Foveal and parafoveal recognition of letters and words by dyslexics and by average readers.

-In adult readers, parafoveal recognition of words is limited by strong interferences between letters. In the present study subjects were 20 dyslexic children and 20 average readers (9-14 yr). Recognition scores of isolated letters, of embedded letters and of words were compared both in foveal and in parafoveal vision. The groups did equally well on isolated letters whereas the dyslexics generally stayed behind on embedded letters and on words. Individual scores of embedded letters and of words were moderately correlated as were word score and reading level. It is advocated that research on dyslexia is directed at possible deficits in reading processes such as eye control, word recognition, and storage not only as separate factors but rather in their intimate relationships.