Relationship between early word-reading and long-term reading-comprehension growth for language-minority learners compared to native-english-speaking students

Abstract

The present study used data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten Class of 1998–1999 to examine whether the relationship between first-grade word-reading and reading-comprehension growth through eighth grade was different for language-minority learners (LMs) versus native English-speaking students (NEs). Among high word readers, LMs' reading comprehension was lower than NEs, but over time, they closed the gap, exhibiting similar levels at eighth grade. Among low word readers, LMs' reading comprehension was similar to NEs', but over time, a gap between LMs and NEs widened. Therefore, initially high word reading particularly advantaged LMs, and low word reading particularly disadvantaged LMs.