Cognitive Profiles of Poor Readers in Oriya Language: Are They Similar to English Readers?

Abstract

Can we assume that the generally poor reader in Oriya language may be distin guished from good and average readers on the basis of selected cognitive tasks that do not involve reading? Furthermore, are their cognitive performance differ ences similar to those found among good and poor readers in English among Canadian children whose mother tongue is English?

School children from Grades 3 and 5 participated in the study. They came from two kinds of schools: of poor and average quality. Cognitive tests measuring simultaneous and successive processing, and some planning and attention tasks were administered. Results from the average quality school showed that the poor readers were clearly poor in both simultaneous and successive tests and in only some planning and attention tests. The Canadian and Oriya children's cognitive patterns were thus similar. The need for taking a much larger sample to separate the truly dyslexic child from the "garden-variety"poor readers and then examining their cognitive patterns is suggested.

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