Individual Differences in Learning to Read

Individual Differences in Learning to Read

1. Learning Disabilities

   • learning disabled
   • dyslexic
   • ADHD

2. environmental causes

   • home background
   • language skills
     • how much and how your parents talk to you affects the growth of vocabulary
     • larger store of words
       • facilitates the acquisition of phonemic awareness
       • knowing many words makes it easier to learn more words
     • vocabulary is basis for comprehension

3. the matthew effect

   • the rich get richer and the poor get poorer
   • children who read well tend to read more
   • children who struggle in reading read less and their skill development does not advance
     • process of reading is not rewarding
     • less reading sometimes assigned because of their reading ability
     • reading programs make fewer demands on below level students