Brain Mechanisms and Reading Remediation: More Questions Than Answers

Dyslexia is generally diagnosed in childhood and is characterised by poor literacy skills with associated phonological and perceptual problems. Compensated dyslexic readers are adult readers who have a documented history of childhood dyslexia but as adults can read and comprehend written text well. Uncompensated dyslexic readers are adults who similarly have a documented history of reading impairment but remain functionally reading-impaired all their lives. There is little understanding of the neurophysiological basis for how or why some children become compensated, while others do not, and there is little knowledge about neurophysiological changes that occur with remedial programs for reading disability. This paper will review research looking at reading remediation, particularly in the context of the underlying neurophysiology.

Letter To The Editor

Dr. Snyder and Mrs. Mortimer comment as follows: Doctor Faigel's comments are very pertinent to the problem of childhood dyslexia. It appears to us also that some children without special remediation overcome or disregard their disability and become quite successful and well adjusted as adults. A clue to proper management of dyslexic children could probably be obtained by careful study of this group of adults. A tape recorder is a very beneficial aid to some but by no means all of these children.