Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

The nature of eye movements was assessed when adults and both normal and reading disabled children performed a match-to-sample task. The subjects were required to choose from one of four five-letter alternatives that matched a sample. Subjects were allowed to look at the sample and alternatives as long and as often as they chose, with accuracy stressed. The pattern of eye movements was studied to discern strategy differences that develop with reading in normal and reading disabled children after the duration and frequency of eye movements were assessed. Results showed important developmental differences, particularly with respect to the sequence of fixations and sustained attention. The nature of eye movements in the reading disabled child is unsystematic compared with normals after sustained search times of approximately five seconds.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Bender, L. : Specific reading disability as a maturational lag. Bulletin of the Orton Society, 1957, 7, 9–18.

Coleman, J.C. : Perceptual retardation in reading ability. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1959, 9, 117.

Czudner, G. , Rourke, B.P. : Age differences in visual reaction time of "brain-damaged" and normal children under regular and irregular preparatory interval conditions. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 1972, 13, 516–526.

Hallahan, D.P. , Kauffman, J.M. : Introduction to Learning Disabilities. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentiss-Hall, 1976.

Kirchner, G.L. : Differences in the vigilance performance of highly active and normal second grade males under four experimental conditions. Journal of Educational Psychology, 1976, 68, 696–701.

Lahey, B.B. , Lefton, L.A. : Discrimination of letter combinations in good and poor readers. The Journal of Special Education, 1976, 10, 205–210.

Lahey, B.B. , McNees, M.P. : Letter-discrimination errors in kindergarten through third grade: Assessment and operant training. Journal of Special Education, 1975, 9, 191–199.

Lahey, B.B. , Sperduto, G.R. , Beggs, V.E. , Lefton, L.A. : Comparison of letter discriminations of reading disabled and normal children under untimed classroom-like conditions. Unpublished (submitted for publication, 1977)

Larsen, S.C. , Hammill, D.D. : The relationship of selected visual perceptual abilities to school learning. Journal of Special Education, 1975, 9, 282–291.

10.

Lyle, J.G. : Reading retardation and reversal tendency: A factorial study. Child Development, 1969, 40, 833–843.

11.

Piaget, J. , Inhelder, B. : The Child's Conception of Space. New York: Norton, 196.

12.

Ross, A.O. : Psychological Aspects of Learning Disabilities and Reading Disorders. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1976.

13.

Sroufe, L.P. : Age changes in cardiac deceleration within a fixed foreperiod reaction time task: An index of attention. Developmental Psychology, 1971, 5, 338–343.

Eye Movements in Reading Disabled and Normal Children

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References