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The double deficit hypothesis in the transparent Finnish orthography: a longitudinal study from kindergarten to Grade 2

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Abstract

We examined the double deficit hypothesis (Wolf & Bowers, 1999) and literacy development in a longitudinal dataset of 1,006 Finnish children who were nonreaders at school entry. A single phonological awareness (PA) deficit was a predictor of pseudoword spelling accuracy and reading fluency, and a single rapid automatized naming (RAN) deficit was a predictor of reading fluency. The group with both PA and RAN deficits experienced the most extensive reading and spelling difficulties. However, all groups included both poor and average Grade 2 readers and spellers. Poor letter knowledge and vocabulary, task avoidance, attention difficulties, hyperactivity, and lack of teaching at home were additional risk factors for reading and spelling problems, but their impact varied depending on the presence of PA and RAN deficits.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by a grant from the Academy of Finland for the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Learning and Motivation Research (#213486 and #126043) and other grant from the same funding agency to Minna Torppa (#2106311). Funding sources have had no role in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report or in the decision to submit the paper for publication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland

    Minna Torppa, Marja-Kristiina Lerkkanen, Anna-Maija Poikkeus & Jari-Erik Nurmi

  2. University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

    Rauno Parrila

  3. University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    Pekka Niemi

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  1. Minna Torppa
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  2. Rauno Parrila
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Correspondence to Minna Torppa.

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Torppa, M., Parrila, R., Niemi, P. et al. The double deficit hypothesis in the transparent Finnish orthography: a longitudinal study from kindergarten to Grade 2. Read Writ 26, 1353–1380 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-012-9423-2

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