Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology

Reading and Literacy Development

Works Count: 77556

Wikipedia

Description

This cluster of papers covers a wide range of topics related to the development of reading skills, dyslexia, and literacy instruction. It includes research on visual word recognition, language development, reading comprehension, phonological awareness, and the neurological basis of reading. The cluster also explores interventions for children with reading difficulties and the impact of vocabulary development on reading ability.

Keywords

Reading Acquisition; Dyslexia; Visual Word Recognition; Language Development; Reading Comprehension; Phonological Awareness; Literacy Instruction; Neurological Basis of Reading; Vocabulary Development; Orthographic Processing

Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children

1998-06-22

Catherine E. Snow , M. Susan Burns , Peg Griffin

1 Front Matter 2 Executive Summary 3 Part I: Introduction to Reading 4 1. Introduction 5 2. The Process of Learning to Read 6 Part II: Who Are We Talking … 1 Front Matter 2 Executive Summary 3 Part I: Introduction to Reading 4 1. Introduction 5 2. The Process of Learning to Read 6 Part II: Who Are We Talking About? 7 3. Who Has Reading Difficulties? 8 4. Predictors of Success and Failure in Reading 9 Part III: Prevention and Intervention 10 5. Preventing Reading Difficulties Before Kindergarten 11 6. Instructional Strategies for Kindergarten and the Primary Grades 12 7. Organizational Strategies for Kindergarten and the Primary Grades 13 8. Helping Children with Reading Difficulties in Grades 1 to 3 14 Part IV: Knowledge into Action 15 9. The Agents of Change 16 10. Recommendations for Practice and Research 17 References 18 Biographical Sketches 19 Index

Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning about Print

1991-06-01

Charles E. Cairns , Marilyn Jager Adams

to Read reconciles the debate that has divided theorists for decades over what is the right way to help children learn to read. Drawing on a rich array of research … to Read reconciles the debate that has divided theorists for decades over what is the right way to help children learn to read. Drawing on a rich array of research on the nature and development of reading proficiency, Marilyn Adams shows educators that they need not remain trapped in the phonics versus teaching-formeaning dilemma and offers instructional alternatives. She proposes that phonies can work together with the whole approach to teaching reading and provides an integrated treatment of the knowledge and processes involved in skillful reading, the issues surrounding their acquisition, and the implications for reading instruction Broad in scope and clearly written, to Read provides fresh insights into the relationship between thinking and learning. Developing the new connectionist theory as it relates to reading and its acquisition, Adams underscores the automatic nature of print perception in skillful readers while contrasting it with the attentive thought required for conceptual learning and understanding Adams reviews the history of debate over approaches to reading instruction as well as the research on their effectiveness, She consistently integrates instructional concerns with meticulous attention to research and theory from education, developmental and cognitive psychology, and linguistics. Throughout, she emphasizes the interdependence of meaning appreciation and orthographic facility in both fluent reading and its acquisition. Relevant learning theory is presented along with discussion of the roles of experience, practice, direct instruction, rules, thinking and understanding. Adams stresses the importance of preschool language andliteracy experiences and includes descriptions of those that will best prepare children for reading instruction. Marilyn Jager Adams is a Senior Scientist at Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc. She was Principal Author and Curriculum Coordinator/Editor for the five volume classroom instruction series, Odyssey: A Curriculum for Thinking. Beginning to Read was developed in conjunction with the Reading Research and Education Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Learning, Development, and Conceptual Change series.

Working memory and language: an overview

2003-05-01

Alan Baddeley

The nature of phonological processing and its causal role in the acquisition of reading skills.

1987-03-01

Richard K. Wagner , Joseph K. Torgesen

Three bodies of research that have developed in relative isolation center on each of three kinds of phonological processing: phonological awareness, awareness of the sound structure of language; phonological receding … Three bodies of research that have developed in relative isolation center on each of three kinds of phonological processing: phonological awareness, awareness of the sound structure of language; phonological receding in lexical access, receding written symbols into a sound-based representational system to get from the written word to its lexical referent; and phonetic receding in working memory, recoding written symbols into a sound-based representational system to maintain them efficiently in working memory. In this review we integrate these bodies of research and address the interdependent issues of the nature of phonological abilities and their causal roles in the acquisition of reading skills. Phonological ability seems to be general across tasks that purport to measure the three kinds of phonological processing, and this generality apparently is independent of general cognitive ability. However, the generality of phonological ability is not complete, and there is an empirical basis for distinguishing phonological awareness and phonetic recoding in working memory. Our review supports a causal role for phonological awareness in learning to read, and suggests the possibility of similar causal roles for phonological recoding in lexical access and phonetic recoding in working memory. Most researchers have neglected the probable causal role of learning to read in the development of phonological skills. It is no longer enough to ask whether phonological skills play a causal role in the acquisition of reading skills. The question now is which aspects of phonological processing (e.g., awareness, recoding in lexical access, recoding in working memory) are causally related to which aspects of reading (e.g., word recognition, word analysis, sentence comprehension), at which point in their codevelopment, and what are the directions of these causal relations?

Semantic priming and retrieval from lexical memory: Roles of inhibitionless spreading activation and limited-capacity attention.

1977-09-01

James H. Neely

Prior to each visually presented target letter string in a speeded word-nonword classification task, either BIRD, BODY, BUILDING, or xxx appeared as a priming event. When the target was a … Prior to each visually presented target letter string in a speeded word-nonword classification task, either BIRD, BODY, BUILDING, or xxx appeared as a priming event. When the target was a word, it was (a) a name of a type of bird on most BiRD-prime trials; (b) a name of part of a building on most BODY-prime trials; (c) a name of a part of the body on most BUiLDiNG-prime trials; (d) a name of a type of bird, part of a building, or part of the body equally often on xxx-prime trials. Thus, on BiRD-prime trials the subject expected the word target to be chosen from the same category as the category represented by the word prime itself (Nonshift), whereas on BODY-prime and BuiLDiNG-prime trials the subject's attention was to be shifted because he or she expected the word target to be chosen from a category other than the category represented by the word prime itself (Shift). The word target was an exemplar of either the category the subject expected (Expected) or a category the subject did not expect (Unexpected) and was either semantically related (Related) or semantically unrelated (Unrelated) to the word prime. Thus, there were five different types of word-prime-word-target trials: (a) BiRD-robin (Condition Nonshift-Expected-Related) ; (b) BiRD-arm (Condition Nonshift-Unexpected-Unrelated) ; (c) BODY-door (Condition Shift-Expected-Unrelated) ; (d) BODY-sparrow (Condition Shift-Unexpected-Unrelated); (e) BODYheart (Condition Shift-Unexpected-Related). The stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) between the prime and the target letter string varied between 250 and 2,000 msec. At the 2,000-msec SOA, reaction times (RTs) on BiRD-robin type trials were faster than RTs on xxx-prime trials (a facilitation effect), whereas RTs on BIRDarm type trials were slower than RTs on xxx-prime trials (an inhibition effect). As SOA decreased, the facilitation effect on BiRD-robin trials remained constant, but the inhibition effect on BiRu-arm trials decreased until, at the 250-msec SOA, there was no inhibition. For the Shift conditions at the 2,000-msec SOA, facilitation was obtained on BODY-door type trials and inhibition was obtained on BODY-sparrow type trials. These two effects decreased in magnitude as the SOA decreased until, at the 250-msec SOA, there was no facilitation or inhibition. On BODY-heart type trials, there was an inhibition effect at the 2,000 msec SOA, which decreased as the SOA decreased until, at the 250-msec SOA, it became a facilitation effect. For the nonword targets, the facilitatory effects of the word primes decreased as SOA decreased. These results were regarded as supporting the theory of Posner and Snyder that postulates two distinct components of attention: a fast automatic inhibitionless spreading-activation process and a slow limited-capacity consciousattention mechanism.

Toward an Interactive-Compensatory Model of Individual Differences in the Development of Reading Fluency

1980-01-01

Keith E. Stanovich

INTERACTIVE MODELS OF READING appear to provide a more accurate conceptualization of reading performance than do strictly top-down or bottom-up models. When combined with an assumption of compensatory processing (that … INTERACTIVE MODELS OF READING appear to provide a more accurate conceptualization of reading performance than do strictly top-down or bottom-up models. When combined with an assumption of compensatory processing (that a deficit in any particular process will result in a greater reliance on other knowledge sources, regardless of their level in the processing hierarchy), interactive models provide a better account of the existing data on the use of orthographic structure and sentence context by good and poor readers. A review of the research literature seems to indicate that, beyond the initial stages of reading acquisition, superior reading ability is not associated with a greater tendency to use the redundancy inherent in natural language to speed word recognition. Instead, general comprehension strategies and rapid context-free word recognition appear to be the processes that most clearly distinguish good from poor readers.

Phonological recoding and self-teaching: sine qua non of reading acquisition

1995-05-01

David L. Share

Constructing inferences during narrative text comprehension.

1994-01-01

Arthur C. Graesser , Murray Singer , Tom Trabasso

The authors describe a constructionist theory that accounts for the knowledge-based inferences that are constructed when readers comprehend narrative text. Readers potentially generate a rich variety of inferences when they … The authors describe a constructionist theory that accounts for the knowledge-based inferences that are constructed when readers comprehend narrative text. Readers potentially generate a rich variety of inferences when they construct a referential situation model of what the text is about. The proposed constructionist theory specifies that some, but not all, of this information is constructed under most conditions of comprehension. The distinctive assumptions of the constructionist theory embrace a principle of search (or effort) after meaning. According to this principle, readers attempt to construct a meaning representation that addresses the reader's goals, that is coherent at both local and global levels, and that explains why actions, events, and states are mentioned in the text. This study reviews empirical evidence that addresses this theory and contrasts it with alternative theoretical frameworks.

Reading Senseless Sentences: Brain Potentials Reflect Semantic Incongruity

1980-01-11

Marta Kutas , Steven A. Hillyard

In a sentence reading task, words that occurred out of context were associated with specific types of event-related brain potentials. Words that were physically aberrant (larger than normal) elecited a … In a sentence reading task, words that occurred out of context were associated with specific types of event-related brain potentials. Words that were physically aberrant (larger than normal) elecited a late positive series of potentials, whereas semantically inappropriate words elicited a late negative wave (N400). The N400 wave may be an electrophysiological sign of the "reprocessing" of semantically anomalous information.

