The importance of early phonics improvements for predicting later reading comprehension

Abstract

The role of phonics instruction in early reading development has been the subject of significant conjecture. Recently, England implemented a phonics screening check to assess the phonetic decoding of 6‐year‐old students, to ensure that all students master this foundational literacy skill and attain adequate phonemic awareness in the early years of primary schooling. Students who fail this check are obliged to retake the assessment the following year. In this article, we compare the performance of students who initially pass this check (pass) and students who fail the original assessment but pass the retaken assessment (fail–pass), with students who fail both the original and retaken assessments (fail–fail). Using data from the Key Stage 1 assessment of reading and the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), we examined the reading comprehension performance of these students approximately 1 and 4 years after their first phonics screening. The results suggested that fail–pass students performed substantially better than fail–fail students, even after performance on the initial phonics check was controlled for. While fail–pass students do not appear to entirely catch up with pass students in reading comprehension, their relatively better performance underscores the importance of intervening for those students who are identified as having problems with phonetic decoding to increase their likelihood of success at reading comprehension in later schooling.

The Simple Views of Reading and Writing: Frameworks for Interpretation of the Woodcock–Johnson IV

“…The SVR and SVW represent strong interpretational bases for standardized achievement batteries. Intervention research provides support for causal interpretation of these models' components on comprehension and composition (Graham et al, 2012;Double et al, 2019;Conners et al, 2009). Past investigations provide benchmarks for the interrelationships among these constructs within achievement batteries.…”

“…Oral language intervention, and strategy instruction, in particular (linked to the language side of these models; Scarborough, 2009), can increase comprehension and composition (Berkeley et al, 2010;Graham et al, 2012;Melby-Lervåg & Lervåg, 2014;Silverman et al, 2020). Decoding or phonics instruction can increase comprehension (Double et al, 2019;Wanzek et al, 2019). Equally important to stress, many components demonstrate skill-by-treatment interactions (Conner et al, 2009).…”

What Matters Most? Toward a Robust and Socially Just Science of Reading

“…Evidence also suggests that heterogeneous discussion groupings best support comprehension gains, particularly for low-achieving students (Murphy et al, 2017). Also, as with code breaking, teacher-supported opportunities for students' literacy-related play can support reading comprehension and vocabulary development (Cavanaugh et al, 2017;Dickinson & Porche, 2011;Moedt & Holmes, 2020). Finally, because strong relationships with teachers and peers can positively affect reading comprehension (Caleon & Wui, 2019;Jensen, Solheim, & Idsøe, 2019), teachers should incorporate research-based practices that support relationship building, such as collaborative classroom rituals and opportunities for student agency (Boyd, Jarmark, & Edmiston, 2018;Ivey & Johnston, 2015).…”

“…Textual dexterity is a central element to students’ academic success (Double, McGrane, Stiff, & Hopfenbeck, 2019; Pearson et al, 2020; RAND Reading Study Group, 2002). In addition, its various dimensions provide a foundation for human beings to thrive, not only as proficient decoders and comprehenders but also as literate people who can use reading in flexible, meaningful ways to learn things, think critically, and get things done, as well as to connect with and understand others (Greene, 1982; Janks, 2014; Newstreet, Sarker, & Shearer, 2019; Schüller, Birnbaum, & Kröner, 2017).…”

Use of early word-reading fluency measures to predict outcomes on the Phonics Screening Check

“…(2017) surveys may speak to the difference in educational policies between England and Australia. Irrespective of the political controversy surrounding the PSC, a large-scale study by Double et al. (2019) has found that students who ‘pass’ the screen achieve better reading comprehension in subsequent years, relative to those who do not ‘pass’.…”