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Dyslexia Assessment for Languages of India (DALI)

Method · October 2015

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.14696.32005

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DALI is the first screening and assessment tool for dyslexia in regional Indian languages.
DALI is developed at National Brain Research Centre and this study was supported by
Department of Science and Technology. Nearly 1 in 6 children has reading problems.
Dyslexia is a hidden learning disability wherein children fail to achieve reading skills in
regular classroom settings. Dyslexia has a biological basis and occurs because of differences
in brain wiring. Children in India receive education at school in at least 2 languages. It is
necessary that the assessment of dyslexia be carried in all languages that the child is exposed
to. India, the diagnosis of dyslexia has been incomplete because of the absence of
standardized, validated assessment tools in regional Indian languages. DALI (Dyslexia
Assessment for Languages of India) contains screening tools for school teachers and
assessment tools for psychologists to identify dyslexia. The tools are currently available in
four languages as detailed below. Extension to other languages is in process.

The DALI assessment and screening tool for Hindi, Marathi, Kannada and English is
available for clinical use at the following website http://14.139.62.11/DALI/index.php

Copyright Information

© Nandini C Singh, National Brain Research Centre, 2015

All rights reserved including translation. No part of this publication may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording or duplication in any information storage and retrieval system, without prior
permission in writing from the publishers and may not be photocopied or reproduced.

Published by the National Brain Research Centre

National Brain Research Centre, Manesar, Gurgaon, Haryana

Illegal photocopying is theft and may result in prosecution.

Foreword
The Dyslexia Assessment for Languages of India (DALI) is a comprehensive screening and
assessment battery for children with or at risk for dyslexia, between the classes of 1 to 5 and
consists of the following –

• Screening tool for Dyslexia with instructions for administration (Four languages English,
Hindi, Kannada, Marathi)

• Language Assessment Battery in four languages (English, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi)

• Manual for Language Assessment Battery

• Recommendations for Intervention

According to a recent ruling of the Delhi High Court (5th September 2012) all government,
private and public schools are mandated to equip themselves to handle children with various
disabilities including learning disability. In addition, Specific Learning Disability or SLD has
been recently included in the Person with Disabilities Act. In view of the above and the fact
that schools across the country are ill-equipped to identify children with learning disabilities,
a screening tool and a Language Assessment Battery in four languages (English, Hindi,
Kannada and Marathi) for children between 5-7 years (classes 1 and 2) and 8-10 years
(classes 3, 4 and 5) have been developed and validated to identify children with dyslexia.
Since learning is primarily accomplished in the school environment a screening tool that
could be administered by school teachers has been developed.

This package was developed at the National Brain Research Centre (PI- Nandini Chatterjee
Singh) in India, under the aegis of a project supported by the Department of Science and
Technology, Government of India.

It was standardized and validated across four languages (Hindi, Marathi, Kannada and
English) across schools at five centres (4000 children from classes 1-5), Orkids Centre for
Learning Disabilities (Co-PI, Geet Oberoi), Delhi, Centre of Behavioural and Cognitive
Sciences (Co-PI, Bhoomika Rastogi Kar), University of Allahabad, Allahabad, Maharshtra
Dyslexia Association (Co-PI, Kate Currawala), Mumbai, Dr. Shanta Vaidya Memorial
Foundation (Co-PI, Kshipra Vaidya), Pune, and All India Institute of Speech and Hearing
(Co-Pi, Prema Rao), Mysore. Details of the validation and standardization are provided in the
assessment manual.

Nandini Chatterjee Singh

 List of Contributors

A team comprising of clinical psychologists, special educators, language experts and leading
academicians developed the tests comprising the Dyslexia Assessment for Languages of
India (DALI). They were

 Chaitra Rao, Rashi Midha, Vishal Midya, T.A Sumathi, Nandini Chatterjee Singh
(National Brain Research Centre, Manesar)
 Geet Oberoi (ORKIDS, New Delhi)
 Bhoomika Kar (Centre for Behaviour and Cognitive Sciences, University of Allhabad,
Allahabad)
 Kate Currawala and Masarrat Khan (Maharashtra Dyslexia Association, Mumbai)
 Prof. Prema Rao and Shailaja Shukla (All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore)
 Kshipra Vaidya (Dr. Shanta Vaidya Memorial Foundation, Pune)

We would like to acknowledge the help and support of principals and teachers from various
schools, the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sanghatana, special educators, parents and most importantly
numerous children. We also acknowledge the various psychologists and staff from all the
participating institutions for their support and participation in this project.

Finally we would like to acknowledge Prof. P. N Tandon, Former Chairman of the Cognitive
Science Initiative of Department of Science and Technology, India for recommending this
initiative, Prof. Subrata Sinha, Current Chairman of the Cognitive Science Initiative and
Director, National Brain Research Centre, Manesar for encouragement and administrative
support and Dr. Rajesh Sagar, Professor of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical
Sciences, New Delhi for clinical advice. Last, but not the least, we would like to
acknowledge and thank Dr. H.B Singh and the Cognitive Science Initiative, Department of
Science and Technology, Government of India for financial support towards building an
inclusive and better world for our children.

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