Examining sources and mechanisms of reading comprehension difficulties: Comparing English learners and non-English learners within the simple view of reading.

Abstract

In the present study, we compared the extent to which linguistic comprehension (vocabulary and listening comprehension) and word reading explain reading comprehension differentially for English learners (ELs) and non-ELs with reading difficulties, and we investigated whether different mechanisms of reading comprehension failure exist for each group. Using the simple view of reading as our framework, we tested a model in which vocabulary exerts a direct effect on reading comprehension and indirect effects through listening comprehension and word reading. Results from a multigroup structural equation model with a sample of 446 struggling fourth-grade readers (n = 229 for ELs; n = 211 for non-ELs) demonstrated both similarities and differences in the sources and mechanisms of reading comprehension difficulties for ELs and non-ELs with reading problems. Word reading was an important source of reading comprehension difficulty for both groups. For non-ELs, the effect of word reading was larger than the effects of linguistic comprehension (vocabulary and listening comprehension combined); however, for ELs, the effects of linguistic comprehension were greater than the effect of word reading. Vocabulary had indirect effects via both listening comprehension and word reading for ELs, but it demonstrated a direct effect on reading comprehension for non-ELs. These results suggest that developing a range of linguistic comprehension skills (e.g., word-level and sentence-level language skills) may be important for ELs with reading comprehension difficulties in the upper-elementary grades.

Exploring sources of poor reading comprehension in English language learners

“…In a meta-analysis of comprehension problems for ELL poor comprehenders, Spencer and Wagner (Spencer & Wagner, 2017) reported a substantial difference in oral language skills including vocabulary breadth between ELLs with and without reading comprehension deficits. Relatedly, vocabulary and listening comprehension have been shown to explain more variance in reading comprehension in ELLs with reading comprehension difficulties than in EL1s with reading comprehension difficulties (Cho et al, 2019). Taken together, the research evidence indicates that vocabulary, listening comprehension, and morphological awareness are potential sources of difficulties for ELL poor comprehenders in the upper elementary grades.…”

“…Since inherent differences exist between ELLs and EL1s, it is not clear whether the results of studies involving EL1 poor comprehenders can be generalized to ELL poor comprehenders. For example, Cho, Capin, Roberts, Roberts, and Vaughn (Cho, Capin, Roberts, Roberts, & Vaughn, 2019) found that vocabulary knowledge and listening comprehension each explained a larger proportion of variance in reading comprehension for ELLs with reading comprehension difficulties than their EL1 counterparts.…”

The Effects of Inference Instruction on the Reading Comprehension of English Learners With Reading Comprehension Difficulties

“…Cross-sectional studies conducted with monolingual and language-learning upper elementary students in Canada (Grant, Gottardo, & Geva, 2011), the United Kingdom (Babayiğit, 2014), the Netherlands (e.g., Droop & Verhoeven, 2003), and the United States (Cho, Capin, Roberts, Roberts, & Vaughn, in press) suggest that vocabulary knowledge and other linguistic comprehension variables may make a greater contribution to reading comprehension for EL students than for EO students in the upper elementary and secondary grades. In the study conducted by Cho et al (in press) with participants who were ELs with significant reading difficulties, linguistic comprehension variables made a greater contribution to reading comprehension than word reading variables, while the opposite pattern held true for EO students. These cross-sectional findings align with other research suggesting that specific reading comprehension difficulties may be more prevalent in populations of ELs than in populations of monolingual students (Lesaux, 2006; Lesaux & Kieffer, 2010; Nakamoto, Lindsey, & Manis, 2007; Spencer & Wagner, 2017).…”

Human, Technologies and Quality of Education, 2020

“…Developmental dyslexia is a specific learning (reading) disorder characterized by problems with coping with written symbols despite normal intelligence (Davis, n. d.;Snowling, 2015;Thompson et al, 2015). Not only do problems occur in the reading process, everyday life quality is also affected (Cho, Capin, Roberts, Roberts G., J., & Vaughn, 2019). Dyslexic children and adults may have problems putting things in order, following instructions, may confuse left and right, and other manifestations.…”