Reciprocal Teaching of Comprehension-Fostering and Comprehension-Monitoring Activities

1984-03-01

Annemarie Sullivan Palincsar , Ann L. Brown

Two instructional studies directed at the comprehension-fostering and comprehension-monitoring activities of seventh grade poor comprehenders are reported. The four study activities were summarizing (self-review), questioning, clarifying, and predicting. The training … Two instructional studies directed at the comprehension-fostering and comprehension-monitoring activities of seventh grade poor comprehenders are reported. The four study activities were summarizing (self-review), questioning, clarifying, and predicting. The training method was that of reciprocal teaching, where the tutor and students took turns leading a dialogue centered on pertinent features of the text. In Study 1, a comparison between the reciprocal teaching method and a second intervention modeled on typical classroom practice resulted in greater gains and maintenance over time for the reciprocal procedure. Reciprocal teaching, with an adult model guiding the student to interact with the text in more sophisticated ways, led to a significant improvement in the quality of the summaries and questions. It also led to sizable gains on criterion tests of comprehension, reliable maintenance over time, generalization to classroom comprehension tests, transfer to novel tasks that tapped the trained skills of summarizing, questioning, and clarifying, and improvement in standardized comprehension scores. Many of these results were replicated in Study 2. In contrast to Study 1, which was conducted by an experimenter, Study 2 examined group interventions conducted by volunteer teachers with their existing reading groups.

The architecture of the bilingual word recognition system: From identification to decision

2002-12-01

Ton Dijkstra , Walter J. B. van Heuven

The paper opens with an evaluation of the BIA model of bilingual word recognition in the light of recent empirical evidence. After pointing out problems and omissions, a new model, … The paper opens with an evaluation of the BIA model of bilingual word recognition in the light of recent empirical evidence. After pointing out problems and omissions, a new model, called the BIA+, is proposed. Structurally, this new model extends the old one by adding phonological and semantic lexical representations to the available orthographic ones, and assigns a different role to the so-called language nodes. Furthermore, it makes a distinction between the effects of non-linguistic context (such as instruction and stimulus list composition) and linguistic context (such as the semantic and syntactic effects of sentence context), based on a distinction between the word identification system itself and a task/decision system that regulates control. At the end of the paper, the generalizability of the BIA+ model to different tasks and modalities is discussed.

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Eye movements in reading and information processing: 20 years of research.

1998-01-01

Keith Rayner

Recent studies of eye movements in reading and other information processing tasks, such as music reading, typing, visual search, and scene perception, are reviewed. The major emphasis of the review … Recent studies of eye movements in reading and other information processing tasks, such as music reading, typing, visual search, and scene perception, are reviewed. The major emphasis of the review is on reading as a specific example of cognitive processing. Basic topics discussed with respect to reading are (a) the characteristics of eye movements, (b) the perceptual span, (c) integration of information across saccades, (d) eye movement control, and (e) individual differences (including dyslexia). Similar topics are discussed with respect to the other tasks examined. The basic theme of the review is that eye movement data reflect moment-to-moment cognitive processes in the various tasks examined. Theoretical and practical considerations concerning the use of eye movement data are also discussed.

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Models of reading aloud: Dual-route and parallel-distributed-processing approaches.

1993-10-01

Max Coltheart , Brent Curtis , Paul W. B. Atkins +1 more

It has often been argued that various facts about skilled reading aloud cannot be explained by any model unless that model possesses a dual-route architecture (lexical and nonlexical routes from … It has often been argued that various facts about skilled reading aloud cannot be explained by any model unless that model possesses a dual-route architecture (lexical and nonlexical routes from print to speech). This broad claim has been challenged by Seidenberg and McClelland (1989, 1990). Their model has but a single route from print to speech, yet, they contend, it can account for major facts about reading that have hitherto been claimed to require a dual-route architecture. The authors identify 6 of these major facts about reading. The 1-route model proposed by Seidenberg and McClelland can account for the first of these but not the remaining 5. Because models with dual-route architectures can explain all 6 of these basic facts about reading, the authors suggest that this remains the viable architecture for any tenable model of skilled reading and learning to read. The dual-route cascaded model, a computational version of the dual-route model, is described

The double-deficit hypothesis for the developmental dyslexias.

1999-09-01

Maryanne Wolf , Patricia Greig Bowers

The authors propose an alternative conceptualization of the developmental dyslexias, the double-deficit hypothesis (i.e., phonological deficits and processes underlying naming-speed deficits represent 2 separable sources of reading dysfunction). Data from … The authors propose an alternative conceptualization of the developmental dyslexias, the double-deficit hypothesis (i.e., phonological deficits and processes underlying naming-speed deficits represent 2 separable sources of reading dysfunction). Data from cross-sectional, longitudinal, and cross-linguistic studies are reviewed supporting the presence of 2 single-deficit subtypes with more limited reading impairments and 1 double-deficit subtype with more pervasive and severe impairments. Naming-speed and phonological-awareness variables contribute uniquely to different aspects of reading according to this conception, with a model of visual letter naming illustrating both the multicomponential nature of naming speed and why naming speed Should not be subsumed under phonological processes. Two hypotheses concerning relationships between naming-speed processes and reading are considered. The implications of processing speed as a second core deficit in dyslexia are described for diagnosis and intervention.

DRC: A dual route cascaded model of visual word recognition and reading aloud.

2001-01-01

Max Coltheart , Kathleen Rastle , Conrad Perry +2 more

This article describes the Dual Route Cascaded (DRC) model, a computational model of visual word recognition and reading aloud. The DRC is a computational realization of the dual-route theory of … This article describes the Dual Route Cascaded (DRC) model, a computational model of visual word recognition and reading aloud. The DRC is a computational realization of the dual-route theory of reading, and is the only computational model of reading that can perform the 2 tasks most commonly used to study reading: lexical decision and reading aloud. For both tasks, the authors show that a wide variety of variables that influence human latencies influence the DRC model's latencies in exactly the same way. The DRC model simulates a number of such effects that other computational models of reading do not, but there appear to be no effects that any other current computational model of reading can simulate but that the DRC model cannot. The authors conclude that the DRC model is the most successful of the existing computational models of reading.

Individual differences in working memory and reading

1980-08-01

Meredyth Daneman , Patricia A. Carpenter

A distributed, developmental model of word recognition and naming.

1989-01-01

Mark S. Seidenberg , James L. McClelland

A parallel distributed processing model of visual word recognition and pronunciation is described. The model consists of sets of orthographic and phonological units and an interlevel of hidden units. Weights … A parallel distributed processing model of visual word recognition and pronunciation is described. The model consists of sets of orthographic and phonological units and an interlevel of hidden units. Weights on connections between units were modified during a training phase using the back-propagation learning algorithm. The model simulates many aspects of human performance, including (a) differences between words in terms of processing difficulty, (b) pronunciation of novel items, (c) differences between readers in terms of word recognition skill, (d) transitions from beginning to skilled reading, and (e) differences in performance on lexical decision and naming tasks. The model's behavior early in the learning phase corresponds to that of children acquiring word recognition skills. Training with a smaller number of hidden units produces output characteristic of many dyslexic readers. Naming is simulated without pronunciation rules, and lexical decisions are simulated without accessing word-level representations. The performance of the model is largely determined by three factors: the nature of the input, a significant fragment of written English; the learning rule, which encodes the implicit structure of the orthography in the weights on connections; and the architecture of the system, which influences the scope of what can be learned.

Automatic and effortful processes in memory.

1979-09-01

Lynn Hasher , Rose T. Zacks

The simple view of reading

1990-06-01

Wesley A. Hoover , Philip B. Gough

The Role of interest in Learning and Development

2014-02-04

K. Ann Renninger , Suzanne Hidi , Andreas Krapp

Contents: Part I:General Questions in the Study of Interest. A. Krapp, S. Hidi, K.A. Renninger, Interest, Learning, and Development. J. Valsiner, Interest: A Metatheoretical Perspective. E.L. Deci, The Relation of … Contents: Part I:General Questions in the Study of Interest. A. Krapp, S. Hidi, K.A. Renninger, Interest, Learning, and Development. J. Valsiner, Interest: A Metatheoretical Perspective. E.L. Deci, The Relation of Interest to the Motivation of Behavior: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective. M. Prenzel, The Selective Persistence of Interest. Part II:Individual Interest and Learning in School. J.F. Voss, L. Schauble, Is Interest Educationally Interesting? An Interest-Related Model of Learning. P. Nenniger, Task Motivation: An Interaction Between the Cognitive and Content-Oriented Dimensions in Learning. U. Schiefele, Topic Interest and Levels of Text Comprehension. U. Schiefele, A. Krapp, A. Winteler, Interest as a Predictor of Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis of Research. Part III:Situational Interest (Interestingness). S. Hidi, V. Anderson, Situational Interest and Its Impact on Reading and Expository Writing. R. Garner, R. Brown, S. Sanders, D.J. Menke, Seductive Details and Learning from Text. S.E. Wade, How Interest Affects Learning from Text. Part IV:Special Approaches to Explain Interest Effects. L.L. Shirey, Importance, Interest, and Selective Attention. A. Iran-Nejad, C. Cecil, Interest and Learning: A Biofunctional Perspective. M. Pressley, P.B. El-Dinary, M.B. Marks, R. Brown, S. Stein, Good Strategy Instruction Is Motivating and Interesting. Part V:Developmental Aspects of Individual Interest. K.A. Renninger, Individual Interest and Development: Implications for Theory and Practice. A. Krapp, B. Fink, The Development and Function of Interests During the Critical Transition from Home to Preschool. Part VI:Conclusions. S. Hidi, K.A. Renninger, A. Krapp, The Present State of Interest Research.

Categorizing sounds and learning to read—a causal connection

1983-02-01

Lynette Bradley , Peter Bryant

Toward a model of text comprehension and production.

1978-09-01

Walter Kintsch , Teun A. van Dijk

The semantic structure of texts can be described both at the local microlevel and at a more global macrolevel. A model for text comprehension based on this notion accounts for … The semantic structure of texts can be described both at the local microlevel and at a more global macrolevel. A model for text comprehension based on this notion accounts for the formation of a coherent semantic text base in terms of a cyclical process constrained by limitations of working memory. Furthermore, the model includes macro-operators, whose purpose is to reduce the information in a text base to its gist, that is, the theoretical macrostructure. These operations are under the control of a schema, which is a theoretical formulation of the comprehender's goals. The macroprocesses are predictable only when the control schema can be made explicit. On the production side, the model is concerned with the generation of recall and summarization protocols. This process is partly reproductive and partly constructive, involving the inverse operation of the macro-operators. The model is applied to a paragraph from a psychological research report, and methods for the empirical testing of the model are developed.

Lexical access during sentence comprehension: (Re)consideration of context effects

1979-12-01

David Swinney

Matthew Effects in Reading: Some Consequences of Individual Differences in the Acquisition of Literacy

1986-01-01

Keith E. Stanovich

A framework for conceptualizing the development of individual differences in reading ability is presented that synthesizes a great deal of the research literature. The framework places special emph... A framework for conceptualizing the development of individual differences in reading ability is presented that synthesizes a great deal of the research literature. The framework places special emph...

