Separate linguistic and attentional factors in the development of reading

This article reports research carried out by the Bowman Gray Learning Disabilities Project concerning the relationship between attentional and linguistic factors in the development of reading. Three samples (N = 204 randomly selected first graders, N = 60 poor readers accessed in the third grade, and N = 105 adults who were evaluated for reading problems in childhood) were tested over a five-year period to address issues of prediction of reading impairment by linguistic and attentional variables as well as the relationship between these two factors. Results indicate that attention deficit disorder (ADD) has no impact on the development of word identification skills but does affect long-term educational outcome. Phonological decoding and rapid naming skills are critical factors in the development of basic reading skills.