Examining the Construct of Reading among Dysfluent Urban Children: A Factor Analysis Approach

Abstract

This study reports on an examination of the factor structure underlying reading performance in a sample of urban, dysfluent children. Participants were 140 second and third graders identified as exhibiting reading difficulties stemming from inefficient word and/or nonword reading. Consistent with a more complex view of reading, the results of structural equation modeling identify four distinct but This study was part of a reading and social emotional intervention project (The New 3R'sReading, Resilience, and Relationships in Afterschool Programs) conducted at Harvard University, Tufts University, and McLean Hospital, and funded by the Department of Education, awarded under the Interagency Education Research Initiative (IERI) (CFDA #84.305W), and the Piper Foundation, USA. The authors would like to thank Sally Wilson for her work coordinating this study as well as Adrianna Wechsler, Larina Mehta, and Chessie Shaw for assistance with data collection and entry. We are also grateful to Nonie K. Lesaux, Terry Tivnan, Catherine Snow, and three anonymous reviewers, who provided important feedback in improving the write-up of the study.Correspondence should be addressed to Margaret Pierce, 111 Thatcher Rd., University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA. E-mail: mpierce@educ.umass.edu 124CONSTRUCT OF READING 125 correlated factors: word-level decoding, vocabulary knowledge, timing, and textlevel skill. The relative independence of these factors in this sample illustrates the importance of assessing these four domains with measures identified as marker variables. Results are discussed in relation to models of early identification and remediation.Resumen Este estudio reporta la revisión del factor de estructura del desempeño en la lectura de un grupo de niños en un contexto urbano y de bajos recursos. Los participantes fueron 140 niños de segundo y tercer grado, entre los cuales se identificaron dificultades de lectura a partir de palabras reales y ficticias. Consistentes con una visión compleja de la lectura, los resultados del modelaje de ecuación estructural identificaron cuatro factores diferentes pero correlacionados: decodificación de palabras, conocimiento de vocabulario, coordinación y habilidad a nivel de texto. La independencia relativa de estos factores en la muestra ilustra la importancia de evaluar estos cuatro campos con medidas identificadas como variables de marca. Los resultados se discuten en relación con los modelos de identificación temprana y de recuperación. RésuméCette étude examine le facteur de structure qui est à la base de la performance en lecture dans un groupe représentatif d'élèves d'un milieu urbain qui ne lisent pas avec facilité. Les participants étaient composés de 140 élèves de deuxième et 126 PIERCE ET AL.troisième années qui présentaient des difficultés provenant de lecture inefficace des mots et des non-mots (non-words). Les résultats du modèle d'équation structurale, consistants avec une vue plus complexe de la lecture, identifient quatre facteurs distincts mais corrélatifs: dé...

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