Abstract: To examine the validity of the hypothesis that dyslexia have their special cognitive profiles, we obtained 1 1 8 subjects from 967 5th grade, 11- 1 3 year old children. These assessments were subdivided into two groups, one being reading retardation group including cut- off subgroup and low achievement definition subgroup, the other being named compared group. The two assessments were compared on 8 cognitive variables which had been considered to be related to reading proficiency in English or Chinese. Results showed that the demagnification of memory and processing for design, the demagnification of comprehension for vocabulary and information were the main cognitive profiles. The results also showed that the ability for general information could distinguish relatively cut-off subgroup and low achie- vement definitive subgroup. So the results showed that the ability of comprehension of general information would be possible in distinguishing relatively general reading retardation and special reading retardation.

Key words: reading disability, cognitive profiles, general reading retardation, special reading retardation