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01-10-2021 | Dyslexia

Development and standardization of the DALI-DAB (dyslexia assessment for languages of India – dyslexia assessment battery)

Authors: Chaitra Rao, Sumathi T. A., Rashi Midha, Geet Oberoi, Bhoomika Kar, Masarrat Khan, Kshipra Vaidya, Vishal Midya, Nitya Raman, Mona Gajre, Nandini Chatterjee Singh

Published in: Annals of Dyslexia | Issue 3/2021

Abstract

A majority of Indian schoolchildren are biliterate in that they acquire literacy in at least two language systems, necessitating dyslexia assessment in both. The DALI-DAB assesses risk for dyslexia by evaluating reading ability and literacy-learning potential through a battery including literacy tests (letter and word reading, spelling, nonword reading, reading comprehension), and mediator skills (phonological awareness, processing automaticity and executive fluency, oral language) in multiple languages. DALI-DAB was developed in three languages – English, Hindi, and Marathi – and standardized on a sample of 1013 children. Reliability analyses revealed high internal consistency (α > 0.8) in most tests in all three languages. Low standard error of measurement values supported DALI-DAB score stability over repeated testing. Construct validity was variously reinforced through, (i) selection of culture-referenced, research-based tests, (ii) approval of test materials by schoolteachers (face validity) and (iii) grade-correlated performance increases on all DALI-DAB tests, besides robust correlations between (iv) literacy and mediator skill test scores (p < .001, concurrent validity), (v) equivalent tests across languages (p < .01, convergent validity), and (vi) DALI-DAB and WJ III ACH literacy scores (p < .01, criterion validity), in contrast to (vii) low correlation between DALI-DAB and WJ III ACH math scores (p > .05, discriminant validity). Overall, the DALI-DAB represents the first standardized dyslexia assessment tool for bilingual-biliterate children.

Data from children who scored “0” on the following measures of literacy in both languages were excluded from further analyses: G1 and G2 – letter reading, letter spelling/dictation, word reading and word spelling/dictation; G3 to G5 – word reading, word spelling/dictation.

The DALI toolkit also includes the Junior Screening Tool (JST) and Middle Screening Tool (MST), intended to aid schoolteachers in evaluating students potentially at risk for dyslexia. Details of the JST and MST are described elsewhere (Singh et al. submitted).

Since the rapid picture naming task scores reflected time taken (in seconds) to name the entire card of pictures, negative z score values reflected better performance. Thus, lower standard scores on this task reflect better performance.

Mean z score value always equals zero.

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Title: Development and standardization of the DALI-DAB (dyslexia assessment for languages of India – dyslexia assessment battery)
Authors: Chaitra Rao
Sumathi T. A.
Rashi Midha
Geet Oberoi
Bhoomika Kar
Masarrat Khan
Kshipra Vaidya
Vishal Midya
Nitya Raman
Mona Gajre
Nandini Chatterjee Singh
Publication date: 01-10-2021
Publisher: Springer US
Keyword: Dyslexia
Published in: Annals of Dyslexia / Issue 3/2021
Print ISSN: 0736-9387
Electronic ISSN: 1934-7243
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11881-021-00227-z

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