Goikoetxea, E. , Ferrero, M. & Pascual, G. .
Universidad de Deusto
Learning to read is a skill that requires time and practice. Much is known about the pre-reading knowledge that strongly influences learning to read (e.g., letter recognition). However, there has been much less research about the process of acquiring new words, and what differentiates poor readers from normal readers throughout this process. In terms of dual-route cognitive reading models, this would be called the construction of the lexical pathway. It is in this crucial phase of learning to read where there is a lack of well-founded information to guide the teacher’s efforts (National Reading Panel, 2000). In a sample of 40 Spanish-speaking children from third to sixth grades, this study examines 20 poor readers (students in the 10th percentile or less) and 20 normal readers (students in the 50th percentile or more). The study evaluated changes in accuracy and, once a correct reading had been achieved twice, changes in the recognition speed and naming speed of words repeated 15 times throughout three training sessions. The results of a preliminary study show that the changes in reading speed occur one trial later in the poor readers than in the normal readers.