Reading Disabilities in Adolescents and Adults.

Purpose: Reading skills continue to develop into adolescence and adulthood. Difficulties in reading have lifelong repercussions. Many speech-language pathologists who work with older individuals in the school setting face significant issues, including those mandated by recent changes in legislation. Theoretical topics related to reading development and disorders include the variety of orthographic systems across languages and the ways in which adults who are literate in an alphabetic orthographic system experience changes to their spoken and written language processing. In addition, older readers with intellectual or developmental disabilities may benefit from the use of leveled books and the inclusion of illustrations or drawings along with text.

Method: I completed a focused literature review regarding typical reading skills, dyslexia in adolescence and adulthood, recent changes in legislation, orthography, and the use of leveled books for adolescents and adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

Conclusions: Further study of reading in older individuals may lead to important theoretical and clinical applications. Speech-language pathologists should keep in mind the various components of reading (such as decoding and comprehension), how these factors relate to oral language, and how they may be addressed in therapy.