Unraveling Adolescent Language & Reading Comprehension: The Monster’s Data

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose: This study explores the roles of morphological skills (Morphological Awareness, Morphological-Syntactic-Knowledge,Morphological-Semantic-Knowledge, and Morphological-Orthographic/Phonological-Knowledge),vocabulary (knowledge of definitions, relationshipsbetween words, and polysemous meanings), and syntax in contributing toadolescent reading comprehension.Specifically, we identify the relative importance of these languageskills. Methods: A racially diverse sample of 1,027 students grades 5 to 8 were studied. Dominance Analysis was used, which allows arank ordering of the contribution of predictors. Results: Results suggest unique roles for each language area with particularly important roles forvocabulary and morphological awareness. Considering just morphology, fourmorphology skills each explained meaningful variance (13-17%) in readingcomprehension, together explaining halfthe variance in standardized reading comprehension. Considering eachlanguage area, vocabulary, the four morphology skills, and syntax were shown toeach explain meaningful variance, ranging from 9-13%, together explaining 62.9%of the variance in reading comprehension. Conclusions: Findings are interpreted within the Reading Systems framework. Findings confirm the role ofvocabulary, morphology, and syntax in supporting reading comprehension andsuggest a relatively stronger role for vocabulary and morphological awareness.The meaningful role of the four morphological skills also suggests a broad rolefor morphology. Implications for theory, research, and practice are shared.