Foundation literacy acquisition in European orthographies

2003-05-01

Philip H. K. Seymour , Mikko Aro , Jane Erskine

Several previous studies have suggested that basic decoding skills may develop less effectively in English than in some other European orthographies. The origins of this effect in the early (foundation) … Several previous studies have suggested that basic decoding skills may develop less effectively in English than in some other European orthographies. The origins of this effect in the early (foundation) phase of reading acquisition are investigated through assessments of letter knowledge, familiar word reading, and simple nonword reading in English and 12 other orthographies. The results confirm that children from a majority of European countries become accurate and fluent in foundation level reading before the end of the first school year. There are some exceptions, notably in French, Portuguese, Danish, and, particularly, in English. The effects appear not to be attributable to differences in age of starting or letter knowledge. It is argued that fundamental linguistic differences in syllabic complexity and orthographic depth are responsible. Syllabic complexity selectively affects decoding, whereas orthographic depth affects both word reading and nonword reading. The rate of development in English is more than twice as slow as in the shallow orthographies. It is hypothesized that the deeper orthographies induce the implementation of a dual (logographic + alphabetic) foundation which takes more than twice as long to establish as the single foundation required for the learning of a shallow orthography.

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Learning to read and write: A longitudinal study of 54 children from first through fourth grades.

1988-12-01

Connie Juel

My research focused on literacy development in children through fourth grade and followed an earlier study (Juel, Griffith, & Gough, 1986 My research focused on literacy development in children through fourth grade and followed an earlier study (Juel, Griffith, & Gough, 1986

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A capacity theory of comprehension: Individual differences in working memory.

1992-01-01

Marcel Adam Just , Patricia A. Carpenter

A theory of the way working memory capacity constrains comprehension is proposed. The theory proposes that both processing and storage are mediated by activation and that the total amount of … A theory of the way working memory capacity constrains comprehension is proposed. The theory proposes that both processing and storage are mediated by activation and that the total amount of activation available in working memory varies among individuals. Individual differences in working memory capacity for language can account for qualitative and quantitative differences among college-age adults in several aspects of language comprehension. One aspect is syntactic modularity: The larger capacity of some individuals permits interaction among syntactic and pragmatic information, so that their syntactic processes are not informationally encapsulated. Another aspect is syntactic ambiguity: The larger capacity of some individuals permits them to maintain multiple interpretations. The theory is instantiated as a production system model in which the amount of activation available to the model affects how it adapts to the transient computational and storage demands that occur in comprehension.

An interactive activation model of context effects in letter perception: I. An account of basic findings.

1981-09-01

James L. McClelland , David E. Rumelhart

Oral language and code-related precursors to reading: Evidence from a longitudinal structural model.

2002-01-01

Stacey A. Storch , Grover J. Whitehurst

This study examined code-related and oral language precursors to reading in a longitudinal study of 626 children from preschool through 4th grade. Code-related precursors, including print concepts and phonological awareness, … This study examined code-related and oral language precursors to reading in a longitudinal study of 626 children from preschool through 4th grade. Code-related precursors, including print concepts and phonological awareness, and oral language were assessed in preschool and kindergarten. Reading accuracy and reading comprehension skills were examined in 1st through 4th grades. Results demonstrated that (a) the relationship between code-related precursors and oral language is strong during preschool; (b) there is a high degree of continuity over time of both code-related and oral language abilities; (c) during early elementary school, reading ability is predominantly determined by the level of print knowledge and phonological awareness a child brings from kindergarten; and (d) in later elementary school, reading accuracy and reading comprehension appear to be 2 separate abilities that are influenced by different sets of skills.

Reading Ability: Lexical Quality to Comprehension

2007-09-26

Charles A. Perfetti

The lexical quality hypothesis (LQH) claims that variation in the quality of word representations has consequences for reading skill, including comprehension. High lexical quality includes well-specified and partly redundant representations … The lexical quality hypothesis (LQH) claims that variation in the quality of word representations has consequences for reading skill, including comprehension. High lexical quality includes well-specified and partly redundant representations of form (orthography and phonology) and flexible representations of meaning, allowing for rapid and reliable meaning retrieval. Low-quality representations lead to specific word-related problems in comprehension. Six lines of research on adult readers demonstrate some of the implications of the LQH. First, large-scale correlational results show the general interdependence of comprehension and lexical skill while identifying disassociations that allow focus on comprehension-specific skill. Second, word-level semantic processing studies show comprehension skill differences in the time course of form-meaning confusions. Studies of rare vocabulary learning using event-related potentials (ERPs) show that, third, skilled comprehenders learn new words more effectively and show stronger ERP indicators for memory of the word learning event and, fourth, suggest skill differences in the stability of orthographic representations. Fifth, ERP markers show comprehension skill differences in meaning processing of ordinary words. Finally, in text reading, ERP results demonstrate momentary difficulties for low-skill comprehenders in integrating a word with the prior text. The studies provide evidence that word-level knowledge has consequences for word meaning processes in comprehension.

A definition of dyslexia

2003-01-01

G. Reid Lyon , Sally E. Shaywitz , Bennett A. Shaywitz

Child Development and Emergent Literacy

1998-06-01

Graver J. Whitehurst , Christopher J. Lonigan

Emergent literacy consists of the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that are developmental precursors to reading and writing. This article offers a preliminary typology of children's emergent literacy skills, a review … Emergent literacy consists of the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that are developmental precursors to reading and writing. This article offers a preliminary typology of children's emergent literacy skills, a review of the evidence that relates emergent literacy to reading, and a review of the evidence for linkage between children's emergent literacy environments and the development of emergent literacy skills. We propose that emergent literacy consists of at least two distinct domains: inside-out skills (e.g., phonological awareness, letter knowledge) and outside-in skills (e.g., language, conceptual knowledge). These different domains are not the product of the same experiences and appear to be influential at different points in time during reading acquisition. Whereas outside-in skills are associated with those aspects of children's literacy environments typically measured, little is known about the origins of inside-out skills. Evidence from interventions to enhance emergent literacy suggests that relatively intensive and multifaceted interventions are needed to improve reading achievement maximally. A number of successful preschool interventions for outside-in skills exist, and computer-based tasks designed to teach children inside-out skills seem promising. Future research directions include more sophisticated multidimensional examination of emergent literacy skills and environments, better integration with reading research, and longer-term evaluation of preschool interventions. Policy implications for emergent literacy intervention and reading education are discussed.

Specific reading disability (dyslexia): what have we learned in the past four decades?

2004-01-01

Frank R. Vellutino , Jack Μ. Fletcher , Margaret J. Snowling +1 more

We summarize some of the most important findings from research evaluating the hypothesized causes of specific reading disability (‘dyslexia’) over the past four decades. After outlining components of reading ability, … We summarize some of the most important findings from research evaluating the hypothesized causes of specific reading disability (‘dyslexia’) over the past four decades. After outlining components of reading ability, we discuss manifest causes of reading difficulties, in terms of deficiencies in component reading skills that might lead to such difficulties. The evidence suggests that inadequate facility in word identification due, in most cases, to more basic deficits in alphabetic coding is the basic cause of difficulties in learning to read. We next discuss hypothesized deficiencies in reading‐related cognitive abilities as underlying causes of deficiencies in component reading skills. The evidence in these areas suggests that, in most cases, phonological skills deficiencies associated with phonological coding deficits are the probable causes of the disorder rather than visual, semantic, or syntactic deficits, although reading difficulties in some children may be associated with general language deficits. Hypothesized deficits in general learning abilities (e.g., attention, association learning, cross‐modal transfer etc.) and low‐level sensory deficits have weak validity as causal factors in specific reading disability. These inferences are, by and large, supported by research evaluating the biological foundations of dyslexia. Finally, evidence is presented in support of the idea that many poor readers are impaired because of inadequate instruction or other experiential factors. This does not mean that biological factors are not relevant, because the brain and environment interact to produce the neural networks that support reading acquisition. We conclude with a discussion of the clinical implications of the research findings, focusing on the need for enhanced instruction.

Linguistic Interdependence and the Educational Development of Bilingual Children

1979-06-01

James Cummins

The central thesis of this paper is that a cognitively and academically beneficial form of bilingualism can be achieved only on the basis of adequately developed first language (L1) skills. … The central thesis of this paper is that a cognitively and academically beneficial form of bilingualism can be achieved only on the basis of adequately developed first language (L1) skills. Two hypotheses are formulated and combined to arrive at this position. The “developmental interdependence” hypothesis proposes that the development of competence in a second language (L2) is partially a function of the type of competence already developed in L1 at the time when intensive exposure to L2 begins. The “threshold” hypothesis proposes that there may be threshold levels of linguistic competence which a bilingual child must attain both in order to avoid cognitive disadvantages and allow the potentially beneficial aspects of bilingualism to influence his cognitive and academic functioning. These hypotheses are integrated into a model of bilingual education in which educational outcomes are explained as a function of the interaction between background, child input and educational treatment factors. It is suggested that many evaluations of bilingual education programs have produced uninterpretable data because they have failed to incorporate the possibility of these interactions into their research designs.

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Decoding, Reading, and Reading Disability

1986-01-01

Philip B. Gough , William E. Tunmer

To clarify the role of decoding in reading and reading disability, a simple model of reading is proposed, which holds that reading equals the product of decoding and comprehension. It … To clarify the role of decoding in reading and reading disability, a simple model of reading is proposed, which holds that reading equals the product of decoding and comprehension. It follows that there must be three types of reading disability, resulting from an inability to decode, an inability to comprehend, or both. It is argued that the first is dyslexia, the second hyperlexia, and the third common, or garden variety, reading disability.

FREQUENCY EFFECTS IN LANGUAGE PROCESSING

2002-06-01

Nick C. Ellis

This article shows how language processing is intimately tuned to input frequency. Examples are given of frequency effects in the processing of phonology, phonotactics, reading, spelling, lexis, morphosyntax, formulaic language, … This article shows how language processing is intimately tuned to input frequency. Examples are given of frequency effects in the processing of phonology, phonotactics, reading, spelling, lexis, morphosyntax, formulaic language, language comprehension, grammaticality, sentence production, and syntax. The implications of these effects for the representations and developmental sequence of SLA are discussed. Usage-based theories hold that the acquisition of language is exemplar based. It is the piecemeal learning of many thousands of constructions and the frequency-biased abstraction of regularities within them. Determinants of pattern productivity include the power law of practice, cue competition and constraint satisfaction, connectionist learning, and effects of type and token frequency. The regularities of language emerge from experience as categories and prototypical patterns. The typical route of emergence of constructions is from formula, through low-scope pattern, to construction. Frequency plays a large part in explaining sociolinguistic variation and language change. Learners' sensitivity to frequency in all these domains has implications for theories of implicit and explicit learning and their interactions. The review concludes by considering the history of frequency as an explanatory concept in theoretical and applied linguistics, its 40 years of exile, and its necessary reinstatement as a bridging variable that binds the different schools of language acquisition research.

