A Model of Phonological Processing, Language, and Reading for Students with Mild Intellectual Disability

This study investigated the underlying structure of phonological processing in 294 school-aged children with mild intellectual disability (MID). While phonological processing is well-understood in typically developing children, little was known about whether students with MID share the same cognitive architecture for reading. The researchers used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling to test whether phonological processing in these students consists of distinct latent abilities—specifically phonological awareness and naming speed—and how these components relate to expressive language, receptive language, and reading performance.

The researchers found that phonological processing in children with MID is best represented by two distinct but correlated latent abilities: phonological awareness and naming speed. Phonological awareness (measured by tasks like blending, segmenting, and elision) showed strong, positive associations with both language and reading skills. Naming speed (measured by rapid color and letter naming) showed moderate, negative associations with these same variables. These results mirror findings from typically developing populations, suggesting that children with MID possess the same fundamental cognitive building blocks for literacy.

For decades, reading instruction for students with intellectual disabilities has often focused heavily on sight-word memorization, sometimes neglecting phonics-based approaches. This study provides empirical evidence that the cognitive processes supporting reading in children with MID are similar to those in typically developing peers. This suggests that educators should prioritize phonologically based instruction—such as teaching decoding and phoneme manipulation—as a viable and effective strategy to help students with MID achieve literacy, rather than relying solely on sight-word methods.