Reading Ability Research Articles

The Application of Reading Circles Model in English Reading Teaching in Senior Middle School

There are various input methods for language learning, among which reading is the most important one. English reading class in High school aims to cultivate students’ comprehensive literacy by guiding them to think independently and actively participate in reading activities. The new curriculum standard proposes that English reading teaching in high school should focus on strengthening the cultivation of English subject competence. Thus, the effect of the reading circle model on students’ English reading is consistent with the educational purposes required by the core literacy of the English subject. Therefore, the article tries to explore the effect of reading circle on improving secondary school students’ English reading ability.

I think therefore I learn: metacognition is a better predictor of school readiness than executive functions

Previous research suggests that metacognition (the knowledge and skills related to knowledge acquisition) and executive functions (skills needed to plan and execute goals) are possible predictors of academic performance, including math and reading abilities. This study sought to clarify the relationship between school readiness and these abilities. A visual identification task was used to measure preschool children's metacognitive skills, specifically their ability to monitor their confidence on their answers (explicit) and ability to ask for a clue only when necessary (implicit). Response time to answering was also measured to obtain a non-verbal implicit measure of metacognition. Executive functions were measured using the Flanker and Dimensional Change Card Sorting (DCCS) tasks from the NIH toolbox. It was hypothesized that both metacognition and executive functions would predict school readiness and that implicit metacognitive skills would be more highly related to school readiness than explicit skills. A hierarchical linear regression was run with age and sex as control variables, and with executive function and metacognition (implicit and explicit) as predictors. Results indicated that both implicit and explicit metacognition remained significant predictors of school readiness scores beyond age and sex. In addition, we found correlations between explicit metacognition and executive functions and a relationship between response time and explicit metacognitive skill. Results highlight the importance of early metacognitive abilities beyond other cognitive skills and the importance of being able to effectively use metacognitive strategies from a young age. The implications relating to academic abilities are discussed.

Semantic and Syntactic Predictions in Reading Aloud: Are Good Predictors Good Statistical Learners?

Recent research suggests that becoming a fluent reader may partially rely on a domain-general statistical learning (SL) mechanism that allows a person to automatically extract predictable patterns from the sensory input. The goal of the present study was to investigate a potential link between SL and the ability to make linguistic predictions. All previous studies investigated quite general levels of reading ability rather than the dynamic process of making linguistic predictions. We thus used a recently developed predictive reading task, which consisted of having participants read aloud words that were preceded by either semantically or syntactically predictive contexts. To measure the componential nature of SL, we used a visual and an auditory SL task (VSL, ASL) and the classic serial reaction time task (SRT). General reading ability was assessed with a reading speed/comprehension test. The study was conducted online on a sample of 120 participants to make it possible to explore interindividual differences. The results showed only weak and sometimes even negative correlations between the various SL measures. ASL correlated positively and predicted general reading ability but neither semantic nor syntactic prediction effects. Similarly, one of the SRT measures was significantly associated with reading level and reading speed but not with linguistic prediction effects. In sum, there is little evidence that domain-general SL is a good predictor of people's ability to make domain-specific linguistic predictions. In contrast, SL shows a weak but significant association with general reading ability.

Low Literacy Levels Among U.S. Adults and Difficult Ballot Propositions.

High-level literacy skills are required for full participation in the democratic process through voting. Consequently, adults with low-level literacy skills are at a disadvantage. This work investigated the disparity between the readability of U.S. ballot propositions for year 2022 state elections and grade level reading estimates (≤eighth grade) for adults. Educational attainment was also examined. Propositions (n = 140) from 38 states were included. Mean readability was 18 (range 7.0-64.0). Only four measures (3%) fell within range of national estimates for adult reading ability. Thirty-nine percent of adults completed high school or less, yet 74% of ballots were written well above a high school reading level. There is a discrepancy between the literacy skills of the average voter and the readability of most propositions. The findings of this study have important implications for individuals with learning disabilities. Policy changes and educational support efforts should be initiated.

