Growth and predictors of change in English language learners' reading comprehension

Abstract

This study modelled reading comprehension trajectories in Grades 4 to 6 English language learners (ELLs = 400), with different home language backgrounds, and in English monolinguals (EL1s = 153), and examined an augmented Simple View of Reading model. The contribution of Grade 1 (early) and Grade 4 (late) cognitive, language and word‐level reading to Grade 6 reading comprehension was examined. The reading comprehension trajectory was non‐linear in ELLs but linear in EL1s. Syntax predicted consistently rate of growth in reading comprehension. ELLs consistently underperformed EL1s on reading comprehension. Word‐level reading and all components of language (vocabulary, syntax and listening comprehension) remained stable predictors of Grade 6 reading comprehension. Grade 1 phonological awareness, naming speed and working memory predicted reading comprehension in Grade 6, as did Grade 4 phonological short‐term memory. Results support an augmented Simple View of Reading that includes cognitive, word‐level and language components, and underscore the importance of considering developmental changes in the constructs.

Reading in a second language: Considering the "simple view of reading" as a foundation to support ESL readers in Lesotho, Southern Africa

“…Reading comprehension has been shown to be influenced by cognitive-linguistic and other reading-related factors, such as verbal working memory, phonological awareness, word decoding, and reading fluency, syntax, vocabulary, prior knowledge, and cognitive and meta-cognitive reading strategies (Geva & Farnia, 2012;Farnia & Geva, 2013). Although limited, research comparing L2 readers to L1 readers concurs that L2 reading comprehension is a major challenge for L2 learners.…”

“…Although limited, research comparing L2 readers to L1 readers concurs that L2 reading comprehension is a major challenge for L2 learners. Furthermore, researchers assert that the SVR model of reading development (discussed earlier) is also applicable to L2 reading development (see Geva & Massey-Garrison, 2012: 387;Farnia & Geva, 2013), highlighting the interplay of both oral language skills for example syntax, vocabulary and listening comprehension and word reading abilities in L2 reading development. Although word recognition and oral language skills are distinct component skills with independent contributions to reading comprehension, they are also reciprocally related.…”

Vocabulary profiles and reading comprehension in young bilingual children

“…Mots-clés : apprenants de l'anglais (AA), compréhension écrite, connaissance du vocabulaire, dominance linguistique, bilinguisme Many English language learners (ELLs) struggle with reading comprehension when compared to their monolingual counterparts (August, Carlo, Dressler, & Snow, 2005;Farnia & Geva, 2013). The Simple View of Reading (SVR) suggests that one must be able to decode words and comprehend language to read effectively (Gough & Tunmer, 1986).…”

“…Previous research suggests that vocabulary knowledge may be one of the strongest predictors of reading comprehension for ELLs (e.g., August et al, 2005;Farnia & Geva, 2013;Proctor, Carlo, August, & Snow, 2005), and often serves as a proxy for assessing language proficiency. This exploratory study examined whether ELLs who were classified into groups based on their first language (L1) and second language (L2) vocabulary profile, would differ in reading comprehension.…”

“…That said, the gap did not close even by grade 6. In their examination of children in slightly older grades, Farnia and Geva (2013) found that this gap in vocabulary development played a substantial role in reading comprehension development in grades 4, 5, and 6 with ELLs performing below the EL1s on reading comprehension tasks. Taken together, this set of studies suggest that growth rates for vocabulary knowledge may initially be steeper for ELLs, but growth eventually plateaus resulting in a persistent and pervasive gap in vocabulary for ELLs and a barrier for reading comprehension and subsequent academic achievement (Farnia & Geva, 2011.…”