Implicit motor sequence learning deficits in dyslexic children

Aim of present study was to determine implicit motor sequence learning in dyslexic children and to compare it with normal children. Research design was ex-post factor and study population included dyslexic children of learning disabilities rehabilitation centers of Tabriz city, with total size of 740 students, in 2009, March to May. Among them, 20 students with diagnosis of dyslexia were chosen from two centers (Baghcheban and SoleymanKhater) non-randomly and were matched with non-dyslexic control group with regard to chronological age, sex, social- economical class and IQ. The study instruments were dyslexia symptoms checklist (Michaeili and Farahani, 2006), revised Wechsler IQ Scale for Children (WISC-III, 2006), Pouretemad Reading Test (2002) and Serial Reaction Time Task (Nejati, 2006). results showed that there aren’t significant differences between dyslexic and non-dyslexic children in the speed effect (reaction time) and accuracy effect (accuracy) of implicit motor sequence learning, But blocks mean comparison showed significant differences between two groups in both reaction time and accuracy, and dyslexics had overall poor performance than Non-dyslexics in both indexes of implicit motor sequence learning. Though dyslexic children have deficits in motor ability and skills, but implicit motor sequence learning is intact. Intact implicit learning probably has some implications in reading instruction of dyslexic children.