| Abstract: | A multivariate analysis of variance, using three factors obtained from a pre‐school developmental index (Neale Scales) as the dependent variables, and group membership based on subsequent longitudinal reading performance as the independent variables, resulted in a significant multivariate F for a sample of 204 children (p<.0001). Step‐down tests and post hoc comparisons indicated that a factor termed ‘receptive language ability’ accounted for most of the between‐group variance. This factor was able to distinguish in a longitudinal study between initially poor readers who improved in time (the slow starters) compared to those who did not improve (the failing group). |
