TY - JOUR
T1 - Persistence of literacy problems: spelling in adolescence and at mid-life
AU - Maughan, B.
AU - Messer, J.
AU - Collishaw, S.
AU - Pickles, A.
AU - Snowling, M.
AU - Yule, W.
AU - Rutter, M.
PY - 2009/8
Y1 - 2009/8
N2 - Background:
Developmental reading problems show strong persistence across the school years; less is known about poor readers' later progress in literacy skills.
Method:
Poor (n = 42) and normally developing readers (n = 86) tested in adolescence (ages 14/15 years) in the Isle of Wight epidemiological studies were re-contacted at mid-life (ages 44/45 years). Participants completed a spelling test, and reported on educational qualifications, perceived adult spelling competence, and problems in day-to-day literacy tasks.
Results:
Individual differences in spelling were highly persistent across this 30-year follow-up, with correlations between spelling at ages 14 and 44 years of r = .91 (p <.001) for poor readers and r = .89 (p <.001) for normally developing readers. Poor readers' spelling remained markedly impaired at mid-life, with some evidence that they had fallen further behind over the follow-up period. Taking account of adolescent spelling levels, continued exposure to reading and literacy demands in adolescence and early adulthood was independently predictive of adult spelling in both samples; family social background added further to prediction among normally developing readers only.
Conclusions:
By adolescence, individual differences in spelling and its related sub-skills are highly stable. Encouraging young people with reading disabilities to maintain their exposure to reading and writing may be advantageous in the longer term.
AB - Background:
Developmental reading problems show strong persistence across the school years; less is known about poor readers' later progress in literacy skills.
Method:
Poor (n = 42) and normally developing readers (n = 86) tested in adolescence (ages 14/15 years) in the Isle of Wight epidemiological studies were re-contacted at mid-life (ages 44/45 years). Participants completed a spelling test, and reported on educational qualifications, perceived adult spelling competence, and problems in day-to-day literacy tasks.
Results:
Individual differences in spelling were highly persistent across this 30-year follow-up, with correlations between spelling at ages 14 and 44 years of r = .91 (p <.001) for poor readers and r = .89 (p <.001) for normally developing readers. Poor readers' spelling remained markedly impaired at mid-life, with some evidence that they had fallen further behind over the follow-up period. Taking account of adolescent spelling levels, continued exposure to reading and literacy demands in adolescence and early adulthood was independently predictive of adult spelling in both samples; family social background added further to prediction among normally developing readers only.
Conclusions:
By adolescence, individual differences in spelling and its related sub-skills are highly stable. Encouraging young people with reading disabilities to maintain their exposure to reading and writing may be advantageous in the longer term.
U2 - 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2009.02079.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2009.02079.x
M3 - Article
SN - 1469-7610
VL - 50
SP - 893
EP - 901
JO - Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
JF - Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
IS - 8
ER -