Auditory and Speech Processing in Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and Dyslexia

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Auditory and Speech Processing in Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and Dyslexia Auditory and speech processing in Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and dyslexia Outi Tuomainen Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy University College London June 2009 I, Outi Tuomainen , confirm that the work presented in this thesis is my own. Where information has been derived from other sources, I confirm that this has been indicated in the thesis. 2 ABSTRACT This thesis investigates auditory and speech processing in Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and dyslexia. One influential theory of SLI and dyslexia postulates that both SLI and dyslexia stem from similar underlying sensory deficit that impacts speech perception and phonological development leading to oral language and literacy deficits. Previous studies, however, have shown that these underlying sensory deficits exist in only a subgroup of language impaired individuals, and the exact nature of these deficits is still largely unknown. The present thesis investigates three aspects of auditory-phonetic interface: 1) The weighting of acoustic cues to phonetic voicing contrast 2) the preattentive and attentive discrimination of speech and non-linguistic stimuli and 3) the formation of auditory memory traces for speech and non-linguistic stimuli in young adults with SLI and dyslexia. This thesis focuses on looking at both individial and group-level data of auditory and speech processing and their relationship with higher-level language measures. The groups of people with SLI and dyslexia who participated were aged between 14 and 25 and their performance was compared to a group of controls matched on chronological age, IQ, gender and handedness. Investigations revealed a complex pattern of behaviour. The results showed that individuals with SLI or dyslexia are not poor at discriminating sounds (whether speech or non-speech). However, in all experiments, there was more variation and more outliers in the SLI group indicating that auditory deficits may occur in a small subgroup of the SLI population. Moreover, investigations of the exact nature of the input-processing deficit revealed that some individuals with SLI have less categorical representations for speech sounds and that they weight the acoustic cues to phonemic identity differently from controls and dyslexics. 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My sincere thanks are to all the people who participated in this study. I also wish to thank their families and guardians who gave their permission and their time for this study. I wish to express my gratitude to my loyal pilot subject, JT, who took part in all the experiments (over and over again), their pilot versions and gave me a hand during the weekend testing sessions. I thank a team of people who supervised my work and/or gave their comments on my work (in alphabetical order): Dr. Chris Donlan, Prof. Karl Friston, Prof. Valerie Hazan, Prof. Heather van der Lely and Dr. Anna Shestakova. Any errors, however, remain mine. Furthermore, I wish to address a particular thank to all staff and students at the (former) departments of Human Communication Science and Phonetics and Linguistics as well as at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging -and especially to Dr. Flavia Adani, Yin-Juei Chang, Dr. Mike Coleman, Dr. Nichola Gallon, Kristjan Kalm, Dr. Elena Kushnerenko, Dr. Alex Leff, Dr. Chloe Marshall, Dr. Yasuyo Mingawa-Kawai, Steve Newton, Angela Pozzuto, Tom Schofield, Saleh al-Shaalan, Dr. Marisa Silveira and Athina Skordi. Finally, I would like to thank Prof. Heikki Hämäläinen at the Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience at University of Turku (Finland) for kindly providing me a quiet office space for the write-up of this thesis along with all my friends at the CCN. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Thesis outline ...............................................................................................................11 2. Specific Language Impairment ....................................................................................11 2.1 Introduction............................................................................................................11 2.2 Characteristics of SLI.............................................................................................13 2.2.1 Syntax..........................................................................................................13 2.2.2 Morphology.................................................................................................14 2.2.3 Phonology ...................................................................................................16 2.2.4 Auditory processing ....................................................................................17 2.3 Sub-grouping SLI...............................................................................................25 2.4 Causes of SLI .....................................................................................................27 2.4.1 The biological causes of SLI.......................................................................28 2.4.2 The cognitive causes of SLI........................................................................29 2.4.2.1 The domain-specific account ...................................................................29 2.4.2.2 The domain-general account....................................................................32 2.6 Summary ............................................................................................................37 3. Developmental dyslexia...............................................................................................38 3.1 Introduction........................................................................................................38 3.2 Understanding dyslexia......................................................................................39 3.2.1 Biological level ...........................................................................................39 