Modelling the relationship of accurate and fluent word recognition in primary school

Abstract

This study investigated whether word-reading speed starts increasing only after German fourth graders (n = 826) have reached a basic level of word-reading accuracy. Moreover, we examined for 170 readers with lower reading abilities (below percentile rank 50 in both word reading and reading comprehension) in an experimental pre-post control-group design whether a word-reading intervention has differential effects depending on the level of accuracy a child has reached before the intervention. The results based on the full sample suggest that a specific level of word-reading accuracy seems to be required before word-reading speed starts improving. Further analyses with the trained readers showed positive treatment effects on word-reading accuracy for readers below the accuracy level, on word-reading speed regardless of their accuracy and on reading comprehension for readers above the accuracy level. The results suggest that a sufficient level of word-reading accuracy is an important precondition for the development of fluent reading as well as the effectiveness of reading interventions at the word level in German fourth graders.