| When considering the most discernible indicator of dyslexia, most researchers have agreed that phonological awareness is perhaps the most pertinent sign (Gillon, 2004; Hallahan & Kauffman, 2006; Lyon, Shaywitz, & Shaywitz, 2003). However, is this true in languages other than English? How does orthography affect phonological awareness/processing? Do the indicators of dyslexia change if the orthography of a language alters the way children process phonologically? The interconnectedness of orthography and phonological awareness/processing is the crux of this research design. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are significant differences in phonological processing among Romanian and American third-grade students. Secondarily, I looked for discrepancies that were due to the depth of the orthography of each language. The results of this study indicated that there are significant differences in phonological processing when comparing native Romanian-speaking third-grade students enrolled in a Romanian school and native English-speaking American third-grade students enrolled in two American schools. Given that little research has been conducted on this topic in Romanian, this study primarily adds to the body of literature regarding phonological processing skills, orthography, and dyslexia that specifically assist Romanian students. |