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Joint Book Reading Makes for Success in Learning to Read: A Meta-Analysis on Intergenerational Transmission of Literacy

1995-03-01

Adriana G. Bus , Marinus H. van IJzendoorn , Anthony D. Pellegrini

The current review is a quantitative meta-analysis of the available empirical evidence related to parent-preschooler reading and several outcome measures. In selecting the studies to be included in this meta-analysis, … The current review is a quantitative meta-analysis of the available empirical evidence related to parent-preschooler reading and several outcome measures. In selecting the studies to be included in this meta-analysis, we focused on studies examining the frequency of book reading to preschoolers. The results support the hypothesis that parent-preschooler reading is related to outcome measures such as language growth, emergent literacy, and reading achievement. The overall effect size of d = .59 indicates that book reading explains about 8% of the variance in the outcome measures. The results support the hypothesis that book reading, in particular, affects acquisition of the written language register. The effect of parent-preschooler reading is not dependent on the socioeconomic status of the families or on several methodological differences between the studies. However, the effect seems to become smaller as soon as children become conventional readers and are able to read on their own.

Orienting of Attention

1980-02-01

Michael I. Posner

Reading Acquisition, Developmental Dyslexia, and Skilled Reading Across Languages: A Psycholinguistic Grain Size Theory.

2005-01-01

Johannes C. Ziegler , Usha Goswami

The development of reading depends on phonological awareness across all languages so far studied. Languages vary in the consistency with which phonology is represented in orthography. This results in developmental … The development of reading depends on phonological awareness across all languages so far studied. Languages vary in the consistency with which phonology is represented in orthography. This results in developmental differences in the grain size of lexical representations and accompanying differences in developmental reading strategies and the manifestation of dyslexia across orthographies. Differences in lexical representations and reading across languages leave developmental "footprints" in the adult lexicon. The lexical organization and processing strategies that are characteristic of skilled reading in different orthographies are affected by different developmental constraints in different writing systems. The authors develop a novel theoretical framework to explain these cross-language data, which they label a psycholinguistic grain size theory of reading and its development.

The TRACE model of speech perception

1986-01-01

James L. McClelland , Jeffrey L. Elman

Principles of Language Learning and Teaching

1981-01-01

Alice S. Horning , H. Douglas Brown

Preface to the Fifth Edition Chapter 1 Language, Learning, and Teaching Questions about Second Language Acquisition Learner Characteristics Linguistic Factors Learning Processes Age and Acquisition Instructional Variables Context Purpose Rejoicing … Preface to the Fifth Edition Chapter 1 Language, Learning, and Teaching Questions about Second Language Acquisition Learner Characteristics Linguistic Factors Learning Processes Age and Acquisition Instructional Variables Context Purpose Rejoicing in Our Defeats Language Learning and Teaching Schools of Thought in Second Language Acquisition Structural Linguistics and Behavioral Psychology Generative Linguistics and Cognitive Psychology Constructivism: A Multidisciplinary Approach Nineteen Centuries of Language Teaching Language Teaching in the Twentieth Century Topics and Questions for Study and Discussion Suggested Readings Language Learning Experience: Journal Entry Guidelines for Entry 1 PART I. AGE FACTORS Chapter 2 First Language Acquisition Theories of First Language Acquisition Behavioral Approaches Challenges to Behavioral Approaches The Nativist Approach Challenges to Nativist Approach Functional Approaches Issues in First Language Acquisition Competence and Performance Comprehension and Production Nature or Nurture? Universals Systematicity and Variability Language and Thought Imitation Practice and Frequency Input Discourse First Language Acquisition Insights Applied to Language Teaching Topics and Questions for Study and Discussion Suggested Readings Language Learning Experience: Journal Entry 2 Chapter 3 Age and Acquisition Dispelling Myths Types of Comparison and Contrast The Critical Period Hypothesis Neurobiological Considerations Hemispheric Lateralization Biological Timetables Right-Hemispheric Participation Anthropological Evidence The Significance of Accent Cognitive Considerations Affective Considerations Linguistics Considerations Bilingualism Interference Between First and Second Languages Order of Acquisition Issues in First Language Acquisition Revisited Competence and Performance Comprehension and Production Nature or Nurture? Universals Systematicity and Variability Language and Thought Imitation Practice and Frequency Input Discourse Some Age-and-Acquisition-Inspired Language Teaching Methods Total Physical Response The Natural Approach, 79 Topics and Questions for Study and Discussion Suggested Readings Language Learning Experience: Journal Entry 3 PART II. PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS Chapter 4 Human Learning Learning and Training Pavlov's Classical Behaviorism Skinner's Operant Conditioning Ausubel's Subsumption Theory Rote vs. Meaningful Learning Systematic Forgetting Rogers's Humanistic Psychology Types of Learning Transfer, Interference, and Overgeneralization Inductive and Deductive Reasoning Language Aptitude Intelligence and Language Learning Learning Theories in Action: Two Language Teaching Methods in Contrast The Audiolingual Method Community Language Learning Topics and Questions for Study and Discussion Suggested Readings Language Learning Experience: Journal Entry 4 Chapter 5 Styles and Strategies Process, Style, and Strategy Learning Styles Field Independence Left- and Right-Brain Dominance Ambiguity Tolerance Reflectivity and Impulsivity Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic Styles Autonomy, Awareness and Action Strategies Learning Strategies Communication Strategies Avoidance Strategies Compensatory Strategies Strategies-Based Instruction Identifying Learners' Styles and Strategies Incorporating SBI into the Language Classroom Stimulating Strategic Action Beyond the Classroom Topics and Questions for Study and Discussion Suggested Readings Language Learning Experience: Journal Entry 5 Chapter 6 Personality Factors The Affective Domain Affective Factors in Second Language Acquisition Self-Esteem Attribution Theory and Self-Efficacy Willingness to Communicate Inhibition Risk-Taking Anxiety Empathy Extroversion Motivation Theories of Motivation Instrumental and Integrative Orientations Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation The Neurobiology of Affect Personality Types and Language Acquisition Measuring Affective Factors Intrinsic Motivation in the Classroom Topics and Questions for Study and Discussion Suggested Readings Language Learning Experience: Journal Entry PART III. SOCIOCULTURAL FACTORS Chapter 7 Sociocultural Factors Culture Definitions and Theories Stereotypes or Generalizations? Attitudes Second Culture Acquisition Social Distance Teaching Intercultural Competance Language Policy and Politics World Englishes ESL and EFL Linguistic Imperialism and Language Rights Language Policy and the English Only Debate Language, Thought, and Culture Framing Our Conceptual Universe The Whorfian Hypothesis Culture in the Language Classroom Topics and Questions for Study and Discussion Suggested Readings Language Learning Experience: Journal Entry 7 Chapter 8 Communicative Competence Defining Communicative Competence Language Functions Halliday's Seven Functions of Language Functional Approaches to Language Teaching Discourse Analysis Conversation Analysis Corpus Linguistics Contrastive Rhetoric Pragmatics Sociopragmatics and Pragmalinguistics Language and Gender Discourse Styles Nonverbal Communication Kinesics Eye Contact Proxemics Artifacts Kinesthetics Olfactory Dimensions CC in the Classroom: CLT and Task-Based Teaching Communicative Language Teaching Task-Based Instruction Topics and Questions for Study and Discussion Suggested Readings Language Learning Experience: Journal Entry 8 PART IV. LINGUISTIC FACTORS Chapter 9 Cross-Linguistic Influential and Learner Language The Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis From the CAH to CLI Markedness and Universal Grammar Learner Language Error Analysis Mistakes and Errors Errors in Error Analysis Identifying and Describing Errors Sources of Error Interlingual Transfer Intralingual Transfer Context of Learning Communication Strategies Stages of Learner Language Development Variation in Learner Language Fossilization or Stabilization? Errors in the Classroom: A Brief History Form-Focused Instruction Categories of Error Treatment Effectiveness of FFI Topics and Questions for Study and Discussion Suggested Readings Language Learning Experience: Journal Entry 9 Chapter 10 Toward a Theory of Second Language Acquisition Building a Theory of SLA Domains and Generalizations Hypotheses and Claims Criteria for a Viable Theory Hot Topics in SLA Research Explicit and Implicit Learning Awareness Input and Output Frequency An Innatist Model: Krashen's Input Hypothesis Five Hypotheses Evaluations of the Five Hypotheses The Output Hypothesis Cognitive Models McLaughlin's Attention-Processing Model Implicit and Explicit Models A Social Constructivist Model: Long's Interactive Hypothesis Out on a Limb: A Light-Hearted Horticultural Theory of SLA From Theory to Practice A Reciprocal Relationship, Not a Dichotomy Suggestions for Theory Building The Believing Game and the Doubting Game The Art and Science of SLA The Role of Intuition Topics and Questions for Study and Discussion Suggested Readings Language Learning Experience: Final Journal Entry Bibliography Glossary Index

A theory of reading: From eye fixations to comprehension.

1980-01-01

Marcel Adam Just , Patricia A. Carpenter

This article presents a model of reading comprehension that accounts for the allocation of eye fixations of college students reading scientific passages. The model deals with processing at the level … This article presents a model of reading comprehension that accounts for the allocation of eye fixations of college students reading scientific passages. The model deals with processing at the level of words, clauses, and text units. Readers make longer pauses at points where processing loads are greater. Greater loads occur while readers are accessing infrequent words, integrating information from important clauses, and making inferences at the ends of sentences. The model accounts forthe gaze duration on each word of text as a function of the involvement of the various levels of processing. The model is embedded in a theoretical framework capable of accommodating the flexibility of reading.

Understanding normal and impaired word reading: Computational principles in quasi-regular domains.

1996-01-01

David C. Plaut , James L. McClelland , Mark S. Seidenberg +1 more

A connectionist approach to processing in quasi-regular domains, as exemplified by English word reading, is developed. Networks using appropriately structured orthographic and phonological representations were trained to read both regular … A connectionist approach to processing in quasi-regular domains, as exemplified by English word reading, is developed. Networks using appropriately structured orthographic and phonological representations were trained to read both regular and exception words, and yet were also able to read pronounceable nonwords as well as skilled readers. A mathematical analysis of a simplified system clarifies the close relationship of word frequency and spelling-sound consistency in influencing naming latencies. These insights were verified in subsequent simulations, including an attractor network that accounted for latency data directly in its time to settle on a response. Further analyses of the ability of networks to reproduce data on acquired surface dyslexia support a view of the reading system that incorporates a graded division of labor between semantic and phonological processes, and contrasts in important ways with the standard dual-route account.

