01 NRDC Dyslexia 1-88 update - Texthelp

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Research Report
should be described as ‘dyslexic’; a more appropriate term for [poor reading in relation
to intelligence] is ‘specific reading retardation’ (Abstract). Miles, T. R., Wheeler, T. J. and
Haslum, M. N. (1994). More dyslexic boys after all? Paper given to 1994 BDA conference,
Manchester.
Vellutino, F. R. (1979). Dyslexia: theory and research. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Dyslexia is a generic term typically used to refer to children who are severely impaired in
reading. It is also known as specific reading disability, the two terms being used
interchangeably. Many investigators believe that dyslexia is a developmental disorder
associated with some form of neurological dysfunction, but it is not a well-defined entity
and is not clearly identified with any specific neurological abnormalities. Indeed reading
problems in any given child can be caused by a number of interacting contingencies,
including such extrinsic factors as environmental experiences, lack of attendance at
school, poor motivation and deficiencies in organismic variables that are prerequisite to
learning in general, for example, sensory and intellectual functions (page 7).
Rutter, M. (1978). Prevalence and types of dyslexia. In A. L. Benton & D. Pearl (Eds.), Dyslexia:
an appraisal of current knowledge. New York: Oxford University Press.
… the term ‘dyslexia’ … constitutes a hypothesis regarding the supposed existence of a
nuclear group or groups of disorders of reading and/or spelling caused by constitutional
factors, probably genetic in origin. Or, alternatively, it refers to a more heterogeneous
group of reading disabilities characterised by the fact that reading/spelling attainment is
far below that expected on the basis of the child’s age or IQ. If the latter usage is
employed, it is probably preferable to use the terms ‘specific reading retardation’ and
‘specific spelling retardation’ which involve no theoretical assumptions (page 27).
World Federation of Neurology. (1968). Report of a research group on developmental dyslexia
and world illiteracy. Bulletin of the Orton Society, 18, 21–22. (Definition accessed at
http://www.bda-dyslexia.org.uk/ on 21 November 2002)
… a disorder manifested by a difficulty in learning to read despite conventional
instruction, adequate intelligence and socio-cultural opportunity. It is dependent upon
fundamental cognitive difficulties which are frequently of a constitutional character.
Note ‘As a piece of logic this definition is a nonstarter … it suggests that if all the known
causes of reading disability can be ruled out, the unknown (in the form of dyslexia)
should be invoked. A counsel of despair, indeed’ (page 12). Rutter, M. (1978). Prevalence
and types of dyslexia. In A. L. Benton & D. Pearl (Eds.), Dyslexia: an appraisal of current
knowledge. New York: Oxford University Press.
Tansley, A. E. (1967). Reading and Remedial Reading. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
Inability to read, sometimes called dyslexia, is a secondary disorder resulting from
primary causes. The diagnosis should attempt to break down the dyslexia into
component elements so as to isolate the principal cause. Thus all sensory channels and
their integration must be investigated; perceptual activity, which cannot in practice be
isolated from sensation, must be analysed; psycholinguistic processes must be tested
(page 85).