Date of Award
1-2011
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Department
Interdisciplinary Health Sciences
First Advisor
Dr. Nickola W. Nelson
Second Advisor
Dr. Amy Curtis
Third Advisor
Dr. Ann Tyler
Abstract
The central purpose of this three-paper dissertation was to explore the ability of school-age children with and without language-learning disabilities (LLD) to apply sound/word level structure knowledge when performing speaking, spelling, and reading tasks. Data came from a larger investigation that used stratified sampling to create two ability groups—children with typical language (TL) and with LLD—comparable in terms of age (range 6 through 18 years), sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
The central purpose of this three-paper dissertation was to explore the ability of school-age children with and without language-learning disabilities (LLD) to apply sound/word level structure knowledge when performing speaking, spelling, and reading tasks. Data came from a larger investigation that used stratified sampling to create two ability groups—children with typical language (TL) and with LLD—comparable in terms of age (range 6 through 18 years), sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
The second study examined relationships of nonword processing performance in students with and without LLD across the three tasks of nonword speaking (repetition), spelling, and reading with two additional variables, phonemic awareness (PA) and vocabulary awareness (VA). Regression analysis showed that PA was associated significantly with all tasks for LLD students and with reading and spelling for students with TL. VA was associated significantly with all tasks for TL students, but only with nonword spelling for students with LLD.
In the third study, fine-grained error analysis was used to describe error profiles (phonemic, orthographic, and morphemic) for TL and LLD on nonword spelling and reading tasks. At the elementary level, both groups made significantly more morphemic errors in spelling than reading; also, students with TL made significantly more orthographic errors in spelling than reading. At the secondary level, the LLD students exhibited significantly more phonic and morphemic errors in spelling than in reading. Thus students with LLD appear to exhibit error patterns that are qualitatively different and go beyond simple differences in degree from students with TL.
Collectively, these studies contribute to understanding of sound/word level structure knowledge in oral and literate tasks. Findings have practical implications for designing assessment measures and intervention programs targeting inter-modality abilities.
Access Setting
Dissertation-Open Access
Recommended Citation
Tattersall, Patricia J., "Reading, Writing, and Repetition: Performance on Nonword Measures byStudents With and Without Language-Learning Disabilities" (2011). Dissertations. 470.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/470