Psychológia a patopsychológia dieťaťa, 53, 2019, č. 2, s. 134–146

MABEL – EVIDENCE BASED MULTILANGUAGE ASSESSMENT BATTERY OF EARLY LITERACY

Enhancing literacy requires from psychologists to elaborate assessment tools in a specific language. A goal of the study is to introduce a new test battery MABEL (Multilanguage Assessment Battery of Early Literacy). The tests were developed and validated as part of the Project ELDEL – longitudinal study of literacy development – in five European languages – English, French, Spanish, Czech and Slovak; while other language versions are currently developed – Portuguese, Polish and Welsh. The paper offers a summary of results published in studies that provide evidence for predictive validity of the tests. MABEL is a unique test battery, since it provides a possibility to assess reading and writing acquisition, as well as literacy predictors in monolingual, multilingual or non-native speaking children using the same tests in parallel language versions. The specialist is then able to objectively assess the potential risk of dyslexia or to consider other sources of difficulties in learning.