Disentangling the far transfer of language comprehension gains using latent mediation models

Abstract

The data that support the findings of this study will after publication be openly available in Open Science Framework at https://osf.io/cua4f/ reference number CUA4fResearch Highlights  This study reveals interesting knowledge about potential drivers behind gains in standardized general language measures from language comprehension interventions. Both the effects and transfer effects are mainly generated through expressive rather than receptive language measures. The effects on far transfer measures are mediated through gains on the specific words that are trained in the intervention. In order to optimize intervention effects, future studies should focus on expressive language.

Improvement in oral language interventions: Differences and relation between effects on treatment-inherent measures and effects on standardized tests

“…If this is based on the transfer of knowledge, we could expect the studies with large gains in trained words to demonstrate the largest gains in the standardized measures. This would be in line with a recent study's results showing that effects on standardized measures are mediated by effects on trained words (Melby-Lervåg et al, 2020). We also aim to conduct a moderator analysis concerning this relationship, that is, whether the relation between gains in trained words and in standardized measures would be stronger in studies using expressive rather than receptive outcome measures.…”

“…A recent study that has examined the relation between trained words and standardized measures has found a relation between them on expressive language measures but not on receptive ones (Melby-Lervåg et al, 2020). The finding that the effects of training and the transfer effects are solely related to expressive measures could indicate that the primitive elements theory explains this transfer (Taatgen, 2013).…”

Children’s Language Skills Can Be Improved: Lessons From Psychological Science for Educational Policy

“…However, effects on tests measuring narrative retelling were somewhat larger (d = 0.42); at follow-up, only expressive and retelling measures showed lasting effects (ds = 0.21 and 0.27, respectively), and there were no lasting effects on receptive measures (d = 0.07). More research is needed to confirm whether interventions have differential effects on receptive and expressive language skills (Melby- Lervåg et al, 2020). However, distinguishing these effects is not straightforward because many language measures tap both receptive and expressive language and because receptive tests are typically less reliable.…”

“…Some evidence suggests that language interventions have stronger effects on measures of expressive rather than receptive language (Melby-Lervåg, Hagen, & Lervåg, 2020). In the meta-analysis by Rogde et al (2019), the effects on expressive and receptive language were similar ( d s = 0.21 and 0.19, respectively).…”

Decoding and comprehension skills mediate the link between a small‐group reading programme and English national literacy assessments

“…The current study joins a modest but growing number of studies that have used mediation analyses to understand which components of programmes and interventions are responsible for positive outcomes (Clarke et al, 2010;Hulme et al, 2012;Language and Reading Research Consortium (LARRC) et al, 2019;Melby-Lerv ag et al, 2020). This approach allows intervention and programme research to focus on the components that are responsible for positive effects, and to discontinue components that are ineffective.…”