3.2.2 Cognitive level ............................................................................................41 3.2.2.1 Magnocellular theory ...............................................................................42 3.2.2.2 Phonological theory .................................................................................47 3.2.3 Behavioural level ........................................................................................50 3.3 SLI and dyslexia: the same disorder? ................................................................52 3.5 Summary ............................................................................................................56 4. Speech Perception: From Phonetics to Phonology ......................................................57 4.1 Introduction........................................................................................................57 4.2 The problem of speech perception .....................................................................57 4.2.1 Auditory theories of speech perception.......................................................60 5 4.3 Integrating multiple cues: trading relations and acoustic cue weight ................62 4.4 Development of speech perception ....................................................................67 4.4.1 Categorical perception of sounds................................................................67 4.4.2 Development of phonological categories....................................................70 4.5 Speech sound processing in the auditory cortex ................................................73 4.5.1 Mismatch negativity (MMN) as an index of auditory sensory memory.....75 4.6 Summary ............................................................................................................81 5. Aims and structure of the thesis...................................................................................82 5.1 Participant selection in the current thesis...........................................................83 5.2 Stimulus selection in the current thesis..............................................................89 6. Cue weighting in Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and dyslexia.........................91 6.1 Introduction........................................................................................................91 6.2 Method ...............................................................................................................93 6.2.1 Participants..................................................................................................93 6.2.2 Stimuli.........................................................................................................95 6.2.3 Procedure.....................................................................................................97 6.3 Results................................................................................................................98 6.3.1 Correlations...............................................................................................101 6.3.2 Individual data and within-category variation ..........................................102 6.4 Discussion and conclusion ...............................................................................107 7. Electrophysiological investigation of auditory processing in SLI and dyslexia........110 7.1 Introduction......................................................................................................110 7.1.1 Chapter outline..........................................................................................110
Recommended publications
  • Specific Learning Difficulties
    Specific Learning Difficulties Registered Charity Number: 1097477 SpLD Resources Booklet Dyslexia Dyspraxia Specific Language Impairment Attention Specific Deficit Disorder Learning Difficulties Asperger Syndrome Autism Information and Addresses 2010 Distributed by: Patoss Ltd PO Box 10 Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1ZW tel: 01386 712650 fax: 01386 712716 email: [email protected] website: www.patoss-dyslexia.org TABLE OF CONTENTS To Schools and Parents ........................................................................................................................4 Further Copies ..................................................................................................................................4 Acronyms Appearing in this Resource Booklet................................................................................4 1 Specific Learning Difficulties ...............................................................................................................5 1.1 What is a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD) ? ...........................................................................5 1.1.1 The identification of a specific Learning difficulty .................................................................5 1.1.2 Child Development Centres (CDCs) .......................................................................................6 1.2 National Organisations ...................................................................................................................6 2 Dyslexia.................................................................................................................................................7
    [Show full text]
  • A Deeper Understanding of Dyslexia
