CALT Certification Exam Actual Questions and
Verified Answers (Latest 2026/2027) – Academic
Language Therapy Association (ALTA)
SECTION 1: FOUNDATIONS OF LANGUAGE & DYSLEXIA (20 Questions)
Q1: Samuel T. Orton coined which term to describe a condition he observed in patients
with reading difficulties?
A. Dysgraphia
B. Word blindness
C. Strephosymbolia [CORRECT]
D. Alexia
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: In 1925, Dr. Samuel Orton coined the term "strephosymbolia" (meaning
"twisted symbols") to describe the condition he observed in patients with specific
language disabilities. This term reflected his observation that these individuals often
reversed or transposed letters and words. While "word blindness" (B) was an earlier
term used by others, and dysgraphia (A) and alexia (D) are distinct conditions,
strephosymbolia was Orton's specific contribution to the nomenclature.
Q2: According to the Double Deficit Hypothesis proposed by Wolf and Bowers, which
two core deficits are implicated in the most severe forms of dyslexia?
,A. Visual processing deficits and auditory processing deficits
B. Phonological awareness deficits and rapid automatized naming (RAN) deficits
[CORRECT]
C. Working memory deficits and processing speed deficits
D. Orthographic mapping deficits and morphological awareness deficits
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The Double Deficit Hypothesis identifies phonological awareness deficits and
rapid automatized naming (RAN) deficits as the two core deficits. Individuals with both
deficits (double deficit) typically demonstrate the most severe reading impairments and
are most resistant to intervention. While visual (A), memory (C), and
orthographic/morphological (D) factors are relevant, they are not the two core deficits in
this specific theoretical framework.
Q3: A 9-year-old student demonstrates difficulty with fine motor coordination, poor
handwriting legibility, and slow writing speed, but has average reading and spelling
skills. This profile is most consistent with:
A. Dyslexia
B. Dysgraphia [CORRECT]
C. Dyspraxia
D. Dysarthria
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: Dysgraphia specifically refers to difficulties with writing, including handwriting
legibility, spelling, and written expression. This student's profile—motor coordination
problems, poor handwriting, and slow speed with intact reading/spelling—suggests
dysgraphia. Dyslexia (A) would involve reading/spelling deficits. Dyspraxia (C) involves
broader motor planning deficits affecting multiple activities beyond writing. Dysarthria
(D) is a speech articulation disorder due to muscle weakness, not a writing disorder.
Q4: Which neurological region, often referred to as the "word form area," is critical for
automatic visual word recognition and is typically underactivated in individuals with
dyslexia during reading tasks?
A. Broca's area (inferior frontal gyrus)
B. Parieto-temporal region
C. Occipito-temporal region [CORRECT]
D. Wernicke's area (superior temporal gyrus)
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The occipito-temporal region (specifically the left fusiform gyrus) serves as
the "word form area," critical for rapid, automatic recognition of familiar words
(orthographic processing). Neuroimaging studies consistently show underactivation in
this region in dyslexic readers. Broca's area (A) is involved in speech production and
phonological processing. The parieto-temporal region (B) is involved in word analysis.
Wernicke's area (D) is involved in language comprehension.
Q5: Which term describes the inability to read due to brain damage acquired after
previously normal reading ability, typically following stroke or head injury?
, A. Developmental dyslexia
B. Alexia [CORRECT]
C. Strephosymbolia
D. Dyslexia with attention deficit
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Alexia (or acquired dyslexia) refers to the loss of reading ability due to
neurological damage in individuals who previously could read. This contrasts with
developmental dyslexia (A), which is neurobiological in origin and present from birth.
Strephosymbolia (C) is Orton's term for developmental reading disability. Option D is not
a recognized diagnostic category.
Q6: In the domains of language, which domain encompasses the rules and patterns for
word formation, including inflectional and derivational morphemes?
