Predicting word reading and comprehension with executive function and speed measures across development: A latent variable analysis.

Abstract

The present study explored whether different executive control and speed measures (working memory, inhibition, processing speed, and naming speed) independently predict individual differences in word reading and reading comprehension. Although previous studies suggest these cognitive constructs are important for reading, we analyze the constructs simultaneously to test whether each is a unique predictor. We used latent variables from 483 participants (ages 8 to 16) to portion each cognitive and reading construct into its unique and shared variance. In these models we address two specific issues: (a) given that our wide age range may span the theoretical transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn,” we first test whether the relation between word reading and reading comprehension is stable across two age groups (ages 8 to 10 and 11 to 16); and (b) the main theoretical question of interest: whether what is shared and what is separable for word reading and reading comprehension are associated with individual differences in working memory, inhibition, and measures of processing and naming speed. The results indicated that: (a) the relation between word reading and reading comprehension is largely invariant across the age groups; (b) working memory and general processing speed, but not inhibition or the speeded naming of non-alphanumeric stimuli, are unique predictors of both word reading and comprehension, with working memory equally important for both reading abilities and processing speed more important for word reading. These results have implications for understanding why reading comprehension and word reading are highly correlated yet separable.

The relationship between the impressive and the expressive component of written speech and the level of executive functions in children aged 3-11 years

“…Therefore, in both cases, the differences in the IWS-EWS relation can be observed in the periods of an intensive development of each of these executive functions. This result is consistent with postulates of some researchers, for example, Altemeier et al (2008), about the necessity to distinguish between a lower and a higher level of executive functions, engaged at different stages of literacy development (Altemeier et al, 2008;Christopher, 2012). For inhibitory control, which belongs to basic executive functions, turned out to be important for the relation between reading and writing in the early stadium of WS development.…”

How phonological awareness mediates the relation between working memory and word reading efficiency in children with dyslexia

“…Children with dyslexia show deficits in their working memory, phonological awareness, and word reading efficiency (Berninger, Raskind, Richards, Abbott, & Stock, 2008; Brosnan et al, 2002; Swanson, Zheng, & Jerman, 2009). Working memory predicts both phonological awareness and word reading efficiency (de Abreu, Gathercole, & Martin, 2011; Berninger, Abbott, Vermeulen, & Fulton, 2006; Christopher et al, 2012; Locascio, Mahone, Eason, & Cutting, 2010; Ramscar & Gitcho, 2007). Because phonological awareness predicts word reading efficiency (Anthony & Francis, 2005; Melby‐Lervag et al, 2012), and phonological working memory is associated to word reading (Gathercole & Baddeley, 2014), working memory may be important to word reading efficiency via its impact on phonological awareness in children with dyslexia; a mediation model can be expected but has not yet been tested.…”

“…Working memory underlies both phonological awareness and word reading efficiency, and as such, one could expect that working memory impacts reading via its effect on phonological awareness. In typically developing children, working memory has indeed been found to predict phonological awareness (de Abreu et al, 2011; Oakhill & Kyle, 2000) and word reading efficiency (Berninger, Abbott, Vermeulen, et al, 2006; Christopher et al, 2012; Locascio et al, 2010). Children with dyslexia generally show deficits in working memory and having phonological awareness and word reading efficiency problems (Berninger, Raskind, et al, 2008; Brosnan et al, 2002; Swanson et al, 2009).…”

How to create a successful reader? Milestones in reading development from birth to adolescence

“…23 for the correspondence between reading and EF). Reading performance has been suggested to correlate with EF skills (9). Many studies have focused on specific aspects of EF related to reading: attention shifting and inhibition (24), working memory and speed of processing (9), verbal fluency (or verb-generation ability) (25) that were all found to be correlated with reading ability (25).…”

“…The better the semantic abilities are, the easier it is to gain the meaning of the written word and of a written sentence [see 'constructionintegration' model (8)]. Fluent reading, or the ability to decode words automatically in context without compromising comprehension, depends on accurate, rapid decoding of words and relies on intact phonology, orthography and semantics, as well as basic cognitive abilities such as attention and other executive functions (EF) for cognitive control (9).…”