    A Deeper Understanding of Dyslexia Julia Stanford Action Research Contents 1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 3 2. Action Research ......................................................................................................................... 6 i. Research ................................................................................................................................ 7 ii. Action plan ............................................................................................................................ 7 iii. Reflect and evaluate action .................................................................................................... 7 a. Dyslexia display .................................................................................................................. 7 b. Leaflets .............................................................................................................................. 8 c. Staff training/workshop organised. .................................................................................... 8 3. What is dyslexia? ................................................................................................................... 8 4. The possible effects to learning .............................................................................................. 9 5. A gift or a curse ...................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Understanding Dyslexia an Introduction for Dyslexic Students in Higher Education
    Understanding Dyslexia An Introduction for Dyslexic Students in Higher Education Understanding Dyslexia An Introduction for Dyslexic Students in Higher Education Understanding Dyslexia An Introduction for Dyslexic Students in Higher Education Written and researched by Jill Hammond and Fabian Hercules With thanks to Joan, Gaylie, Margaret, Kerry, Kate, Chris, Jane, Ken, Mogg, Mitxi, Evan, Anne, Paul, Jackie, Nick, Kenny, Alistair, Lynn, Wayne, Michael, The Arts Dyslexia Trust and The Glasgow School of Art © The Glasgow School of Art Cover image © M. Wood and F. Hercules Available in printed form from, SHEFC National Coordinator and in digital form: www.gsa.ac.uk Project funded by Scottish Higher Education Funding Council ISBN: 0 901904 72 4 Welcome to this Book The benefits of knowing that you are dyslexic are talked about in this book. You will find information describing the nature of dyslexia, how this relates to you as an individual and the way in which your assessment report shows that you are dyslexic. There are also sections devoted to making positive use of this information. The questions you might already have and others you may have not yet thought of asking, are explored. The emphasis is on giving you essential information and providing a starting point for you to find out more. This includes understanding the context in which you are studying. Knowing that you are dyslexic can mean making changes in the way you study. Included in this book are some useful tips about study skills and explanations about why some of the more traditional ways of studying may not be appropriate for you.
    [Show full text]
  • Achievement for All Working with Children with Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools and Colleges
    Achievement for all Working with children with special educational needs in mainstream schools and colleges Professional development series ATL is the union for education professionals across the UK. Active in the maintained, independent and post-16 sectors, we use our members’ experiences to infl uence education policy, and we work with government and employers to secure fair pay and working conditions. From early years to HE, teachers to support staff, lecturers to leaders, we support and represent our members throughout their career. Not yet a member? To be part of the union that puts education fi rst, join ATL today. As a member you will have peace of mind knowing ATL offers fi rst-class support, insurance protection, professional advice and representation, plus unrivalled publications, resources and continuing professional development for your personal and professional development. To join or check our competitive rates, including special offers for students and newly qualifi ed members, visit www.atl.org.uk/join or call 0845 057 7000.* * Terms and conditions available online. Local rates apply. Already a member? You’ve joined us, now join in and get on. Getting involved with your union is the best way to achieve effective change, both in working conditions and in education. And it can enhance your professional development too. There are many ways to get involved, from giving your views on education policy to attending one of our training courses or becoming the ATL rep for your workplace. Look up www.atl.org.uk/getinvolved for more. Contents Introduction 2 Special educational needs and mainstream education 2 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Why Children with Dyslexia Struggle with Writing and How to Help Them
    LSHSS Tutorial Why Children With Dyslexia Struggle With Writing and How to Help Them Michael Hebert,a Devin M. Kearns,b Joanne Baker Hayes,b Pamela Bazis,a and Samantha Coopera Purpose: Children with dyslexia often have related writing quality (e.g., handwriting and executive function), we examined difficulties. In the simple view of writing model, high-quality recent meta-analyses of writing and supplemented that by writing depends on good transcription skills, working memory, conducting forward searches. and executive function—all of which can be difficult for Results: Through the search, we found evidence of effective children with dyslexia and result in poor spelling and low remedial and compensatory intervention strategies in spelling, overall writing quality. In this article, we describe the transcription, executive function, and working memory. challenges of children with dyslexia in terms of the simple Some strategies included spelling using sound-spellings view of writing and instructional strategies to increase and morphemes and overall quality using text structure, spelling and overall writing quality in children with dyslexia. sentence combining, and self-regulated strategy development. Method: For spelling strategies, we conducted systematic Conclusions: Many students with dyslexia experience writing searches across 2 databases for studies examining the difficulty in multiple areas. However, their writing (and even effectiveness of spelling interventions for students with reading) skills can improve with the instructional strategies dyslexia as well as including studies from 2 meta-analyses. identified in this article. We describe instructional procedures To locate other instructional practices to increase writing and provide links to resources throughout the article. tudents with dyslexia often also have writing diffi- impacts the underlying process for both the reading and culties.