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Category norms of verbal items in 56 categories A replication and extension of the Connecticut category norms.

1969-06-01

William F. Battig , William E. Montague

Parental Involvement in the Development of Children’s Reading Skill: A Five‐Year Longitudinal Study

2002-03-01

Monique Sénéchal , Jo‐Anne LeFevre

This article presents the findings of the final phase of a 5‐year longitudinal study with 168 middle‐ and upper middle‐class children in which the complex relations among early home literacy … This article presents the findings of the final phase of a 5‐year longitudinal study with 168 middle‐ and upper middle‐class children in which the complex relations among early home literacy experiences, subsequent receptive language and emergent literacy skills, and reading achievement were examined. Results showed that children’s exposure to books was related to the development of vocabulary and listening comprehension skills, and that these language skills were directly related to children’s reading in grade 3. In contrast, parent involvement in teaching children about reading and writing words was related to the development of early literacy skills. Early literacy skills directly predicted word reading at the end of grade 1 and indirectly predicted reading in grade 3. Word reading at the end of grade 1 predicted reading comprehension in grade 3. Thus, the various pathways that lead to fluent reading have their roots in different aspects of children’s early experiences.

Working Memory

1992-01-31

Alan Baddeley

The term working memory refers to a brain system that provides temporary storage and manipulation of the information necessary for such complex cognitive tasks as language comprehension, learning, and reasoning. … The term working memory refers to a brain system that provides temporary storage and manipulation of the information necessary for such complex cognitive tasks as language comprehension, learning, and reasoning. This definition has evolved from the concept of a unitary short-term memory system. Working memory has been found to require the simultaneous storage and processing of information. It can be divided into the following three subcomponents: (i) the central executive, which is assumed to be an attentional-controlling system, is important in skills such as chess playing and is particularly susceptible to the effects of Alzheimer's disease; and two slave systems, namely (ii) the visuospatial sketch pad, which manipulates visual images and (iii) the phonological loop, which stores and rehearses speech-based information and is necessary for the acquisition of both native and second-language vocabulary.

A crowding free digital interface to help French-speaking children learn to read

2025-06-25

Viet Chau Linh Nguyen , Guillaume Lio , Thomas Perret +2 more | PLoS ONE

Learning to read is a challenging task for first-graders. Letter crowding in the peripheral visual field has been identified as a key interference process during reading acquisition. To reduce crowding … Learning to read is a challenging task for first-graders. Letter crowding in the peripheral visual field has been identified as a key interference process during reading acquisition. To reduce crowding and enhance selective attention, we designed a new way to read (Digit-tracking) in which words and sentences appear blurred. By sliding the index finger along the blurred text, the letters just above the finger position appear unblurred and are seen in foveal vision. We hypothesized that this approach might facilitate orthographic decoding and promote reading skills. Using a tablet device, two groups of first-grade children (N = 54) were trained on digit-tracking exercises and paper exercises using a crossover design. Results showed that performance in letter, syllable and meaningless text-reading was significantly higher after digit-tracking training compared to paper-based training. Using the recorded finger trajectories as a proxy for eye movements, we found that text scanning patterns (saccade length, landing position, regressive saccades) predicted children’s decoding and fluency. We conclude that training with the digit-tracking procedure accelerates decoding and reading fluency in school beginners and may provide a sensitive metric of reading competence.

Predictive validity of early and mid-year literacy assessments for end-of-year word reading fluency

2025-06-25

Saeed S. Alqahtani | PLoS ONE

This study explores the predictive validity of early and mid-year literacy assessments—Letter Naming Fluency (LNF), Letter Sound Fluency (LSF), and Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF)—for end-of-year Word Reading Fluency (WRF) in … This study explores the predictive validity of early and mid-year literacy assessments—Letter Naming Fluency (LNF), Letter Sound Fluency (LSF), and Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF)—for end-of-year Word Reading Fluency (WRF) in kindergarten and grade 1 Arabic-speaking students. Using a longitudinal design, 412 students were assessed at three intervals (fall, mid-year, and year-end) to examine how these foundational literacy skills contribute to predicting WRF and identifying at-risk readers. Results from multiple regression analyses indicate that both LNF and LSF are significant predictors of end-of-year WRF across both fall and mid-year assessments, with mid-year measures demonstrating enhanced predictive accuracy. In contrast, PSF showed limited predictive value in comparison to LNF and LSF. Accuracy analyses revealed that mid-year assessments, particularly LNF and LSF, were more reliable in identifying at-risk students compared to fall assessments. Mid-year assessments correctly identified 64–73% of at-risk readers, emphasizing their value in early detection and intervention. These findings underline the importance of dynamic, multi-point assessments in improving educational practices and outcomes, particularly for students at risk of reading difficulties. The study highlights the critical role of foundational literacy skills in early reading development and provides actionable insights to enhance intervention strategies during key stages of literacy acquisition.

OrthoKnow-SP: A Large-Scale Dataset on Orthographic Knowledge and Spelling Decisions in Spanish Adults

2025-06-24

Jon Andoni Duñabeitia | Data

Orthographic knowledge is a critical component of skilled language use, yet its large-scale behavioral signatures remain understudied in Spanish. To address this gap, we developed OrthoKnow-SP, a megastudy that captures … Orthographic knowledge is a critical component of skilled language use, yet its large-scale behavioral signatures remain understudied in Spanish. To address this gap, we developed OrthoKnow-SP, a megastudy that captures spelling decisions from 27,185 native Spanish-speaking adults who completed an 80-item forced-choice task. Each trial required selecting the correctly spelled word from a pair comprising a real word and a pseudohomophone foil that preserved pronunciation while violating the correct graphemic representation. The stimuli targeted six high-confusability contrasts in Spanish orthography. We recorded response accuracy and reaction times for over 2.17 million trials, alongside demographic and device metadata. Results show robust variability across items and individuals, with item-level metrics closely aligned with independent norms of word prevalence. A composite difficulty index integrating speed and accuracy further allowed fine-grained item ranking. The dataset provides the first population-scale norms of Spanish spelling difficulty, capturing regional and generational diversity absent from traditional lab-based studies. Public release of OrthoKnow-SP enables new research on the cognitive and demographic factors shaping orthographic decisions, and provides educators, clinicians, and developers with a valuable benchmark for assessing spelling competence and modeling written language processing.

Learning Words Orthographically Enhances Subsequent Word Processing During Sentence Reading: Extending the Visual Word Learning Advantage

2025-06-24

Sarah S. Hughes-Berheim , Spyridoula Cheimariou , John Shelley-Tremblay +4 more | Scientific Studies of Reading

ADDRESSING WORD SPELLING DIFFICULTIES AMONG GRADE 1 LEARNERS: EFFECTIVENESS OF TARGETED SPELLING INTERVENTIONS

2025-06-24

Angelica Arecto , Ma. Monica R. Gamueta , Deveyvon L. Espinosa +4 more | EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR)

The purpose of this study was to identify the effectiveness of targeted intervention to address the word spelling difficulties faced by Grade 1 learners at Sto. Tomas Central Elementary School … The purpose of this study was to identify the effectiveness of targeted intervention to address the word spelling difficulties faced by Grade 1 learners at Sto. Tomas Central Elementary School SPED Center, Tibal-og, Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte, Philippines. The study aimed to determine the student’s level of word spelling difficulties based on their scores on the pre-test and posttest assessment. Using a quantitative descriptive method with interviews, the study assessed the student’s progress in word spelling difficulties and their insights about the effectiveness of the targeted intervention. Thirty-eight Grade 1- Tisa students participated in pre-test and post-test assessment using PAT Spelling Skills assessment, and seven participated in in-depth interviews. A researcher-designed pre-test and post-test were used to measure students’ spelling proficiency before and after the intervention. Pre-test results indicated that the participants demonstrated below-grade-level proficiency in spelling. After the implementation of the S.C.O.R.E.S., students' post-test scores improved significantly. A paired sample t-test revealed a statistically significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores, t (27) = 21.1, p < .001, indicating a substantial gain in spelling skills. Moreover, the study demonstrates the effectiveness of the targeted intervention in enhancing learner’s word spelling difficulties; interactive and engaging methods, such as spelling bee, coordination with pictures, ordering sound, relay time traveler, engage with letter blocks and spell with sidewalk chalk. The pre-test results revealed that the students' spelling difficulties were below the expected level, indicating very low proficiency. However, the post-test scores showed a marked improvement, with the students' scores rising after implementing the intervention. Keywords: Spelling Difficulties, Targeted Intervention, Quantitative-Descriptive, Respondents Philippines

Asymmetrical cognate facilitation effects: the orthographic depth hypothesis revisited in bi-script readers

2025-06-24

Xin Wang , Junmin Li | Bilingualism Language and Cognition

Abstract Visual word recognition is constrained by writing systems. The orthographic depth hypothesis (ODH) was proposed to account for phonological activation in various degrees depending on how transparent the grapheme–phoneme … Abstract Visual word recognition is constrained by writing systems. The orthographic depth hypothesis (ODH) was proposed to account for phonological activation in various degrees depending on how transparent the grapheme–phoneme conversion rule is in a writing system. This current study extends the investigation of ODH in bilingualism to understand the cross-language cognitive processes in bi-script readers. In two cross-language masked priming experiments, we show asymmetrical cognate facilitation effects, which are typically reported as a result of shared phonology and/or orthography between languages, in addition to meaning equivalence. That is, with the same set of items, when the primes were Chinese and the targets English (Experiment 1), there was no cognate facilitation effect; however, when we switched the languages in prime–target pairs (Experiment 2), the cognate facilitation effects emerged. These results indicate that shared phonology across languages is not sufficient to induce cognate facilitation effects and that language-dependent processing mechanisms play a crucial role.

