Fb. Wood et Rh. Felton, SEPARATE LINGUISTIC AND ATTENTIONAL FACTORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF READING, Topics in language disorders, 14(4), 1994, pp. 42-57
This article reports research carried out by the Bowman Gray Learning
Disabilities Project concerning the relationship between attentional a
nd linguistic factors in the development of reading. Three samples (N
= 204 randomly selected first graders, N = 60 poor readers accessed in
the third grade, and N = 105 adults who were evaluated for reading pr
oblems in childhood) were tested over a five-year period to address is
sues of prediction of reading impairment by linguistic and attentional
variables as well as the relationship between these two factors. Resu
lts indicate that attention deficit disorder (ADD) has no impact on th
e development of word identification skills but does affect long-term
educational outcome. Phonological decoding and rapid naming skills are
critical factors in the development of basic reading skills.