Detection of literacy problems in the educational domain of adult second language learners

Background Our society is characterized by a large diversity of languages. A vast number of inhabitants of Belgium start learning Dutch when they’re already adults. Because dyslexia occurs throughout all languages, this population might also exhibit literacy problems. However, the detection of the problems with second language learners is more complex. There’ s a need for suitable tests with adapted norm scores to detect limited literacy of adult second language learners of Dutch. Method A group of 88 adult second language learners following an intensive Dutch course (4x3h/ week) at the same instructional level (CEFR start B1) performed a standardized Dutch word reading test at three difficulty levels. The number of words read and those correctly read within three minutes was calculated and the influence of different background factors was analyzed. Moreover, a qualitative analysis of the results and error patterns is presently performed. Results Although a higher number of errors occurred in the reading tasks, the number of words read and those correctly read at the different reading levels followed a normal distribution. The educational background level and the number of years the test subjects had been living in Belgium had a significant influence on the scores of the reading test, mainly at the lowest reading level. Conclusion The measured standardized word reading test with adapted norm scores seems to be suitable as a first indication of the need for a larger diagnostic assessment. A combination of reading speed and accuracy for multisyllable words give the most reliable results.status: publishe