Reading and writing are skills that influence each other but can be disordered separately. The cognitive profile of children with isolated reading deficit (RD), isolated spelling deficit (SD) or the combined disorder (RSD) appears to differ, potentially leading to different reading strategies. How the development of the reading learning process takes place in these groups is still unclear.
The aim of the study was to compare the development of eye movements of children with RD, SD, RSD from first to fifth grade and to draw conclusions about underlying reading strategies.
Data of five measurement points, grades 1-5, from 192 children were retrospectively evaluated and analysed. Of 21 children with RSD, 20 children with RD, 19 children with SD and a control group of 22 children, 13 temporal, spatial and proportional eye movement parameters and their development were analysed.
The eye movement parameters landing position, gaze time and fixation duration develop differently in the groups. While children with RD in second grade pursue an integral reading strategy, the reading strategy of children with RSD remains segmental throughout. However, the integral reading strategy requires frequent repetitions, which is why the reading time does not differ from the RSD group and is similarly slowed down.
The results of the eye movement analysis confirm the existence of a dissociation in reading and writing and show different reading strategies in the three disorder groups.