Dyslexia: a Term in Search of a Definition

For more than 10 years investigators have suggested that there are various types of reading disorders. Articles appearing in the Journal of Learning Disabilities, from 1971 through 1980, were reviewed to determine what effects this notion has had on reading research. Two questions guided the focus for the review: (a) How is reading disorder currently defined? and (b) Do researchers specify the type of disorder under investigation? It was found that the disorders were most often defined in terms of a deficient reading or spelling score on a standardized test. Of the 45 studies reviewed, only 1 specified the type of disorder being examined. It is evident that the notion of distinct types of reading disorders has not been incorporated into current research.

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