Morpheme-based Reading and Spelling in Italian Children with Developmental Dyslexia and Dysorthography.

Italian sixth graders, with and without dyslexia, read pseudowords and low-frequency words that include high-frequency morphemes better than stimuli not including any morpheme. The present study assessed whether morphemes affect (1) younger children, with and without dyslexia; (2) spelling as well as reading; and (3) words with low-frequency morphemes. Two groups of third graders (16 children with dyslexia and dysorthography and 16 age-matched typically developing children) read aloud and spelt to dictation pseudowords and words. Pseudowords included (1) root+suffix in not existing combinations (e.g. lampadista, formed by lampad-, 'lamp', and -ista, '-ist') and (2) orthographic sequences not corresponding to any Italian root or suffix (e.g. livonosto). Words had low frequency and included: (1) root+suffix, both of high frequency (e.g. bestiale, 'beastly'); (2) root+suffix, both of low frequency (e.g. asprigno, 'rather sour'); and (3) simple words (e.g. insulso, 'vapid'). Children with dyslexia and dysorthography were less accurate than typically developing children. Root+suffix pseudowords were read and spelt more accurately than non-morphological pseudowords by both groups. Morphologically complex (root+suffix) words were read and spelt better than simple words. However, task interacted with morphology: reading was not facilitated by low-frequency morphemes. We conclude that children acquiring a transparent orthography exploit morpheme-based reading and spelling to face difficulties in processing long unfamiliar stimuli. Copyright 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Publication type: 
Articolo
Author or Creator: 
Angelelli, Paola
Marinelli, Chiara Valeria
De Salvatore, Marinella
Burani, Cristina
Publisher: 
Wiley,, Chichester, UK , Regno Unito
Source: 
Dyslexia (Chichester Engl., Print) 23 (2017): 317–448. doi:10.1002/dys.1554
info:cnr-pdr/source/autori:Angelelli, Paola; Marinelli, Chiara Valeria; De Salvatore, Marinella; Burani, Cristina/titolo:Morpheme-based Reading and Spelling in Italian Children with Developmental Dyslexia and Dysorthography./doi:10.1002/dys.1554/rivista:D
Date: 
2017
Resource Identifier: 
http://www.cnr.it/prodotto/i/377138
https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/dys.1554
info:doi:10.1002/dys.1554
Language: 
Eng