title: Beyond Phonology: Visual Processes Predict Alphanumeric and Nonalphanumeric Rapid Naming in Poor Early Readers.
abstract: Visual processes in Grade 1 were examined for their predictive influences in nonalphanumeric and alphanumeric rapid naming (RAN) in 51 poor early and 69 typical readers. In a lagged design, children were followed longitudinally from Grade 1 to Grade 3 over 5 testing occasions. RAN outcomes in early Grade 2 were predicted by speeded and nonspeeded visual processing measures, after controlling for initial (Grade 1) RAN, matrix reasoning, phonological awareness, and word decoding abilities. A predictive influence of backward visual masking-a speeded visual discrimination task-was found for nonalphanumeric RAN in early Grade 2 but not for alphanumeric RAN or subsequent RAN ability in Grades 2 and 3. A nonspeeded predictor involving controlled visual attention accounted for significant variance in early Grade 2 RAN in the poor early reader group. Results are discussed in relation to Wolf, Bowers, and Biddle's conceptualization of rapid naming-in particular, on the roles of visual processes in speeded low and nonspeeded high spatial frequency visual information in predicting RAN.
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: Richard S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kruk
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: Cassia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luther Ruban
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D004410:Dyslexia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011932:Reading; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: poor early readers; rapid naming development; speeded and nonspeeded visual processes