Intervention in reading processes in pupils with Specific Language Impairment (SLI)

Abstract

Background: Children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) encounter significant difficulties in learning to read. The aim of this research was to determine the efficacy of an intervention program on reading processes (letter identification, lexical processes, syntactic processes and semantic processes) in children with SLI.

Method: The sample consisted of a total of 34 pupils diagnosed with SLI and 34 children with typical language development. For the selection of the sample, the CELF-3 test, the Peabody test, the Hearing Association and Visual Association subtests of the ITPA and the K-BIT Intelligence test were used. The intervention program consisted of 144 sessions of 40 minutes each, in which oral language activities were combined with other activities related to the automation of basic reading processes and reading sentences and texts.

Results: Significant gains were also made in the group of children with SLI versus controls in lexical, syntactic, and semantic reading processes.

Conclusions: A combined program of both oral language and reading skills improves reading achievement in pupils with SLI.