    [Show full text]
  • Celebrating 25 Years of the Dyslexia Guild
    08 12 21 New interventions Accessibility and English as a second for children inclusivity language Volume 29, Number 2. Autumn 2019 The Journal of The Dyslexia Guild Celebrating 25 years of The Dyslexia Guild Welcome Welcome to the Autumn edition of Dyslexia Review. Fellowsofthe Dyslexia Guild: From theleftLaura CareyFDG This issuecontinues our celebrationsfor 25 years of theDyslexiaGuildand andLouise Vander Valk FDG. 50 years of Dyslexia Review.Our Summer Conferencetook place in London in June andwas agreat opportunityfor ustomeetmembers andcelebrate our doublehappy birthday. We hope that those of youwho attended enjoyed theevent andlook forwardtomeeting more of youatnextyear’sconference 50 which will be held at Bath University, a2020event foryour diary. years of Dyslexia Review Dr Robert Savage andhis team of researchers presenttheir findings on promisinginterventionsfor childrenwithdyslexia; interesting international research that investigatesthe impact of carefullyevaluated theory-driven 25 interventionsfor persistent poor readers. We also presentanaccessibility years of the andinclusivity follow-onfeature from ArranSmith,who presentedatthe Dyslexia Guild conference,withhighlights andfurther detailsfor youtoexploreonthis topic. This year’s conference slides can be foundonthe GuildMembers’website. TheDepartmentfor Education hasnow advisedthatfromFebruary2019, adyslexia/ 1,500+ Guild Members, UK SpLDassessment,conducted at anyage,will be accepted as evidence foraDisabled and International StudentAllowance.Where such an assessment is
    [Show full text]
  • Working Memory Performance, Learning and Study Strategies and Learning Styles of Dyslexic and Non Dyslexic Adult Learners
    Working Memory Performance, Learning and Study Strategies and Learning Styles of Dyslexic and Non Dyslexic Adult Learners Kartini Abd Ghani PhD University of York Psychology December 2013 Abstract Past research has shown that working memory is a good predictor of learning performance. The working memory processes determine an individuals’ learning ability and capability. The current study was conducted to examine the: (a) differences in the working memory performance of dyslexic students in postsecondary institutions, (b) differences in dyslexic students’ study strategies and learning styles, (c) differences in the working memory profiles of non-dyslexic university students based on their disciplines (science versus humanities), (d) differences between non-dyslexic science and humanities students in their study strategies and learning styles, (e) relationship between working memory and study skills and (f) hypothesised memory models that best fit the actual data gathered using structured equation modelling technique. Two separate studies were performed to address these aims. For Study 1, a group of 26 dyslexic individuals along with a group of 32 typical non-dyslexic students were assessed for their working memory and study skills performances. A significant difference in working memory was found between the two groups. The dyslexic group showed weaker performance in the verbal working memory tasks which concurs with previous findings. The result also provides support that weakness in the verbal working memory of dyslexic individuals still exist and persist into adulthood. Significant differences in the students’ study skills were also identified. Dyslexic students reported to be more anxious and concerned about their academic tasks, lack in concentration and attention, less effective in selecting important materials during reading, using less test taking and time management strategies.
