Effects of Pictures on Second-Grade Children’s Oral Reading Performance

Abstract

Picture books are a common staple of children’s reading diet. The role of pictures in reading acquisition remains a topic of considerable controversy, however. This study examined the effects of pictures on children’s oral reading behavior (measured by reading errors/miscues) and comprehension (measured by retelling), using a 2 (picture condition) × 2 (genre) × 3 (reading ability) mixed ANOVA design. Forty second-grade children each read and retold two narrative and two informational texts, with or without the presence of pictures. Statistical analyses revealed that pictures had a positive effect on children’s reading comprehension, but no significant effect on their oral reading behavior. There were no significant interaction effects between picture condition and text genre or between picture condition and reading ability on any outcome measures. However, a closer examination of the data via profile plots revealed more intricate patterns regarding the impact of pictures on children’s oral reading behavior and comprehension. These findings suggest that many factors associated with the reader and the text are simultaneously at work during the reading process. The implications for research and practice are further discussed.