Abstract
Purpose: Dyslexia is a long lasting problem in learning to decode written words accurately and fluently. This definition suggests that dyslexia remains sufficiently constant to be assessed reliably with just one wide-range test across all educational levels. The current study investigated this possibility by asking whether students who receive special support in reading differ from other students on the same scale of decoding across all educational levels.
Method: Decoding and spelling measures from a newly developed, web-based Danish dyslexia test were taken from 1564 students from Grade 3 to university in Denmark. Oversampling of 300 students who received special support in reading allowed for comparisons with current practice for referral to special support.
Results and conclusions: Decoding skills increased from Grade 3 to 9. There was limited evidence for further age-based growth beyond Grade 9. Measures of decoding difficulties were reliably associated with current practices for referral to special support at all educational levels. On average, students receiving special support performed at the 5th percentile of the unselected groups. The results suggest that a wide-range test of decoding can be a valid marker of dyslexia across educational levels. A unified test may simplify testing and facilitate a common understanding of dyslexia throughout the educational system.
Method: Decoding and spelling measures from a newly developed, web-based Danish dyslexia test were taken from 1564 students from Grade 3 to university in Denmark. Oversampling of 300 students who received special support in reading allowed for comparisons with current practice for referral to special support.
Results and conclusions: Decoding skills increased from Grade 3 to 9. There was limited evidence for further age-based growth beyond Grade 9. Measures of decoding difficulties were reliably associated with current practices for referral to special support at all educational levels. On average, students receiving special support performed at the 5th percentile of the unselected groups. The results suggest that a wide-range test of decoding can be a valid marker of dyslexia across educational levels. A unified test may simplify testing and facilitate a common understanding of dyslexia throughout the educational system.
| Originalsprog | Engelsk |
|---|---|
| Publikationsdato | 12 mar. 2016 |
| Status | Udgivet - 12 mar. 2016 |