Phonological Processing and Nonword Repetition: A Critical Tool for the Identification of Dyslexia in Bilingualism

In this chapter we provide a review of the literature on phonological processing and its components, phonological awareness, memory and access, focusing on their relevance in predicting individual linguistic abilities and literacy achievements and dedicating special attention to the development of these abilities in dyslexia and bilingualism. Since it can be challenging to correctly identify reading impairments in sequential bilinguals, who might struggle in the acquisition of L2 literacy, we propose that NWR skills should be taken into account in the identification of dyslexia, integrating the batteries normally used for the diagnosis of dyslexia.