The Role of Executive Functions in Reading Comprehension

Butterfuss, Reese; Kendeou, Panayiota

doi:10.1007/s10648-017-9422-6

Cited by 190 publications

(160 citation statements)

References 118 publications

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“…In reading, intrusion errors (recalling non-target information) can result from challenges in updating relevant information, and from poor inhibition of irrelevant information. Difficulty inhibiting irrelevant information may partially depend upon the amount of information in working memory that requires inhibitionthus, there is evidence that working memory and inhibitory control can be interdependent (Butterfuss & Kendeou, 2018;Cirino et al, 2018).…”

Section: Executive Function and Reading Comprehensionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Direct and indirect contributions of executive function to word decoding and reading comprehension in kindergarten

Haft

Caballero

Tanaka

et al. 2019

Learning and Individual Differences

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Extant research is increasingly recognizing the contribution of executive function (EF) to reading comprehension alongside established predictors like word decoding and oral language. The nature of the association between EF and reading comprehension is commonly investigated in older children and in those with reading impairments. However, less is known about this relationship in emerging readers in kindergarten, where word decoding and reading comprehension are highly intertwined. Moreover, a better understanding of the mechanisms by which EF influences reading comprehension is needed. The present study investigated direct contributions of EF to reading comprehension, as well as indirect contributions via word decoding in 97 kindergarteners. Results indicated that there was a significant indirect effect of EF on reading comprehension, with word decoding mediating this association. The direct contribution of EF to reading comprehension was not significant. Implications for reading instruction and intervention for early readers are discussed. 1.1. Models of reading comprehension Reading comprehension involves extracting meaning from a written text. This process is incredibly complex, and relies upon the successful integration of several components. Reflecting this inherent complexity, several theories and models of reading comprehension have been proposed. The Simple View of Reading (Gough & Tunmer, 1986; Hoover &

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Section: Executive Function and Reading Comprehensionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Direct and indirect contributions of executive function to word decoding and reading comprehension in kindergarten

Haft

Caballero

Tanaka

et al. 2019

Learning and Individual Differences

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“…Because comprehension is complex, it seems plausible that addressing difficulties of comprehension might lean on the supervisory and coordinating aspects of EF. There is clear agreement that there are relations between EF and reading (Follmer, ; Jacob & Parkinson, ), and strong theoretical reasons for these relations, particularly for comprehension (Aboud et al., ; Butterfuss & Kendeou, ; Cutting, Bailey, Barquero, & Aboud, ). EF abilities have been shown to predict reading comprehension performance on school assessments (Fuhs, Nesbitt, Farran, & Dong, ; Gathercole, Pickering, Knight, & Stegmann, ) and in experimental studies (Borella, Carretti, & Pelegrina, ; Swanson, ), regardless of the ages studied or the types of tasks used to measure both constructs (Follmer, ).…”

Section: Readingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…First, reading is a goal‐directed activity—precisely one of those complex cognitive activities that requires coordination of other systems. This coordination is especially needed for reading comprehension, for which EF has been considered to play a strong role (Butterfuss & Kendeou, ; Hudson, Scheff, Tarsha, & Cutting, ). Second, as noted earlier, individuals who have particular difficulty learning how to read could potentially also have weaker EF ability undergirding that difficulty or conversely may rely on stronger EF ability to compensate for language skill deficits.…”

Section: Overview Of Tcldmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cognitive, Intervention, and Neuroimaging Perspectives on Executive Function in Children With Reading Disabilities

Church

Cirino

Miciak

et al. 2019

New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development

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The role of executive function (EF) in the reading process, and in those with reading difficulties, remains unclear. As members of the Texas Center for Learning Disabilities, we review multiple perspectives regarding EF in reading and then summarize some of our recent studies of struggling and typical readers in grades 3-5. Study 1a found that a bi-factor structure best represented a comprehensive assessment of EF. Study 1b found that cognitive and behavioral measures of EF related independently to math and reading. Study 1c found that EF related to reading, above and beyond other variables, but Study 1d found no evidence that adding an EF training component improved intervention response. Study 1e found that pretest EF abilities did not relate to intervention response. Neuroimaging studies examined EF-related brain activity during both reading and nonlexical EF tasks. In Study 2a, the EF task evoked control activity, but generated no differences between struggling and typical readers. The reading task, however, had group differences in both EF and reading regions. In Study 2b, EF activity during reading at pretest was related to intervention response. Across studies, EF appears involved in the reading process. There is less evidence for general EF predicting or improving intervention outcomes.

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“…and language factors (including language comprehension; Fuchs et al.) are understood to play a role in reading comprehension and reading disabilities (e.g., Butterfuss & Kendeou, ; Catts, ), less clear is the nature of the influence of these factors as they relate to specific learning difficulties, or to students’ responsiveness to intervention. By employing a series of cognitive, behavioral, intervention, and neuroimaging studies in complementary ways, Church‐Lang et al.…”

Section: Innovationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Commentary: Innovations, Insights, and Impact: Expanding Frontiers in Learning Disabilities Research

McMaster

2019

New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development

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In this commentary, I highlight key insights from research on learning disabilities (LD) reported in this special issue. Authors of each article describe innovative work that is expanding frontiers of LD knowledge, by focusing on vulnerable and understudied populations, using multiple methodologies and data sources, and building and refining theory. Insights that emerge from this work relate to defining and identifying LD; estimating prevalence rates of LD subgroups; and understanding the role of cognitive, language, genetic, and environmental factors and their implications for assessment and intervention. I conclude that findings of this work promise to have a significant and lasting impact on the lives of children and youth with LD.

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The Role of Executive Functions in Reading Comprehension

Cited by 190 publications

References 118 publications

Direct and indirect contributions of executive function to word decoding and reading comprehension in kindergarten

Direct and indirect contributions of executive function to word decoding and reading comprehension in kindergarten

Cognitive, Intervention, and Neuroimaging Perspectives on Executive Function in Children With Reading Disabilities

Commentary: Innovations, Insights, and Impact: Expanding Frontiers in Learning Disabilities Research

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