A. Phonology
B. Syntax
C. Morphology [CORRECT]
D. Semantics
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Morphology is the domain of language concerned with the structure and
formation of words, including morphemes (smallest units of meaning), inflections
(grammatical markers like -ed, -s), and derivations (prefixes/suffixes changing word
Verified Answers (Latest 2026/2027) – Academic
Language Therapy Association (ALTA)
SECTION 1: FOUNDATIONS OF LANGUAGE & DYSLEXIA (20 Questions)
Q1: Samuel T. Orton coined which term to describe a condition he observed in patients
with reading difficulties?
A. Dysgraphia
B. Word blindness
C. Strephosymbolia [CORRECT]
D. Alexia
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: In 1925, Dr. Samuel Orton coined the term "strephosymbolia" (meaning
"twisted symbols") to describe the condition he observed in patients with specific
language disabilities. This term reflected his observation that these individuals often
reversed or transposed letters and words. While "word blindness" (B) was an earlier
term used by others, and dysgraphia (A) and alexia (D) are distinct conditions,
strephosymbolia was Orton's specific contribution to the nomenclature.
Q2: According to the Double Deficit Hypothesis proposed by Wolf and Bowers, which
two core deficits are implicated in the most severe forms of dyslexia?
,A. Visual processing deficits and auditory processing deficits
B. Phonological awareness deficits and rapid automatized naming (RAN) deficits
[CORRECT]
C. Working memory deficits and processing speed deficits
D. Orthographic mapping deficits and morphological awareness deficits
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The Double Deficit Hypothesis identifies phonological awareness deficits and
rapid automatized naming (RAN) deficits as the two core deficits. Individuals with both
deficits (double deficit) typically demonstrate the most severe reading impairments and
are most resistant to intervention. While visual (A), memory (C), and
orthographic/morphological (D) factors are relevant, they are not the two core deficits in
this specific theoretical framework.
Q3: A 9-year-old student demonstrates difficulty with fine motor coordination, poor
handwriting legibility, and slow writing speed, but has average reading and spelling
skills. This profile is most consistent with:
A. Dyslexia
B. Dysgraphia [CORRECT]
C. Dyspraxia
D. Dysarthria
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: Dysgraphia specifically refers to difficulties with writing, including handwriting
legibility, spelling, and written expression. This student's profile—motor coordination
problems, poor handwriting, and slow speed with intact reading/spelling—suggests
dysgraphia. Dyslexia (A) would involve reading/spelling deficits. Dyspraxia (C) involves
broader motor planning deficits affecting multiple activities beyond writing. Dysarthria
(D) is a speech articulation disorder due to muscle weakness, not a writing disorder.
Q4: Which neurological region, often referred to as the "word form area," is critical for
automatic visual word recognition and is typically underactivated in individuals with
dyslexia during reading tasks?
A. Broca's area (inferior frontal gyrus)
B. Parieto-temporal region
C. Occipito-temporal region [CORRECT]
D. Wernicke's area (superior temporal gyrus)
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The occipito-temporal region (specifically the left fusiform gyrus) serves as
the "word form area," critical for rapid, automatic recognition of familiar words
(orthographic processing). Neuroimaging studies consistently show underactivation in
this region in dyslexic readers. Broca's area (A) is involved in speech production and
phonological processing. The parieto-temporal region (B) is involved in word analysis.
Wernicke's area (D) is involved in language comprehension.
Q5: Which term describes the inability to read due to brain damage acquired after
previously normal reading ability, typically following stroke or head injury?
, A. Developmental dyslexia
B. Alexia [CORRECT]
C. Strephosymbolia
D. Dyslexia with attention deficit
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Alexia (or acquired dyslexia) refers to the loss of reading ability due to
neurological damage in individuals who previously could read. This contrasts with
developmental dyslexia (A), which is neurobiological in origin and present from birth.
Strephosymbolia (C) is Orton's term for developmental reading disability. Option D is not
a recognized diagnostic category.
Q6: In the domains of language, which domain encompasses the rules and patterns for
word formation, including inflectional and derivational morphemes?
A. Phonology
B. Syntax
C. Morphology [CORRECT]
D. Semantics
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Morphology is the domain of language concerned with the structure and
formation of words, including morphemes (smallest units of meaning), inflections
(grammatical markers like -ed, -s), and derivations (prefixes/suffixes changing word
