Understanding developmental dyslexia in Chinese: Linking research to practice

Dyslexia is one of the most common learning difficulties affecting approximately 9.7% of the school population in Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China. The education and support needs of primary and secondary students with dyslexia have therefore been of great concern to the community. In the present paper, research into the characteristics of the Chinese language with focus on the cognitive-linguistic characteristics, causes, and manifestations of dyslexia are briefly reviewed. Such work could provide the foundation to develop effective evidence-based identification, intervention, and support for students with dyslexia both inside and outside of school. Thus understanding the causes and mechanisms underlying dyslexia with reference to the special circumstances of the Chinese milieu allows better informed identification, remedial intervention, support service, and teacher education for further work on research and practice. Copyright © 2017 Dyslexia Association of Singapore.