Does reading still make you smarter? It depends

2025-06-24

Ivar Bråten , Oscar Skovdahl , Øistein Anmarkrud +1 more | Reading and Writing

Abstract The aim of this path-analytic study was to compare the predictability of reading experience operationalized as author recognition with the predictability of reading experience operationalized as the recognition of … Abstract The aim of this path-analytic study was to compare the predictability of reading experience operationalized as author recognition with the predictability of reading experience operationalized as the recognition of different types of websites for students’ verbal ability. Additionally, we investigated whether these measures predicted students’ verbal ability not only directly but also indirectly via their reading comprehension skills. As relevant control variables, we included students’ word recognition skills and their attitude toward reading. Results showed a direct positive effect of reading comprehension skills on verbal ability. There were also direct positive effects of reading experience operationalized as author recognition and reading experience operationalized as recognition of websites with news and cultural content on verbal ability. Thus, the better participants’ reading comprehension skills and the more experience they had reading books in print and news and cultural content on the web, the higher their verbal ability scores. Reading experience operationalized as author recognition and reading experience operationalized as recognition of websites with news and cultural content also had direct positive effects on reading comprehension, and author recognition had an indirect positive effect on verbal ability via reading comprehension. The recognition of websites with entertainment and social media content did not have any direct or indirect effects on verbal ability. These results suggest that experiences with reading printed books and websites containing news and cultural content may promote both reading comprehension skills and verbal ability, whereas web-based reading experiences with entertainment and social media content may not have such positive cognitive consequences

Early Literacy Skills and L2 Writing Development in Emergent Bilinguals: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study

2025-06-24

Melike Ünal Gezer , L. Quentin Dixon , Yunkyeong Choi +2 more | Early Education and Development

Comparing phonological processing contributions to reading across orthographic depth: Urdu-English biscriptal bilinguals

2025-06-24

Insiya Bhalloo , Xi Chen , Monika Molnar | Reading and Writing

Improving Reading and Eye Movement Control in Readers with Oculomotor and Visuo-Attentional Deficits

2025-06-23

Stéphanie Ducrot , Bernard Lété , Marie Vernet +2 more | Journal of Eye Movement Research

The initial saccade of experienced readers tends to land halfway between the beginning and the middle of words, at a position originally referred to as the preferred viewing location (PVL). … The initial saccade of experienced readers tends to land halfway between the beginning and the middle of words, at a position originally referred to as the preferred viewing location (PVL). This study investigated whether a simple physical manipulation—namely, increasing the saliency (brightness or color) of the letter located at the PVL—can positively influence saccadic targeting strategies and optimize reading performance. An eye-movement experiment was conducted with 25 adults and 24 s graders performing a lexical decision task. Results showed that this manipulation had no effect on initial landing positions in proficient readers, who already landed most frequently at the PVL, suggesting that PVL saliency is irrelevant once automatized saccade targeting routines are established. In contrast, the manipulation shifted the peak of the landing site distribution toward the PVL for a cluster of readers with immature saccadic strategies (with low reading-level scores and ILPs close to the beginning of words), but only in the brightness condition, and had a more compelling effect in a cluster with oculomotor instability (with flattened and diffuse landing position curves along with oculomotor and visuo-attentional deficits). These findings suggest that guiding the eyes toward the PVL may offer a novel way to improve reading efficiency, particularly for individuals with oculomotor and visuo-attentional difficulties.

The Link Between Vision and Reading: A Language-agnostic Window into Heterogeneity in Early Reading Development

2025-06-23

Mahalakshmi Ramamurthy , Klint Kanopka , Julian M Siebert +7 more | Research Square (Research Square)

<title>Abstract</title> Despite decades of research, the role of visual processing in learning to read remains contested—largely due to small, homogenous samples and the lack of reliable tools to capture the … <title>Abstract</title> Despite decades of research, the role of visual processing in learning to read remains contested—largely due to small, homogenous samples and the lack of reliable tools to capture the true heterogeneity of reading development. In this study, we administered theory-driven, carefully validated measures of rapid visual processing to a large, socioeconomically and linguistically diverse cohort of kindergarten and first-grade children in California public schools (N ~ 1200). These visual measures proved to be equitable —performance did not vary by home language or socioeconomic status— and independently accounted for 12–18% of the variance in reading outcomes. They were also important predictors of reading risk at year-end and a year- later. Latent profile analysis revealed subgroups invisible to traditional screeners: children with strong language but poor visual skills who later struggled to read, and children with visual strengths who outperformed expectations despite phonological weaknesses. Integrating measures of rapid visual processing into early screening offers a promising path forward, towards more equitable, personalized interventions and a deeper understanding of early reading development.

Language Dominance and the School Readiness of Preschool-Age Spanish-English Dual Language Learners

2025-06-22

Dana Bitetti , Curtis C. D. Vail , Lisa M. López +1 more | Early Education and Development

Empowering reading decoding through training rapid automatised naming (RAN) in primary school: insights on methods and underpinning processes

2025-06-21

Viola Margheri , Andrea Frascari , Giulia Baiocchini +3 more | Reading and Writing

Okul Öncesi Öğretmenlerinin Erken Okuryazarlık Bilgisi ile Disleksi Bilgisi Arasındaki İlişki

2025-06-21

Yakup BURAK , Cihan Sert , Büşra Koç Çınar +2 more | Yaşam Becerileri Psikoloji Dergisi

Bu araştırmada okul öncesi öğretmenlerinin erken okuryazarlık bilgileri ile disleksi bilgileri arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu 144 okul öncesi öğretmeni (%94,4 kadın, %5,6 erkek, max/min yaş: 58- 22) … Bu araştırmada okul öncesi öğretmenlerinin erken okuryazarlık bilgileri ile disleksi bilgileri arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu 144 okul öncesi öğretmeni (%94,4 kadın, %5,6 erkek, max/min yaş: 58- 22) oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmada Demografik Bilgi Formu, Erken Okuryazarlık Bilgi Testi, Disleksi Bilgi ve İnanç Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Çalışmada Pearson Korelasyon ve Çoklu Doğrusal Regresyon analizi kullanılmıştır. Çalışma bulgusundan elde edilen sonuca göre okul öncesi öğretmenlerin erken okuryazarlığa yönelik bilgisi ile disleksiye ilişkin bilgisi arasında anlamlı bir ilişki olduğu saptanmıştır. Okul öncesi öğretmenlerinin disleksi bilgi düzeylerini erken okuryazarlık bilgileri olumlu yönde açıkladığı belirlenmiştir. Araştırmada; öğretmenlerin disleksi genel bilgilerini erken okuryazarlık bilgileri yaklaşık olarak %17’sini açıkladığı, disleksi tanıya ilişkin bilgilerini erken okuryazarlık bilgileri yaklaşık olarak %8’ini açıkladığı, disleksi tedaviye ilişkin bilgilerini ise erken okuryazarlık bilgileri yaklaşık olarak %17’sini açıkladığı bulunmuştur. Araştırmanın sonuçlarından yola çıkılarak son bölümde yapılan yorum ve tartışmalar neticesinde Eğitim fakülteleri ders içeriklerine, araştırmacılara ve öğretmenlere yönelik önerilerde bulunulmuştur.

A cross-age odyssey of cognitive reading attributes: a scoping review

2025-06-20

Muhamad Firdaus Mohd Noh , Mohd Effendi Ewan Mohd Matore , Nur Ainil Sulaiman | Frontiers in Psychology

Reading is a fundamental cognitive-linguistic process that involves the dynamic interaction of multiple interrelated cognitive and perceptual mechanisms. Existing reading models are often limited in fully capturing the intricate relationships … Reading is a fundamental cognitive-linguistic process that involves the dynamic interaction of multiple interrelated cognitive and perceptual mechanisms. Existing reading models are often limited in fully capturing the intricate relationships between reading attributes across different age groups. This review aims to compare the cognitive attributes utilized in reading assessments for young and adult readers. Using a scoping review methodology, the study analyzed 47 empirical studies selected through a systematic search of reputable academic databases, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, from an initial pool of 331 publications. The selection followed a screening process based on three inclusion and exclusion criteria: types of publications, language, and skills assessed. A distinctive pattern emerges in the assessment of cognitive reading skills across age groups, with adult readers evaluated on a wider array of attributes that encompass both fundamental skills and higher order cognitive abilities. In contrast, young readers' assessments tend to center on a narrower spectrum of subskills, primarily emphasizing literal and interpretive comprehension. This developmental pattern calls for the refinement of existing assessment models to better capture the progressive nature of cognitive reading development. Tailoring assessment tools and instructional strategies to align with learners' cognitive demands is imperative for internal stakeholders, while external stakeholders are urged to develop age-appropriate assessments. Future research could address the study's limitations by exploring advanced technologies, such as eye tracking, conducting rigorous reviews, performing cross-linguistic comparative studies, and evaluating diverse assessment methods to enhance the accuracy, effectiveness, and generalizability of reading assessments across various contexts.

Parental stress and children’s long-term vocabulary and decoding abilities: A contextual explanatory model

2025-06-20

Joana Acha , Florencia Barreto‐Zarza , Patricia Macía +1 more | European Journal of Psychology of Education

Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Chinese Reading Strategy Scale (CRSS): A Bifactor Analysis

2025-06-19

Na Liu , Mingren Zhao , Rui Jin | Psychology in the Schools

ABSTRACT Empirical research has extensively used the reading strategy scales to explore English reading strategies within the Chinese context. However, there is a lack of studies examining the reading strategies … ABSTRACT Empirical research has extensively used the reading strategy scales to explore English reading strategies within the Chinese context. However, there is a lack of studies examining the reading strategies used by Chinese students in their native language (L1). Considering the differences between Chinese logographic characters and alphabetic English scripts, Chinese readers may employ distinctive strategies. To fill this gap, this study used the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and multigroup CFA (MCFA) to examine the factor structure and measurement invariance of the Chinese version of the Reading Strategy Scale (RSS; Grabe and Stoller). The assessment data involved 379 students from an urban public middle school in southern China. The results showed that compared with the one‐factor model, three‐factor model, and second‐order model, the bifactor model better represented the Chinese RSS's (CRSS) structure in terms of significant Chi‐square () test and smaller AIC, BIC, and RMSEA values. Also, measurement invariance across genders and student grade levels was established. These findings support a bifactor conceptualization of the CRSS and demonstrate its invariance across genders and grade levels. Therefore, CRSS can be used as a valid and reliable instrument for measuring three domains of Chinese secondary students' self‐reported reading strategies. The educational implications for research and practice are discussed.

Experimental impacts of a large-scale book giveaway intervention on parental literacy education beliefs

2025-06-18

Si Chen , Shiyao Liu , Catherine E. Snow | Contemporary Educational Psychology

Enhancing word recognition skills in English (FL) and Arabic (L1) through transfer effect: an intervention study

2025-06-18

Noureddine Atouf , Elsayed Issa | Frontiers in Psychology

Introduction The extant experimental study measured the effect of a reading training on developing word recognition skills in English (the foreign language, FL) and Arabic (the first language, L1). Methods … Introduction The extant experimental study measured the effect of a reading training on developing word recognition skills in English (the foreign language, FL) and Arabic (the first language, L1). Methods Forty-five participants were selectively allocated to two groups: experimental (n = 25) and control (n = 20). The participants took an online lexical decision task before and after the intervention. The English measures took cognizance of frequency, regularity, and word length, while vowelization marked the Arabic stimuli. To check causality, we fitted four multilevel models to track down the improvement in accuracy and reading times (RTs) based on the interaction of fixed effects (group and time) and random effects (each individual's responses). Results The English model's results revealed a statistically significant and positive interaction between the experimental group and post-accuracy rates. Post-reading times, though slightly changed, remained significant compared to the control group. The results of the Arabic models suggested a nuanced difference in the experimental group's performance. Discussion The findings revealed compelling insights into the adjustment of processing strategies, namely phonological and orthographic processing skills, to gain lexical access in English and Arabic. The study implicates the import of experimenting with new pedagogical approaches, i.e., reading interventions, to enhance cognitive reading skills among adult learners.

