Preschool predictors of dyslexia status among Chinese first graders with high or low family risk

Abstract

PURPOSE: There were two research aims: (1) to examine whether Chinese children at familial risk for dyslexia had greater difficulties in reading-related skills than low-risk children did; and (2) to find out what preschool skills predicted dyslexia status among Chinese first graders. METHOD: 99 high-risk and 44 low-risk Chinese 4-year-old children were recruited at the beginning of a 4-year longitudinal study. 73 high-risk and 37 low-risk 7-year-old children were followed up in Grade 1. The children were tested annually on a wide range of language and reading-related skills. Standardized tests were administered in Grade 1 to ascertain the dyslexia status of the children. RESULTS: Results of ANCOVA showed that the High Risk group performed significantly worse than the Low Risk group in phonological awareness, rapid naming, orthographic skills, speeded word reading, and dictation when family income was controlled. However, the percentages of children becoming dyslexic in Grade 1 were similar in the two groups. Results of logistic regression analyses showed that the best preschool predictors of Grade 1 dyslexia status were rapid naming and Chinese word reading. The overall correct classification rate was 95.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Chinese children at familial risk for dyslexia show greater difficulties on a wide range of reading-related skills than low-risk children do. The best preschool predictors of dyslexia status in Chinese are rapid naming and word reading, which are different from phonological skills being the best predictors in English. These preschool predictors help to develop early screening tools for identifying Chinese at-risk children.