    [Show full text]
  • Brainfeed Intervention Programme: an Alternative Approach for Supporting People Living with Dyslexia
    JOURNAL OF EDUCATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP ISSN: 2636-4794 (Print), ISSN: 2636-4778 (Online) Vol. 5, N0.2, 124-143; 2018 https://doi.org/10.26762/jee.2018.40000018 Brainfeed Intervention Programme: an Alternative Approach for Supporting People living with dyslexia Ijeoma Adubasim Doctoral Student, Department of Educational Psychology, Guidance & Counselling, University of Port-Harcourt, River State Nigeria Abstract This study investigated the effectiveness of Brainfeed intervention programme as an alternative approach for supporting people living with dyslexia. The study adopted a quasi- experimental research design. The population of this study is made up of twenty four thousand seven hundred and twenty seven (24,727) senior secondary school students (S.S.2) in all the public secondary schools in Port Harcourt Local Government Area (Phalga and Obio/Akpo Local Government Areas of) Rivers State used for the study. The study adopted a purposive sampling method. Three public schools were selected from the secondary schools in Phalga and Obio/Akpo LGA of Rivers State. The result proved that brainfeed intervention programme contributes significantly to the improvement of students’ working memory for those with dyslexia. Keywords: brainfeed, dyslexia, people living with dyslexia, working memory. Manuscript History Received on 8th April, 2018 Accepted on 15th June, 2018 Journal of Education and Entrepreneurship lot of students are faced with different degrees and types of difficulties in their studies. Most times they are not bold enough to talk about their struggles with their Ateachers or parents. A number of students have specific learning disabilities. Specific learning disabilities represent a number of learning difficulties that students go through in their academic pursuit.
    [Show full text]
  • JOIN the the DYSLEXIADYSLEXIA GUILD! Thethe Professionalprofessional Body Body of Dyslexiadyslexia Action Action
    Volume 28, Number 1 www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk/dyslexia-guild Autumn/Winter 2017 JOIN THE THE DYSLEXIADYSLEXIA GUILD! TheThe ProfessionalProfessional Body Body of DyslexiaDyslexia Action Action Who is is it it for?for? For anyoneanyone with witha a generalgeneral or or professional professiona interestl interes int in dyslexia.dyslexia. MembersMembers includeinclude teachers,teachers, SENCos, SENCos, teachingteaching assistants, assistants, FE FE andand HE tutors, tutors, parents,parents, assessors,assessors, andand other other advisoryadvisory specialists.specialists. The Aim Aim We aimaim to promotepromote discussion,discussion, informationinformation andand researchresearch as as wellwell as keepingkeeping membersmembers informedinformed of of developmentsdevelopments in in the the field field throughthrough publicationpublication andand distribution.distribution. GroupGroup membership membership BenefitsBenefits isis alsoalso availableavailabl toe to schools, library • MembershipMembership ofof ourour specialistspecialist librarylibrary withwith accessaccess to to online online schools, library booksbooks andand journalsjournals services,services, publisherspublishers and other groups. • DyslexiaDyslexia ReviewReview magazinemagazine t wicetwice a a year year and other groups. • ConferencesConferences andand eventsevents atat reducedreduced ratesrates YouYou get get two two copies copies of of the the • GuildGuild GalleryGallery electronicelectronic newsletternewsletter DyslexiaDyslexia Review Review and and discounteddiscounted rates
    [Show full text]
  • A Literature Review Examining the Impact of Genetics on Additional Learning Needs, and Implications for Learners’ Academic Success
    Transformations Phillips Vol.3(1) June 2019 Impact of genetics on Additional Learning Needs A literature review examining the impact of genetics on Additional Learning Needs, and implications for learners’ academic success Ross Phillips, University of Wales Trinity St David Abstract This literature review examines the question of whether children whose parents have specific learning difficulties should be tested regardless of their own personal symptoms. There is significant evidence that specific learning difficulties have a genetic component and that targeted intervention improves the learner’s academic results in the short to medium term. It is recommended that a longitudinal study into the genetic causes, and therefore the prevalence of specific learning difficulties be established. The review also recommends a longitudinal study of the efficacy of support mechanisms for specific learning difficulties to establish if they support a learner beyond the academic environment. Keywords Specific Learning Difficulties, Additional Learning Needs, genetics Introduction This topic has been chosen due to the researcher’s personal experience of late diagnosis of specific learning difficulties (SpLD). This led to reflection on the wider implications of undiagnosed or late diagnosed specific learning difficulties on personal development, and the impact this may have on wider society. As stated in the Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018, due to be enacted in September 2020, key stake holders have a statutory duty to make effective provision for supporting learners with additional needs (Welsh Government, 2018). However, Davies (2016) and Dauncey (2016) suggest that the current legislation surrounding Additional Learning Needs (ALN) is based on outdated e-journal of the British Education Studies Association 3 © BESA 2019 Transformations Phillips Vol.3(1) June 2019 Impact of genetics on Additional Learning Needs evidence, meaning those effected find it difficult to access provision effectively.