Morphological Awareness: Connecting Language Foundations and Academic Literacy Success for Students With Language and Literacy Deficits

2025-06-18

Laura Green , Julie A. Wolter | Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools

Purpose: For school-age students with language and literacy deficits (LLD), such as those with developmental language disorder (DLD) and/or dyslexia, literacy challenges can affect reading comprehension, written language, and overall … Purpose: For school-age students with language and literacy deficits (LLD), such as those with developmental language disorder (DLD) and/or dyslexia, literacy challenges can affect reading comprehension, written language, and overall academic success. Researchers have established that instruction in morphological awareness, especially with a phonological, orthographic, semantic, and syntactic focus, results in positive reading and writing outcomes. The purpose of this clinical focus article is to provide evidence for a multilinguistic literacy intervention approach grounded in morphological awareness, along with a case-based tutorial for its implementation in a relevant academic context. Method: Focusing on the morphological meaning components within words provides an ideal opportunity to reflect on how these units provide clues and support to other linked language components such as phonology or word pronunciation, orthographic spelling, semantic meaning, and syntactic grammar. A discussion is provided for leveraging morphological awareness across a multilinguistic literacy intervention approach to connect foundational linguistic knowledge and bridge strategy, meaning, and purpose. We address how this intervention can be integrated with a classroom curricular unit and implemented via individual, small-group, or classroom-based intervention using a case-based example. Conclusions: Morphological awareness intervention has been found to be effective in supporting the vocabulary, decoding, spelling, and reading comprehension of students with LLD. Thus, infusing this metalinguistic strategy in multilinguistic literacy intervention that integrates academically relevant texts can be a powerful tool for speech-language pathologists and literacy specialists to support the literacy success of students with DLD and/or dyslexia.

Words In Context: A Mixed Methods Description of an Early Elementary Comprehensive Vocabulary Building Program

2025-06-18

Cherrynn Kast Black , A. Waters | Reading Psychology

Is the Prosodic Structure of Texts Reflected in Silent Reading? An Eye-Tracking Corpus Analysis

2025-06-18

Marijan Palmović , Kristina Cergol | Journal of Eye Movement Research

The aim of this study was to test the Implicit Prosody Hypothesis using a reading corpus, i.e., a text without experimental manipulation labelled with eye-tracking parameters. For this purpose, a … The aim of this study was to test the Implicit Prosody Hypothesis using a reading corpus, i.e., a text without experimental manipulation labelled with eye-tracking parameters. For this purpose, a bilingual Croatian-English reading corpus was analysed. In prosodic terms, Croatian and English are at the opposite ends of the spectrum: English is considered a time-framed language, while Croatian is a syllable-framed language. This difference served as a kind of experimental control in this study on natural reading. The results show that readers' eyes lingered more on stressed syllables than on the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables for both languages. This is especially pronounced for English, a language with greater differences in the duration of stressed and unstressed syllables. This study provides indirect evidence in favour of the Implicit Prosody Hypothesis, i.e., the idea that readers are guided by their inner voice with its suprasegmental features when reading silently. The differences between the languages can be traced back to the typological differences in stress in English and Croatian.

Gender and Number Agreement by Spanish Heritage and Second Language Children in Dual Immersion

2025-06-17

Ana María Fernández Dobao , Julia Herschensohn , Stefana Vukadinovich +1 more | Heritage Language Journal

Abstract This study examines number and gender concord in the nominal domain by heritage ( HL ) and second language (L2) children in Spanish-English dual language immersion ( DLI ). … Abstract This study examines number and gender concord in the nominal domain by heritage ( HL ) and second language (L2) children in Spanish-English dual language immersion ( DLI ). Participants were 36 HL and 90 L2 children in their 5th and 6th year of DLI and 55 age-matched control children from a Spanish-majority environment. All children completed the same spontaneous written production task. Results indicate that Spanish HL children retained their crib-learned nominal concord, as demonstrated in ceiling scores for number agreement and noun-adjective gender matching. However, some gender instability in determiner selection persisted. L2 children showed mastery of number agreement but significantly lower accuracy than control children in gender assignment and agreement measures. HL and L2 children had difficulties with both masculine and feminine nouns, and canonical and non-canonical ending nouns. Despite differences between groups, overall accuracy levels above chance confirm the benefits of DLI for L2 acquisition and HL maintenance and development.

Editorial: Experimental approaches to the acquisition of information structure

2025-06-17

Tamara García Leal , Bradley Hoot , Stavros Skopeteas +2 more | Frontiers in Psychology

Comparison of the effects of single- and multicomponent reading instructions on phonological awareness and reading skills for children with intellectual disability in Sweden

2025-06-17

Lisa Palmqvist , Emil Holmer , Jenny Samuelsson +4 more | Disability and Rehabilitation Assistive Technology

Full social participation requires literacy. However, students with intellectual disability (ID) often face significant barriers to accessing effective and inclusive reading education. This study investigated literacy skill development in beginning … Full social participation requires literacy. However, students with intellectual disability (ID) often face significant barriers to accessing effective and inclusive reading education. This study investigated literacy skill development in beginning readers diagnosed with mild, moderate, and severe ID in need of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The 123 participating Swedish students were assigned to one of four groups. Three groups received digital reading instructions implemented by the teachers of the students in everyday schoolwork. Two groups practiced a single-component reading strategy (phonics-based or comprehension-based), and one group practiced a multicomponent reading strategy (both phonics-based and comprehension-based). The fourth group received teaching-as-usual. Literacy skills were assessed on four occasions, and the developmental trajectory was compared between the groups. The results indicated that literacy skills improved over time. Furthermore, the multicomponent strategy indicated a steeper trajectory in phonological awareness compared to the other groups. Therefore, the findings suggest that varied reading instruction may support the improvement of pre-literacy skills in beginning readers with an ID diagnosis and who have a need for AAC. However, limitations in the adherence to the intervention procedure encourage future studies to further compare the effects of single- and multicomponent reading instructions. Possible implications are discussed for reading instruction for students with ID and communicative disabilities.

Contribution of executive functions to reading comprehension in bilingual and monolingual 3rd grade children

2025-06-17

Liran Kilim , Anat Prior | Journal of Experimental Child Psychology

Electronic differentiated instruction as a remedial strategy to enhance the reading skills of frustration-level readers

2025-06-17

Bon Eric A. Besonia , Julie Anne S. Arabia , Regine P. Babas +7 more | International Journal of ADVANCED AND APPLIED SCIENCES

This study examines the effectiveness of electronically differentiated instruction as a support strategy to improve the reading skills of students who struggle with reading. An experimental design was used, involving … This study examines the effectiveness of electronically differentiated instruction as a support strategy to improve the reading skills of students who struggle with reading. An experimental design was used, involving 100 Grade 7 students identified as frustration-level readers using the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI). These students were randomly divided into a control group and an experimental group. The experimental group received electronically differentiated instruction, while the control group received traditional reading instruction. For two months, the intervention used digital tools such as mobile apps, interactive videos, and gamified presentations. Pre-test results showed that both groups were at the frustration level. After the intervention, both groups improved to the instructional level, but the experimental group achieved significantly higher and more consistent reading scores. The findings suggest that electronically differentiated instruction can provide personalized, interactive, and flexible learning experiences that meet individual student needs. The study recommends including this approach in literacy programs to improve reading skills and suggests combining it with traditional methods for better results. Future studies should examine its long-term effects, use in different settings, and the importance of teacher training for effective implementation.

Word Learning in Children With Developmental Language Disorder: The Use of Retrieval Practice During Shared Book Reading

2025-06-16

Sofía Souto , Laurence B. Leonard , Patricia Deevy +3 more | Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research

Purpose: Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) benefit from the inclusion of retrieval practice during word learning. However, most studies reporting this positive effect have been conducted in controlled laboratory … Purpose: Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) benefit from the inclusion of retrieval practice during word learning. However, most studies reporting this positive effect have been conducted in controlled laboratory conditions. In this study, we take a step toward real-world application by matching the design details of a previous laboratory study and inserting them in a shared book reading activity. Method: Thirteen children with DLD ( M age = 59.13 months) and 14 children with typical language development (TD; M age = 57.07 months) learned eight novel words presented in two illustrated children's books. Half of the novel words appeared in a repeated spaced retrieval (RSR) condition, and half appeared in a repeated study (RS) condition. The children learned both the novel word forms (e.g., /bog/) and their arbitrarily assigned “meanings” (e.g., “likes rain”) in two learning sessions. Five minutes after the second learning session and 1 week later, the children's ability to learn the novel words was assessed. Results: Both groups of children showed better recall of the novel words in the RSR condition than in the RS condition. This was true for both the novel word forms and their meanings. Scores on a recognition test did not show a difference between the two conditions. The children with TD performed at a higher level than the children with DLD on the word form recall and recognition tests. Both groups showed only a slight decline in word form recall after 1 week. There were no interactions. Conclusions: The results indicate that incorporation of retrieval practice into shared book reading activities can produce benefits to children's word learning. These findings should encourage future retrieval practice studies with ever closer approximations to the everyday shared book reading experiences of children.

“Building Better Readers: Key Findings From a Broad Evidence Review”

2025-06-16

Jordi Casteleyn | The Reading Teacher

ABSTRACT This article examines findings from an umbrella review of 95 systematic reviews and meta‐analyses on effective reading instruction. The analysis highlights that reading is a multifaceted process, requiring the … ABSTRACT This article examines findings from an umbrella review of 95 systematic reviews and meta‐analyses on effective reading instruction. The analysis highlights that reading is a multifaceted process, requiring the integration of key components such as decoding, comprehension, fluency, and motivation. The review underscores the importance of early intervention, proactive strategies, and differentiated instruction to meet the diverse needs of learners, including those with reading difficulties or who are learning in a second language. It also identifies critical gaps in research, such as the limited focus on reading motivation and the influence of external factors like library access. Practical strategies for educators are presented, including shared reading, phonics instruction, and explicit teaching techniques. By applying evidence‐based practices and engaging in ongoing professional development, teachers can create supportive environments that foster both reading proficiency and a lifelong love of reading.

