Compensation mechanisms in developmental dyslexia: the role of morphological skills.

The purpose of the proposed study is to investigate the role of Morphological Awareness (MA) as a compensatory mechanism in university students with dyslexia in two languages that differ in orthographic transparency, English and Greek. Many individuals with dyslexia manage to study at university and demonstrate advanced reading comprehension skills despite phonological processing difficulties. MA (the ability to understand that words are formed by the combination of smaller units or 'morphemes') is thought to be a strength for individuals with dyslexia, in comparison to their phonological skills. Therefore, MA could have a compensatory function in dyslexia as it allows individuals to reduce dependence on phonology during reading. However, findings in this area are not sufficient to draw clear conclusions. This study will determine, for the first time, whether MA explains individual differences in the degree to which reading skills are 'compensated' in dyslexia while taking into account language specific characteristics such as orthographic transparency. A sample of ~300 readers will complete a robust assessment of MA and literacy that will shed light on the relationship between MA, phonological and reading skills in readers with dyslexia by examining different levels of reading 'compensation'. Implicit MA measures will allow exploration of the precise properties (form or semantic) of morphemes that make them an effective compensatory tool, informing morphologically focussed intervention approaches.