Case studies of reading processes and strategies of compensated learning-disabled adult readers.

Abstract

Little is known about how individuals with an identified disability in reading (also termed learning disabled or dyslexic) acquire adult reading competence and succeed in workplaces which demand high levels of literacy skill. There are some recent studies of successful individuals and university students who succeed despite a persistent reading disability, but these tend to focus on their deficits and problems rather than their strengths and abilities. Interventionists need this information and they have recently focussed on teaching LD students the reading strategies that skilled, nondisabled (NLD) readers use to improve their overall comprehension of text. This did not necessarily improve performance and transfer was a problem. More information is needed about the processes and strategies that enable LD readers to acquire skilled literacy competence, so that future intervention programs are based on proven compensatory mechanisms. Frith (1985) theorized that compensated LD readers can develop orthographic reading skills to overcome their disability but this required empirical investigation. Stanovich's (1980) "interactive-compensatory model of reading " was supported by Kintsch's (1988) "construction-integration model of reading comprehension" as it provided a framework for exploring compensated reading. Within Enhanced Kintsch framework, compensated readers who had difficulty constructing a "textbase memory," or recalling text, used information from long-term memory to close gaps in word level comprehension. Readers could be aware of compensating in this way. Compensated readers were then able to construct a "model of the situation" and interpret text effectively, using building blocks of textbase memory. In this way readers were able to bypass their disability and comprehend text effectively. Eight LD readers were given two texts to read and their responses to interview questions were audio-taped. Readers' recall performance was coded using a template textbase for each text, constructed using Kintsch's (1988) semantic propositional analysis system. Using intercase as well as within-case findings, the following research questions were addressed: (1) How did compensated readers overcome their textbase difficulties? and (2) Are they aware of this? The results showed that compensated readers had difficulty recalling the main ideas of texts, particularly of unfamiliar texts, and often remembered only the supporting details. They overcame their textbase difficulties by using inference and metacognitive knowledge and strategies to close their gaps in understanding. This usually enabled them to successfully interpret or model the situation of text, although strong affective response to text could prevent readers from compensating this way. Strategies included rereading text to find the main idea and repeating unfamiliar words sub-vocally. The results also showed that compensated readers were sometimes aware of applying their compensatory processes and strategies.