This review focuses on the phenomenon of reversals: the tendency for children, especially those with reading difficulties, to make errors of orientation (“b-d”) or sequencing (“was-saw”). After a brief historical (Orton) and theoretical (Gibson) look at the phenomenon, a variety of studies on reversals is reviewed and evaluated. The first group of studies reviewed and discussed involves neurological and psychological factors associated with reversals, e.g., age, training. The second set of investigations summarizes the literature relating reversals to reading disabilities and to future reading achievement.
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