A Comparative Study of Spoken Language Components of Students With Dyslexia and Normal Peers in the First and Second Grades of Primary School

Abstract

Background and Aims The present study was conducted to investigate the change in the receptive language, intermediate language, expressive language, semantics, syntax, and phonology of dyslexic students and compare them with the norm group. Methods The statistical sample of the present study comprised 28 dyslexic students studying in the first and second grades of primary school and 29 normal students from the same grades. They were selected non-randomly based on the inclusion criteria. The third edition of the Persian version of the test of language development (TOLD-P3) was used to measure the components of receptive language, intermediate language, and expressive language. Tehran Stanford-Binet intelligence test (TSB-5) and reading and dyslexia test (NAMA) were used to diagnose dyslexia. Multivariate analysis of variance was used for data analysis. Results The findings indicate a significant difference in the evolution of the components of receptive language, intermediate language, expressive language, semantics, syntax, and phonology between dyslexic and normative students. Conclusion According to the results, dyslexic students are weaker in all components of spoken language than their non-dyslexic peers. Considering the dyslexic students’ problem in reading, they are profoundly different from their normal peers in lower levels of language, including spoken language. Thus, the growth and development of language skills must be considered in reading learning disability besides other rehabilitation skills.