Pieter Depessemier Caroline Andries

1. Dyslexia in Late Adolescence : How to Diagnose Diagnosis at the Level of Classification, Causes and Treatment Pieter Depessemier Caroline Andries

2. Introduction Goals Dyslexia in General Late-Adolescence Goals Diagnostics Dyslexia in General Dyslexia in Late-Adolescence Diagnostics Situating 2 problems Possible way of dealing with it

3. Goals Goals • To get an insight in the complexity of the manifestation of dyslexia in late-adolescents • To offer a way to objectively evaluate the possible reasons why a person struggles with reading or writing. • To provide the link between this evaluation and possible ways to support struggling adolescent readers Dyslexia in General Late-Adolescence Diagnostics

4. Dyslexia in General What is dyslexia ? Goals • Since the origin of the term ‘dyslexia’ (±1886), there has been a lot of discussion about the content of this concept. • Now two characteristics are broadly accepted by most researchers • It has something to do with reading or writing • It is a heterogenic population Dyslexia in General What is dyslexia ? Consensus ? Late-Adolescence Diagnostics

5. Dyslexia in GeneralConsensus ? Goals • What about the rest of the research that has been done the last decennia ? • The cause of dyslexia is still discussed • But a lot more knowledge is gathered • The link between IQ/comprehension and dyslexia has been studied; • The role of the phonologic awareness, automatisation, the working memory, naming speed,… are evaluated • All this information is very useful in practice, • but discussions among researchers confuses practitioners. • A lot of information is not ‘translated’ to the ‘field’ Dyslexia in General What is dyslexia Consensus ? Late-Adolescence Diagnostics

6. Late-AdolescenceDifferent from Children Goals • Expression of dyslexia changes during lifetime. • Concerning school tasks : beside reading and writing, dyslexia can also affect taking notes, learning a second language, organizing the homework, studying content texts,… • In many cases reading and writing problems are no longer the main struggling factor in school achievement. • Expression of dyslexia differs between ≠ dyslectics.  Dyslexia = heterogenic disorder  Necessity of a broad orientation Dyslexia in General Late-Adolescence Different from Children Difficulty Diagnostics

7. Late-AdolescenceDifficulty Goals •  Availability of diagnostic tests • Most research subjects between 6-12 y.o. • Compensation • During lifetime, a dyslectic person has learned to cope with his problems. On one side he/she figured out how to smartly escape difficult situations, while on the other site compensatory skills were developed.  some dyslectics becomes ‘non-dyslectics’ Dyslexia in General Late-Adolescence Different from Children Difficulty Diagnostics

8. DiagnosticsSummary Goals Dyslexia in General Late-Adolescence Dyslexia in General Late-Adolescence Diagnostics Summary ≠ Levels

9. Diagnostics Classification Causes Treatment Goals Dyslexia in General Late-Adolescence Diagnostics Summary ≠ Levels

10. Classification Classificaton • Through observation, checklists, anamnesis, tests… • Evaluation of • Reading and writing ability (prim) • Attention, social skills, … (sec) • To objectively overview different characteristics of dyslexia at the behavioral level • Comorbidity Causes Treatment

11. CausesThe strategy of reading and writing Classification • Recognition – Comprehension – Speed : Three necessary subskills in Literacy Causes The strategy of reading and writing Subskills Recognition Cognition Multi-deficit theory Comprehension Speed Treatment

12. CausesThe strategy of reading and writing Phonol. recogn. & manipul Classification Letter-sound match Orthogr. Recogn & manipul. Causes Recognition The strategy of reading and writing Subskills Cognition Morfol. & Syntact. Vocabulary General Knowledge Metacognition Multi-deficit theory Comprehension Speed Treatment Verbal Compr Interpretation Automatisation Retrieval out of LTM.

13. CausesThe strategy of reading and writing Classification • Memory : the connection between the subskills Causes The strategy of reading and writing Recognition Subskills Cognition Cognition Multi-deficit theory Treatment Comprehension Speed

14. CausesMulti-deficit theory Classification • Recognition • Fonological deficit theory • Temporal processing deficit theory • Comprehension • Speed • Automatisation deficit theory • Rapid naming deficit theory • Cognition • Working Memory deficit theory Causes The strategy of reading and writing Multi-deficit theory Treatment

15. Classification + CausesDiagnostic tools Classification • Subtest A : Spellingtest • Subtest B : Readingtest • Subtest C : Comprehension test • Subtest 1 (phonological recognition and processing) • Subtest 2 (visual recognition and analysis) • Subtest 3 ((non)word reading) • Subtest 4 (vocabulary) • Subtest 5 (morphology en syntaxes) • Subtest 6 (checklist) • Subtest 7 (Short term / Working memory) • Subtest 8 (rapid naming) Causes The strategy of reading and writing Multi-deficit theory Diagnostic tools Subtests Statistical data Treatment

16. Classification + Causes Diagnostic tools Classification • Data : • All tests approximate the normal distribution • Between group comparison shows that adolescent dyslectics • Significantly differ on reading and writing • Significantly differ on phonology, visual discrimination, naming speed, reading automatisation and working memory • Do not differ on visual and semantic short term memory, writing speed and vocabulary • Inversely differ on reading/listening comprehension. Causes The strategy of reading and writing Multi-deficit theory Diagnostic tools Subtests Statistical data Treatment

17. Classification + Causes Diagnostic tools Classification Causes The strategy of reading and writing Multi-deficit theory Diagnostic tools Subtests Statistical data Treatment

18. Classification + Causes Diagnostic tools Classification Causes The strategy of reading and writing Multi-deficit theory Diagnostic tools Subtests Statistical data Treatment

19. Classification + Causes Diagnostic tools Classification • Regarding diagnostics we are also interested in individual differences. • Results concerning the heterogeneity between adolescent dyslectics are illustrated in the following table : • 73% of all dyslectics scores below p5 on at least 1 causal test • The other dyslectics (27%) don’t • 15% remains unclear because lack of info • 7% can possibly explained using p10 / high comprehension score / analysis of classification criteria. • 5% rest Causes The strategy of reading and writing Multi-deficit theory Diagnostic tools Subtests Statistical data Treatment

20. Classification + Causes Diagnostic tools Classification Causes The strategy of reading and writing Multi-deficit theory Diagnostic tools Subtests Statistical data Treatment

21. Classification + Causes Diagnostic tools Classification Causes The strategy of reading and writing Multi-deficit theory Diagnostic tools Subtests Statistical data Treatment

22. Treatment Classification • Depending on the outcomes of level 1 (classification) and level 2 (causes)  • Individual-oriented treatment/support Causes Treatment

23. Finally… • Remarks ? • Questions ? • Further information : Pieter Depessemier Vrije Universiteit Brussel Faculteit Psychologie & Educatiewetenschappen Vakgroep Ontwikkelings-en Levenslooppsychologie Pleinlaan 2 - lokaal 3C249a B-1050 Brussel Tel. +32 (0)2 629 36 22 Tel. Secr. +32 (0)2 629 25 33 Fax +32 (0)2 629 25 32 email : Pieter.Depessemier@vub.ac.be http://www.vub.ac.be/ONLE/Pieter.html