THE DYSLEXIA EARLY SCREENING-TEST

This paper describes the rationale behind the Dyslexia Early Screening Test for identifying children at risk for dyslexia before they fail t o learn to read. The DEST comprises 11 simple subtests - speed, phonol ogical skill, motor skill, cerebellar function and knowledge - which t ogether provide an overall 'at risk' judgement, together with an abili ty profile that indicates the particular areas of difficulty. It has b een designed to be administered by teachers or health professionals wi th no training in psychological testing, and takes about 30 minutes pe r child. It forms the first stage in a planned screening assessment su pport system and is currently under evaluation in British schools.