    [Show full text]
  • White Paper: Dyslexia and Read Naturally 1 Table of Contents Copyright © 2020 Read Naturally, Inc
    Dyslexia and Read Naturally Cory Stai Director of Research and Partnership Development Read Naturally, Inc. Published by: Read Naturally, Inc. Saint Paul, Minnesota Phone: 800.788.4085/651.452.4085 Website: www.readnaturally.com Email: [email protected] Author: Cory Stai, M.Ed. Illustration: “A Modern Vision of the Cortical Networks for Reading” from Reading in the Brain: The New Science of How We Read by Stanislas Dehaene, copyright © 2009 by Stanislas Dehaene. Used by permission of Viking Books, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2020 Read Naturally, Inc. All rights reserved. Table of Contents Part I: What Is Dyslexia? . 3 Part II: How Do Proficient Readers Read Words? . 9 Part III: How Does Dyslexia Affect Typical Reading? . .. 15 Part IV: Dyslexia and Read Naturally Programs . 18 End Notes . 24 References . 28 Appendix A: Further Reading . 35 Appendix B: Program Scope and Sequence Summaries . 36 White Paper: Dyslexia and Read Naturally 1 Table of Contents Copyright © 2020 Read Naturally, Inc. Table of Contents 2 White Paper: Dyslexia and Read Naturally Copyright © 2020 Read Naturally, Inc. Read Naturally’s mission is to facilitate the learning necessary for every child to become a confident, proficient reader . Dyslexia is a reading disability that impacts millions of Americans . To support learners with dyslexia, educators must understand: n what dyslexia is and what it is not n how the dyslexic brain differs from that of a typical reader n how and why recommended reading interventions help To these ends, this paper supports educators to deepen their understanding of the instructional needs of dyslexic readers and to confidently select and use Read Naturally intervention programs, as appropriate .
    [Show full text]
  • Co-Ordination Disorder
    CO-ORDINA TION In this issue: Assessment Clocking In On Dyslexia: considerations Dyslexia Guild Timing, Rhythm and in Developmental Membership Grades Reading Development Co-ordination Disorder Volume 26 Number 2 Taking Action • Changing Lives www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk | October 2015 Training and Professional Development 25132 Dyslexia Review Autumn 2015 .indd 1 28/10/2015 09:56 JOIN THE DYSLEXIA GUILD! The Professional Body of Dyslexia Action Who is it for? For anyone with a general or professional interest in dyslexia. Members include teachers, SENCos, teaching assistants, FE and HE tutors, parents, assessors, and other advisory specialists. The Aim We aim to promote discussion, information and research as well as keeping members informed of developments in the field through publication and distribution. Group membership Benefits is also available to • Membership of our specialist library with access to online books schools, library and journals services, publishers • Dyslexia Review three times a year and other groups. • Conferences and events at reduced rates You get two copies of the • Guild Gallery electronic newsletter Dyslexia Review and • Preferential discounts on courses, suppliers and CPD events discounted rates for up to three delegates at our • Assessment Practising Certificate conference events. • Professional Indemnity Insurance at preferential rates for APC For more information see our web page http://dyslexiaaction.org.uk/dyslexia-guild Email [email protected] or call 01784 222342 02 Dyslexia Review July 2011 25132 Dyslexia Review Autumn 2015 .indd 2 28/10/2015 09:56 JOIN THE Taking Action • Changing Lives Contact us: Editors: Kathryn Benzine Janice Beechey Editorial DYSLEXIA [email protected] Tel: 01784 222342 Our autumn issue replaces the edition that we normally run Autumn Issue during the summer months, please accept our apologies for October 2015 the delay.
    [Show full text]