Auditory-Perceptual Skills and Reading

Abstract

In a recent meta-analysis, Kavale (1982) reported reliable significant correlations between auditory-perceptual skills and reading achievement, arguing that auditory skills should be taught to learning disabled children. This paper reviews his work, citing several erroneous interpretations made by the author. Kavale fails to report that the mean correlation between perceptual skills and reading achievement is merely .358, consistently weaker than correlations found between math computation scores and reading scores. Furthermore, the one ITPA subtest with the highest correlation is Sound Blending, the only auditory-perceptual skill taught in many reading programs. We conclude that Kavale fails to provide evidence that the teaching of auditory-perceptual skills is useful to learning disabled children … unless the skills are functional reading skills.

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