Phonological memory problems are magnified in children from language minority homes when predicting reading disability.
Lindsay M Hardy, Sarah Banker, Meghan Tomb and 7 others
PMID 31685053WHAT IT FOUND
Low phonological memory scores were more likely to point to reading disability in children from language minority homes.
In children without reading disability, language minority status did not predict lower phonological memory or awareness scores.
Key findings
01Phonological memory problems were magnified in children from language minority homes when predicting reading disorder.
02In children without reading disorder, language status was unrelated to phonological memory or phonological awareness.
03The likelihood of having reading disorder increased as phonological awareness decreased.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study used children evaluated at a clinic for suspected learning problems, so it may not represent all children. All families were low-income, so results may not apply to higher-income children. Language status was based on parent report, not direct Spanish proficiency or age of English exposure. The comparison group included children with other diagnoses, not typical controls. Most children with reading disability had word-reading problems, so subtypes were not examined.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that language-minority children have lower phonological memory or awareness overall. Among children without reading disorder, language status was unrelated to either score. The finding is about how memory scores relate to reading disorder risk.