Examining the Impact of Reading Fluency on Lexical Decision Results in French 6th Graders

Abstract Purpose: How does lexical decision behavior vary in students with the same grade level (all students were in their first year of middle-school), but different levels of reading fluency? Here, we tested a prediction of the dual-route model: as fluency increases, variations in the results may reflect a decreasing reliance on decoding and an increasing reliance on the lexical route. Method: 1,501 French 6th graders passed a one-minute speeded reading-aloud task evaluating fluency, and a ten-minute computerized lexical decision task evaluating the impact of lexicality, length, word frequency and pseudoword type. Results: As predicted, the word length effect varied dramatically with reading fluency, with the least fluent students showing a length effect even for frequent words. The frequency effect also varied, but solely in proportion to overall reading speed, suggesting that frequency affects the decision stage similarly in all readers, while length disproportionately impacts poor readers. Response times and errors were also affected by pseudoword type (e.g., letter substitutions or transpositions), but these effects showed minimal variation with fluency. Overall, lexical decision variables were excellent predictors of reading fluency (r = 0.62). Conclusion: Our results highlight the variability in middle-school reading ability and describe how a simple lexical decision task can be used to assess students’ mental lexicon (vocabulary) and the automatization of reading skills.

Greater utilization of executive functions networks when listening to stories with visual stimulation is related to lower reading abilities in children

Narrative comprehension relies on basic sensory processing abilities, such as visual and auditory processing, with recent evidence for utilizing executive functions (EF), which are also engaged during reading. EF was previously related to the “supporter” of engaging the auditory and visual modalities in different cognitive tasks, with evidence of lower efficiency in this process among those with reading difficulties in the absence of a visual stimulus (i.e. while listening to stories). The current study aims to fill out the gap related to the level of reliance on these neural circuits while visual aids (pictures) are involved during story listening in relation to reading skills. Functional MRI data were collected from 44 Hebrew-speaking children aged 8–12 years while listening to stories with vs without visual stimuli (i.e., pictures). Functional connectivity of networks supporting reading was defined in each condition and compared between the conditions against behavioral reading measures. Lower reading skills were related to greater functional connectivity values between EF networks (default mode and memory networks), and between the auditory and memory networks for the stories with vs without the visual stimulation. A greater difference in functional connectivity between the conditions was related to lower reading scores. We conclude that lower reading skills in children may be related to a need for greater scaffolding, i.e., visual stimulation such as pictures describing the narratives when listening to stories, which may guide future intervention approaches.

Boosting Students’ Reading Comprehension Using REAP Method

This research highlights the vital role of English reading skills in students'' literacy and comprehension. Implementing the REAP technique enhances reading comprehension by fostering interactive study-reading methods. Addressing issues like lack of interest, it offers a promising approach to enhance English education at SMA Institut Indonesia Semarang, as evidenced by its effectiveness in improving 11th-grade students' reading abilities. This quasi pre-experimental research employs a one-group pretest-posttest design, chosen for its convenience in obtaining internal samples. Class XI-3 was selected based on teacher recommendations. With 31 students, the study adopts a quantitative approach, focusing on reading comprehension tests administered before and after classroom instruction using multiple-choice questions as the assessment instrument. The pre-test, revealing a range of scores from 44 to 76 with a mean of 64.12, highlights initial reading struggles. Post-treatment, the post-test exhibits diverse scores, averaging 76.38, indicating improvement. The REAP method effectively enhances comprehension, as evidenced by the significant score increase from pre-test (64.12) to post-test (76.38), validating its efficacy. The research findings reveal a notable improvement in students'' reading comprehension abilities following the implementation of the REAP Method, despite initial unsatisfactory grades. The approach effectively enhances students' understanding and analytical skills, demonstrating its high effectiveness as a reading comprehension strategy. Overall, the significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores underscores the success of the REAP Method in advancing students' reading comprehension abilities, affirming its efficacy as a teaching approach

