research in reading and
reading instruction
Provides information about the instructional and assessment procedures that are most effective
A reason for working toward A reason for working toward effective solutions for all students…effective solutions for all students…
