Auditory pattern recognition and brief tone discrimination of children with reading disorders

Auditory pattern recognition skills in children with reading disorders were investigated using perceptual tests involving discrimination of frequency and duration tonal patterns. A behavioral test battery involving recognition of the pattern of presentation of tone triads was used in which individual components differed in either frequency or duration. A test involving measurement of difference limens for long and short duration tones was also administered. In comparison to controls, children with reading disorders exhibited significantly higher error rates in discrimination of duration and frequency patterns, as well as larger brief tone frequency difference limens. These results suggest that difficulties in the recognition and processing of auditory patterns may co-occur with decoding deficits in children with reading disorders.Learning outcomes(1) As a result of this activity, the participant will be able to identify a relationship between reading and temporal processing. (2) As a result of this activity, the reader will be able to discuss the difference between sight–word decoding and phonological decoding. (3) As a result of this activity, the reader will be able to explain a relationship between reading skills and the identification of auditory patterns.