Improving reading rates and comprehension? Benefits and limitations of the reading acceleration approach

Sebastian P Korinth,Telse Nagler

doi:10.1111/lnc3.12408

Abstract

AbstractThe reading acceleration phenomenon refers to the effect that experimentally induced time constraints can generate instantaneous improvements of reading rate, accuracy and comprehension among typical and reading impaired readers of different age groups. An overview of studies applying the fading manipulation (i.e., letters are erased in reading direction), which induces the time constraints causing the acceleration phenomenon, is provided in the first part of this review. The second part summarises the outcomes of studies using a training approach called the reading acceleration program (RAP) that integrated core principles of the acceleration phenomenon to generate persistent reading performance improvements. Our review shows ample evidence for the validity of the acceleration phenomenon, since it has been replicated across various languages and populations. However, although there are several explanatory approaches for underlying mechanisms, none of them is well substantiated by empirical evidence so far. Similarly, although generally positive effects of RAP training were reported for several languages and groups of readers, the exact mechanisms causing improved reading rates and comprehension are not well understood. Our critical discussion points out several limitations of RAP that call for further research. However, we also highlight several benefits regarding RAP's potential as an intervention approach for enhancements in reading performance. Video abstract link: https://youtu.be/wO6aEXavk8w

Highlights

reading acceleration program (RAP) studies were conducted for readers of Chinese, Dutch, English, German, Hebrew, Italian and Spanish yielding in most cases positive training effects on reading rate and comprehension, which indicates that RAP is generally not restricted to a specific language
Studies reviewed so far support the claim that principles of the acceleration phenomenon used in RAP training represent a viable method to improve comprehension‐based silent reading rates in various orthographies and reader groups
Unanswered remains, for instance, the question of what exactly causes the observed improvements and whether they are caused by one distinct effect mechanism. This issue is crucial as it may provide clear‐cut indicators pointing to the circumstances under which RAP might be ineffective or even detrimental

Summary

Introduction

Age groups: The earliest reports on acceleration phenomenon effects come from studies investigating children's oral reading behaviour in single session experiments (Breznitz, 1987a, 1987b, 1988, 1997a, 1997b) as well as longitudinal research (Breznitz, 1997c), showing significant reading improvements in the fading condition. The effect that text fading can improve reading rates, accuracy and comprehension at a single session level (i.e., acceleration phenomenon) has been described as momentary.

Results

Conclusion