Diagnostics of technical reading and initial spelling

Abstract

The Diagnostiek van technisch lezen en aanvankelijk spellen (DTLAS), or Diagnosis of Technical Reading and Initial Spelling, is a specialized, structured procedure developed for the individual didactic research of children experiencing significant difficulties with fundamental reading and spelling acquisition. Published in 1986, the DTLAS provides a detailed manual containing short descriptions, comprehensive instructions, and precise scoring prescriptions, alongside necessary test cards and score forms for diagnostic purposes. The procedure integrates standardized reading measures, notably the DMT and AVI-toetskaarten from the CITO student monitoring system, with proprietary subtests designed to evaluate underlying auditory and visual processing conditions crucial for literacy development.

Keywords

DTLAS, Technical Reading, Initial Spelling, Literacy Diagnosis, Didactic Research, CITO, Dyslexia Screening, Auditory Processing, Visual Processing, Observational Assessment.

Authors

Struiksma AJC, van der Leij A, Vieijra JPM.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the DTLAS is to facilitate individual didactic research for school-aged children struggling with fundamental literacy skills. It moves beyond simple failure identification to provide an in-depth, structured investigation of the underlying causes of reading and spelling difficulties. This detailed analysis is crucial for developing targeted and effective educational interventions tailored to the specific needs of the child.

The procedure integrates various assessment tools to offer a holistic view of the child’s performance. Specifically, it guides practitioners in the use of standardized tests for assessing technical reading speed and accuracy, alongside specialized subtests designed to evaluate the prerequisite auditory and visual conditions necessary for successful literacy development. This comprehensive approach ensures that both performance deficits and processing weaknesses are identified.

Construct

The DTLAS measures two primary constructs: the manifest ability in technical reading and initial spelling, and the underlying cognitive and perceptual conditions that support these abilities. Technical reading refers to the foundational skill of decoding and word recognition, essential for fluent reading. Initial spelling refers to the ability to accurately encode spoken language into written form, especially during the early stages of literacy development.

Crucially, the scale also targets the preconditions for literacy, utilizing specific subtests to assess various aspects of auditory and visual processing. Subtests such as Audisynt, Audist, and Audant evaluate auditory discrimination and synthesis, while Visusynt, Visdist, and Visant assess visual processing. These specialized measures allow diagnosticians to identify specific processing weaknesses that might contribute to persistent reading and spelling problems, thereby informing the intervention strategy.

Validity

Specific psychometric studies detailing the construct, concurrent, or predictive validity of the DTLAS as a unified, standalone instrument are not explicitly provided in the core descriptive documentation. However, the overall diagnostic procedure relies significantly on established, validated components.

The DTLAS procedure incorporates the use of two essential, widely recognized standardized tests from the CITO student monitoring system: the DMT (Drie-Minuten-Test) and the AVI-toetskaarten. The validity of the overall DTLAS procedure is thus partially supported by the known psychometric robustness of these integrated CITO instruments, particularly in the Dutch educational context where they serve as essential measures of reading achievement and fluency.

Reliability

Detailed information regarding the internal consistency (e.g., Cronbach’s alpha), test-retest reliability, or inter-rater reliability for the proprietary DTLAS subtests (Audisynt, Visusynt, etc.) is not readily available in the initial descriptive materials. Given its nature as a structured observational and didactic procedure, the reliability heavily depends on strict adherence to the detailed instructions and scoring rules provided within the DTLAS manual by the administering professional.

Factor Analysis

No published factor analysis results are detailed for the DTLAS procedure, as it functions primarily as a diagnostic protocol rather than a singular psychometric scale designed for factor reduction. The structure of DTLAS suggests an assumption of distinct factors related to technical reading, spelling, auditory processing, and visual processing, which are assessed using separate modules or subtests to provide a comprehensive profile of the child’s learning strengths and weaknesses.

Instrument

Test Type: Observational and Standardized Diagnostic Procedure

Format: Structured Protocol including Test Cards, Score Forms, and Detailed Instructions (Manual)

Language Available: Dutch (Original Language)

Population Group: Clinical and Educational Populations

Age Group: Children (Primarily primary school age, based on the focus on initial reading and spelling)

Population Details: Children identified as having reading and spelling problems, requiring didactic research.

Test Methodology: Individual administration, relying on a combination of standardized performance tests (DMT, AVI) and specialized diagnostic subtests focusing on prerequisite auditory and visual skills (Audisynt, Visusynt).

Keywords

Literacy Assessment, Decoding Skills, Spelling Difficulties, Struiksma, Van der Leij, Educational Psychology, Psychological Assessment, Netherlands, CITO tests, Phonological Awareness.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Information not provided.

Affiliation Email addresses: Information not provided.

Correspondence Address: Information not provided.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The DTLAS procedure was developed and published in 1986 by Struiksma, van der Leij, and Vieijra. Information regarding current usage permissions, copyright holders, and associated fees for current diagnostic application must be sought from the original publishers or responsible academic institutions. The original explanatory document (Toelichtingsformulier) can be downloaded here: https://scales.arabpsychology.com/wp-content/uploads/instrumenten/98_1_N.pdf.

Reference’s

Struiksma AJC, van der Leij A, Vieijra JPM (1986). Diagnostiek van technisch lezen en aanvankelijk spellen (DTLAS).

Items of the Diagnostiek van technisch lezen en aanvankelijk spellen

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

The DTLAS procedure is structured around various components and subtests necessary for a complete diagnosis. Key components include:

• De DTLAS beschrijft een procedure voor individueel didactisch onderzoek van kinderen met lees- en spellingsproblemen.
• In de DTLAS zijn korte beschrijvingen, gedetailleerde instructies en scoringsvoorschriften opgenomen, inclusief de toetskaarten en scoreformulieren, die voor de diagnostiek en evaluatie van technisch lezen en aanvankelijk spellen van belang zijn.
• Voor de toestprocedure van DTLAS zijn twee toetsen uit het CITO-leerlingvolgsysteem essentieel, namelijk de DMT en de AVI-toetskaarten.
• M.b.t. de auditieve voorwaarden zijn de volgende subtests ontwikkeld:
  • Audisynt
  • Audist
  • Audant
• M.b.t. de visuele voorwaarden zijn de volgende subtests ontwikkeld:
  • Visusynt
  • Visdist
  • Visant