Development of phonological and orthographic skills in normally achieving and dyslexic readers in primary education

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of phonological and orthographic processing in the development of reading of children with and without dyslexia. A sample of 397 subjects in grades 2-6 was selected and organised into two different groups: 89 reading disabled children and 308 normal readers. Phonological and orthographic processes were evaluated using the SICOLE-R Multimedia Battery. The results indicated that there were differences between the groups. That is, although both groups showed a progression in phonological and orthographic acquisition, the reading disabled group showed a slower progression. Finally, our results demonstrate that the relationship between phonological and orthographic skills is different depending on the group. Thus, in the group of normally achieving readers there exists a threshold of phonological skill from which the orthographic skill develops. However, in the group of dyslexic children this pattern was not observed.