Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing

The objective is to demonstrate the feasibility of an individually administered test for identifying children who have phonological processing difficulties. Phonological processing difficulties refer to problems in processing oral or written language due to an insensitivity to the sound structure of language. A large literature base suggests that difficulty in phonological processing is the most widely agreed upon cause of reading-related learning disabilities and other kinds of early reading difficulties. However, an effective and practical individually administered test of phonological processing skills has yet to be published. Such a test should be of considerable use to school psychologists, reading specialists, and other special student services personnel in the identification of children whose decoding deficits can be traced to phonological processing difficulties. The specific aim of Phase I is to demonstrate the feasibility of a comprehensive test of phonological processing for children in grades one through six.