space.template.Specific+Reading+Disabilities

BASIC READING DISABILITIES Learning to read is a complex process that begins before children even enter school. Children in stimulating oral language and literacy environments seem to have broader background knowledge than their peers who come with less early literacy experiences. A child's ability to comprehend what they hear is linked to their depth of background knowledge. The average middle class child is exposed to approximately 500,000 words by the time he enters Kindergarten. Economically disadvantaged children are exposed to half as many words. There is a strong connection between reading difficulties and early literacy experiences.

A child with a basic reading disability approaches the reading of words and text in a laborious manner, has difficulty connecting sounds to letters and letter patterns and may have trouble blending the separate sounds together to form a word. Their reading is hesitant; characterized by starts, stops and mispronunciations. Because of this interference fluency is compromised and comprehension is often poor as well.