Introduction to the Special Series: Using Fine-Grained Literacy Analysis to Guide Decision-Making for Instructional Intensification

2025-06-16

Adrea J. Truckenmiller , Jessica R. Toste | Intervention in School and Clinic

Formative assessment can be a powerful tool in literacy instruction and intervention. While student assessment is often abundant in schools, it can be challenging for educators to use these data … Formative assessment can be a powerful tool in literacy instruction and intervention. While student assessment is often abundant in schools, it can be challenging for educators to use these data to inform reading instruction due to grain size—the level of detail or specificity at which a skill is measured. Educators often request data at a finer grain size to guide instructional decision-making, especially when intensifying interventions for students with learning disabilities. In this special series, authors guide educators to conduct fine-grained analysis on the component literacy skills that students have yet to master. The four articles in the series address the research-based underlying component skills and include word reading, spelling, reading comprehension, and written expression. Each article describes an innovative way to interpret already-collected student performance information and translates it to instruction that is deeply rooted in the research on how literacy develops.

Letter knowledge in light of bilingualism and socioeconomic status

2025-06-15

Carmit Altman | Literacy

Abstract Letter knowledge is one of the key components of literacy skills and a predictor of academic success. The present study explores how letter knowledge of preschool children is related … Abstract Letter knowledge is one of the key components of literacy skills and a predictor of academic success. The present study explores how letter knowledge of preschool children is related to their language group (bilingual vs. monolingual) and socioeconomic status (SES) (mid‐high vs. low). Forty‐six monolingual Hebrew and 48 bilingual Russian‐Hebrew children with a mean age of 5.8 years from mid‐high and low SES backgrounds performed a set of Hebrew letter knowledge tasks that differed in their degree of complexity (letter discrimination, letter recognition out of symbols and letter naming). The results demonstrate that language group and SES are important predictors of letter knowledge performance on the higher complexity task (letter naming) but have no impact on performance on the lower complexity tasks (letter discrimination and letter recognition out of symbols). The discussion will focus on the employment of different levels of letter knowledge tasks with respect to children's language group and SES.

Reading and Cognitive Correlates Underlying Inferencing Among Adolescent Readers

2025-06-15

Amy E. Barth , Sharon Vaughn | International journal for research in learning disabilities

Little is known about how components of working memory (i.e., passive resonance of information in working memory, limited capacity working memory, and suppression of irrelevant information from working memory) impact … Little is known about how components of working memory (i.e., passive resonance of information in working memory, limited capacity working memory, and suppression of irrelevant information from working memory) impact near and far inferencing among adolescent readers. Using path analyses, the current study evaluated the relations of near and far inferencing, vocabulary, general knowledge, strategy use, and word reading efficiency as well as components of working memory among 1,085 students in Grades 7-12. Results indicated that near inferencing has the largest direct effect on far inferencing. Further, in a model that also included direct and indirect effects of cognitive processes on far inferences, results suggested that working memory (β = .08, p = .02), suppression (β = .07, p =.03), near inferencing (β = .25, p < .001) and vocabulary (β = .18, p < .001) had significant direct effects on far inferencing; whereas suppression (β = .13, p < .001), passive resonance in memory (β = .12, p <.001), background knowledge (β = .12, p = .005), and vocabulary β = .27, p < .001) had significant direct effects on near inferencing. In sum, results suggest that cognitive processes impact inferencing among adolescents.

Is It About Speech or About Prediction? Testing Between Two Accounts of the Rhythm–Reading Link

2025-06-14

Susana Silva , Ana Rita Batista , Nathércia Lima Torres +4 more | Brain Sciences

The mechanisms underlying the positive association between reading and rhythmic skills remain unclear. Our goal was to systematically test between two major explanations: the Temporal Sampling Framework (TSF), which highlights … The mechanisms underlying the positive association between reading and rhythmic skills remain unclear. Our goal was to systematically test between two major explanations: the Temporal Sampling Framework (TSF), which highlights the relation between rhythm and speech encoding, and a competing explanation based on rhythm's role in enhancing prediction within visual and auditory sequences. We compared beat versus duration perception for their associations with encoding and sequence learning (prediction-related) tasks, using both visual and auditory sequences. We also compared these associations for Portuguese vs. Greek participants, since Portuguese stress-timed rhythm is more compatible with music-like beats lasting around 500 ms, in contrast to the syllable-timed rhythm of Greek. If rhythm acts via speech encoding, its effects should be more salient in Portuguese. Consistent with the TSF's predictions, we found a significant association between beat perception and auditory encoding in Portuguese but not in Greek participants. Correlations between time perception and sequence learning in both modalities were either null or insufficiently supported in both groups. Altogether, the evidence supported the TSF-related predictions in detriment of the Rhythm-as-Predictor (RaP) hypothesis.

Missing words: causes, symptoms and solutions for middle school students’ reading anxiety

2025-06-14

Onur Er | Humanities and Social Sciences Communications

Dita.te—A Dictation Assessment Instrument with Automatic Analysis

2025-06-14

Daniela Saraiva , Ana Margarida Ramalho , Ana Rita Valente +2 more | Children

Background/Objectives: To date, there are no validated tools that assess children's performance in connected text dictation tasks in European Portuguese using automated analysis. International studies were identified, but these primarily … Background/Objectives: To date, there are no validated tools that assess children's performance in connected text dictation tasks in European Portuguese using automated analysis. International studies were identified, but these primarily involved word dictation tasks and did not use automatic scoring tools. The present study aims to assess the reliability of the Dita.te (internal consistency and inter-rater reliability), a written assessment test based on a dictation task with automatic spreadsheet analysis, and establish normative data for text dictation tasks for children from 3rd to 6th grade. Methods: This study included 315 European Portuguese-speaking children from the 3rd to 6th grades. The Dita.te tool was used to assess orthographic errors based on phonological, morphological, and prosodic criteria. Descriptive statistics, percentiles, the inter-rater reliability and internal consistency were analyzed. Non-parametric tests compared performance by gender and school year due to a non-normal data distribution. Results: The Dita.te had excellent internal consistency (α = 0.929). The correlation between items scored highly (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient = 0.925). The number of errors decreased as the school year progressed, with errors affecting the syllable nucleus being the most frequent across all school years. These were followed by orthographic substitution errors, with grapheme omission being the most prevalent. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that orthographic competence is mostly stable before the 3rd grade, and the mismatches found in children with typical development show residual error in their orthographic performance.

Parents as the first teachers: An exploratory study of parent perceptions and use of an online instructional vocabulary module for parents

2025-06-13

Katherine Reid , Eileen Wood , John W. Schwieter +2 more | First Language

This exploratory study evaluates the effectiveness of an online instructional vocabulary module in enhancing parents’ understanding of early childhood vocabulary development and how to demonstrate this in a home environment. … This exploratory study evaluates the effectiveness of an online instructional vocabulary module in enhancing parents’ understanding of early childhood vocabulary development and how to demonstrate this in a home environment. Forty-one parents viewed the vocabulary video and completed pre- and post-surveys. While most parents could define ‘vocabulary’ pre-viewing, post-viewing responses showed improved identification of its importance. Participants were able to apply multiple strategies, including using learning materials and emphasizing vocabulary depth and breadth. The study highlights the potential of such resources to empower parents as active facilitators of language learning, particularly in terms of their children’s vocabulary development.

Family-Child Literacy Practices and Early English Literacy Skills in Pre-Primary Grade One Children in Gasabo District, Rwanda

2025-06-13

Emmex Mugabo , Michael Tusiime , Wenceslas Nzabalirwa | Research Journal of Education Teaching and Curriculum Studies

Rwandan children come from their homes to nursery schools with oral skills in Kinyarwanda, but most children come without any skills in the English language. Moreover, English is taught in … Rwandan children come from their homes to nursery schools with oral skills in Kinyarwanda, but most children come without any skills in the English language. Moreover, English is taught in pre-primary schools. This study aimed to examine the impact of family-child literacy practices on Early English Literacy Skills development in pre-primary grade one children in Gasabo district. A descriptive survey design was used to collect qualitative and quantitative data. The sample size was 380 respondents (teachers, children, and their caregivers). Stratified random sampling and purposive sampling techniques were employed. Close-ended questionnaires, an interview guide, and a tool for children’s dynamic indicators of Early English Literacy Skills were used. Secondary data was obtained through document analysis. The qualitative data from the teachers’ interview was recorded using a computer tablet, responses were cleaned, different responses were classified by identifying major responses for different themes, the record was transcribed and patterns emerging from major responses were identified. Interviews and narratives were also reported verbatim in the form of extracts. Quantitative analysis began with data entry, cleaning, analysis, and interpretation. Results from teachers showed high participation of caregivers mostly from urban families towards supporting their children in early literacy activities. Still, data from caregivers’ involvement in different literacy practices was also more evident in urban families than in rural families. Conclusively, it is clear that the origin of grade one pre-primary children's early literacy development differences originates from their families and hence the need to remove all barriers in the children’s family environment that hinder their early literacy development.

The role of memory and instruction in the acquisition of vocabulary and grammar: An aptitude–treatment interaction study

2025-06-13

Simón Ruíz , Padraic Monaghan , W Zhang +4 more | Journal of Memory and Language

Will the embedded semantic radicals be activated when recognizing Chinese phonograms?

2025-06-13

Meizhen Jiang , Xueyao Pan , Xia Wang +1 more | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

Introduction A majority of Chinese characters are phonograms composed of phonetic and semantic radicals that serve different functions. While radical processing in character recognition has drawn significant interest, there is … Introduction A majority of Chinese characters are phonograms composed of phonetic and semantic radicals that serve different functions. While radical processing in character recognition has drawn significant interest, there is inconsistency regarding the semantic activation of embedded semantic radicals, and little is known about the duration of such sub-lexical semantic activation. Methods Using a priming character decision task and a between-subjects design, this study examined whether semantic radicals embedded in SP phonograms (semantic radicals on the left and phonetic radicals on the right) can be automatically activated and how long such activation persists. We manipulated semantic relatedness between embedded radicals and target characters, prime frequency, and stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs). Results Facilitatory effects were observed on targets preceded by low-frequency primes at an SOA of 500 ms. No significant priming effects were found at SOAs of 100 ms or 1000 ms, regardless of prime frequency. Discussion These findings suggest that sub-lexical semantic activation can occur and remain robust at 500 ms but may dissipate before 1000 ms. The study contributes valuable evidence for the automaticity and time course of embedded semantic radical processing in Chinese phonogram recognition, thereby enhancing our understanding of sub-lexical semantic processing in logographic writing systemse.