Improving Orthographic Awareness and Reading Fluency in Chinese Children with Dyslexia: A Case Study

Abstract

To develop and evaluate a comprehensive intervention combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and behavioral training that specifically targets orthographic awareness and reading fluency for in Chinese children with dyslexia, this study selected two Chinese children with different subtypes of dyslexia, i.e., the orthographic deficit subtype and the global deficit subtype. We utilized a case study design to delineate detailed performances of the two children throughout the whole training process. Before and after the intervention, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technology was deployed to measure the level of brain activation in a visual phonological identification task. In addition, the children’s related reading skills were assessed through standardized tests before and after each intervention stage to evaluate changes in their reading ability. The results indicated that (1) etymological literacy teaching was not very effective in improving the orthographic awareness and reading fluency of the dyslexic child with an orthographic deficit, but it significantly improved these skills in the dyslexic child with global deficits. (2) The combination of etymological literacy teaching and tDCS not only improved orthographic awareness and reading fluency in the two dyslexic children but also enhanced the activation levels of critical brain regions associated with reading. In sum, the combination of literacy teaching and tDCS demonstrated effectiveness in improving reading skills of the two children with dyslexia of different subtypes, which could provide positive reference and guidance for intervention practices for children with dyslexia and classroom teaching in Chinese primary schools.