Two individuals with anomic aphasia and acquired
alexia were each provided treatment for their reading impairment.
Although reading of single words in isolation was fairly
accurate, their text reading was slow and effortful, including
functor substitutions and semantic errors. Prior to treatment,
reading reaction times for single words showed grammatical
class and word-length effects. Both patients responded
positively to a treatment protocol that included two phases:
(1) multiple oral rereading of text, and (2) reading phrase-formatted
text that had increased spacing between phrasal clauses.
Their reading rates for text improved while maintaining
good comprehension. Following treatment, reading reaction
times for single words showed the elimination of grammatical
class and word-length effects, suggesting improved access
to word forms, particularly functors. (JINS, 1998,
4, 621–635.)