The reliability and validity of a time-domain, amplitude-based automatic Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) scoring software program were investigated in two studies. The software was designed to mark the articulations and pauses inherent in rapid-naming tasks. In Study 1, the RAN letters subtest digital wave files of 44 primary grade students were scored using the automatic scoring software program. The pause and articulation component durations were statistically compared to pause and articulation durations that had previously been manually scored. Software-scored pause and articulation component times were not found to be significantly different from the manually scored times. Ratings from both software-scored components demonstrated internal consistency and statistically significant correlations with the manually scored components. In Study 2, statistically significant correlations among the computer-scored RAN letters pause component, the RAN letters pause consistency, and concurrent reading ability of 144 second-, third-, and fourth-grade students were demonstrated.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Anderson, S. W. , Podwall, F. N., & Jaffee, J. (1984). Timing analysis of coding and articulation processes in dyslexia. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 433, 71-86.
2.
Badian, N. A. , McAnulty, G. B., Duffy, F. H., & Als, H. (1990). Prediction of dyslexia in kindergarten boys. Annals of Dyslexia, 40, 152-169.
3.
Badian, N. A. , McAnulty, G. B., Duffy, F. H., & Als, H. (1991). Linguistic profiles of dyslexic and good readers. Annals of Dyslexia, 41, 221-245.
4.
Balota, D. A. , & Abrams, R.A. (1995). Mental chronometry: Beyond onset latencies in the lexical decision task. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 21, 1289-1302.
5.
Blachman, B. (1984). Relationship of rapid naming ability and language analysis skills to kindergarten and first-grade reading achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 76(4), 610-622.
6.
Campbell, D. T. , & Fiske, D. W. (1959). Convergent and discriminant validation by the multitrait-multimethod-matrix. Psychological Bulletin, 56(2), 81-105.
7.
Catts, H. W. (1991). Early identification of dyslexia: Evidence from a follow-up study of speech-language impaired children. Annals of Dyslexia, 41, 163-177.
8.
Denckla, M. B. , & Rudel, R. (1974). Rapid “automatized” naming of pictured objects, colors, letters, and numbers by normal children. Cortex, 10, 186-202.
9.
Denckla, M. B. , & Rudel, R. (1976a). Naming of object drawing by dyslexic and other learning disabled children. Brain and Language, 3, 1-15.
10.
Denckla, M. B. , & Rudel, R. (1976b). Rapid “automatized” naming (R.A.N.): Dyslexia differentiated from other learning disabilities. Neuropsychologia, 14, 471-479.
11.
Foorman, B. R. , Francis, D. J., Fletcher, J. M., & Lynn, A. (1996). Relation of phonological and orthographic processing to early reading: Comparing two approaches to regression-based, reading-level-match design. Journal of Educational Psychology, 88(4), 639-652.
12.
Hale, S. (1990). A global developmental trend in cognitive processing speed. Child Development, 61, 653-663.
13.
Hulme, C. , Newton, P., Cowan, N., Stuart, G., & Brown, G. (1999). Think before you speak: Pauses, memory search, and trace reintegration processes in verbal memory span. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 25, 447-463.
14.
Hulme, C. , Roodenrys, S., Brown, G., & Mercer, R. (1995). The role of long-term memory mechanisms in memory span. British Journal of Psychology, 86, 527-536.
15.
Kail, R. (1986). Sources of age differences in speed of processing. Child Development, 57, 969-987.
16.
Keith, T. Z. , & Kranzler, J. H. (1999). The absence of structural fidelity precludes construct validity: Rejoinder to Naglieri on what the Cognitive Assessment System does and does not measure. School Psychology Review, 28(2), 303-321.
17.
Linn, R. L. , & Gronlund, N. E. (1995). Measurement and assessment in teaching. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
18.
Manis, F. R. , Doi, L. M., & Bhadha, B. (2000). Naming speed, phonological awareness, and orthographic knowledge in second graders. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 33(4), 325-333.
19.
Microsoft Visual C++ Development System Version 5.0 [Computer software]. (1997). Redmond, WA: Microsoft.
20.
Neuhaus, G. F. , Foorman, B. R., Francis, D. J., & Carlson, C. (2001). Measures of information processing in Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) and their relation to reading. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 78(4), 359-373.
21.
Obregon, M. (1994). Exploring naming timing patterns by dyslexic and normal readers on the serial RAN task. Unpublished thesis, Tufts University.
22.
Post, Y., & Carreker, S. (2000). Orthographic similarity and phonological transparency in spelling. Manuscript submitted for publication.
23.
Post, Y. V. , Swank, P. R., Hiscock, M., & Fowler, A. E. (1999). Identification of vowel speech sounds by skilled and less skilled readers and the relation with vowel spelling. Annals of Dyslexia, 49, 161-194.
Smith, B. L. (1992). Relationships between duration and variability in children’s speech. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 91(4), 2165-2174.
26.
Torgesen, J. K. , Wagner, R. K., Rashotte, C. A., Burgess, S., & Hecht, S. (1997). Contributions of phonological awareness and rapid automatic naming ability to the growth of word-reading skills in second-to-fifth grade children. Scientific Studies of Reading, 1, 161-185.
27.
Wave Editing [Computer program]. (1992). San Francisco: Thinkware.
28.
Wolf, M. (1984). Naming, speed and reading: The contributions of the cognitive neurosciences. Reading Research Quarterly, 26(2), 123-141.
29.
Wolf, M. , Bally, H., & Morris, R. (1986). Automaticity, retrieval processes, and reading: A longitudinal study in average and impaired readers. Child Development, 57, 988-1000.
30.
Woodcock, R. W. , & Johnson, M. B. (1989). Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery– Revised. Austin, TX: DLM Teaching Resources.