Learners’ Perceptions of Self-directed Learning Using Self-reading and a Reading Journal in College General English Classes

his study aims to examine learners’ perceptions of self-directed learning for self-reading and reading journal writing in college general English classes. 105 first-year students from the Design College and Art College freely selected and read their texts according to their major and interests over the course of 12 weeks, and participated in the survey in the 15th week. The results showed that 76.93% of the students recognized that self-reading helped them learn English greatly or at least to some extent. The biggest difficulty in self-reading was that it was hard for students to interpret English by themselves. 77% answered that writing a reading journal was helpful in learning English, and students had the most difficulty writing English on their own. Such activities were found to be the most helpful in improving students' reading ability. 85% preferred self-directed learning consisting of self-reading and reading journal writing, and the main reason stated was that they were able to freely choose what they wanted to read, thus making the reading more interesting for them. Such a class might increase students' motivation and confidence by encouraging their active and interested participation in the class and further it can serve as the basis for students to continue independent and self-directed English learning after class. In the educational situation where learner-centered instruction is emphasized, this study suggests that self-directed learning for self-reading and reading journal writing can be combined properly with the conventional method using textbooks depending on learners’ proficiency levels in college general English classes.

Embracing technology in EFL pre-university classrooms: A qualitative study on EFL learners' perceptions of intensive and extensive reading approaches

This study attempts to explore the perceptions of Pakistani pre-university EFL learners about the intensive reading (IR) and extensive reading (ER) approaches and the use of technology in these two approaches. This is a qualitative study using a purposive sampling technique. The participants were 10 pre-university undergraduate students enrolled in the foundation program of a public sector university in Pakistan. Researchers used semi-structured interviews and reflective diaries as data collection tools. Thematic analysis and personal interpretation techniques were used to analyze the results. The results showed that after participating in the reading classes, the students had positive perceptions of the IR and ER approaches and found them useful and interesting. The results also showed that the learners felt that their language skills improved significantly after participating in the IR and ER-related activities. Students also found these reading approaches to be complementary to each other. The results also indicated that teachers' use of intensive reading and extensive reading approaches could make learners skilled and autonomous readers. Ultimately, their reading problems could be solved with these approaches. Moreover, the learners also perceived the use of technology in these two reading approaches as of great benefit to them. The researchers recommend incorporating IR and ER activities into the EFL classroom using digital resources to maximize EFL learners' reading abilities and other language skills.

Students’ Abilities and Difficulties in Comprehending English Reading Texts at Second Grade Students’ of SMA Negeri 1 Sakra Timur

Reading is one of the four language skills taught in English learning process. Reading comprehension is the process of making meaning from the texts. Reading comprehension is the ability of the students to read the English reading texts, process the texts, and understand its meaning and integrated with what the reader already knows. The students had still low ability and high difficulties in comprehend the text. This study deals with the abilities and difficulties of the students in comprehending English reading texts. This research study aimed (a) to know the students’ reading abilities in comprehending English text, (b) to find out the students’ difficulties in comprehending English text, (c) to identify factors of causing the students’ difficulties in comprehending English text. The research employed qualitative research method. Data were collected through documentation/worksheet test and interview by 25 students’ and English teacher at senior high school in Sakra Timur. Among other findings, the present study reports that the students’ ability in comprehending English reading texts focus on descriptive text was still low. They had got low ability because they had high difficulties in comprehending English text. The difficulties faced by the students were determining main idea, understanding vocabulary, difficulties in making inference, and to looking for the detail information. The factors were causing the students’ difficulties in comprehending consist of two factors internal and external. The internal factors consist of the student difficulties in understanding long sentence, inadequate instruction presented by teacher, and difficulties in understanding vocabulary). The external factor consists of school and house environment. The other problem is the students’ lack of motivation, lack of interest in English, and lack of participant in English learning process. Their low in reading comprehension was due to their difficulties in comprehension.

MULTISENSORY METHODS AS TEACHERS' EFFORTS IN DEALING WITH DYSLEXIC CHILDREN IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: LITERATURE REVIEW

Dyslexic children of primary school age feel unable to keep up with learning, because they have different ways to learn. Teachers in school need to strategize a method for dyslexic children can follow the lesson well. This study aims to determine the efforts of teachers in dealing the dyslexic children with multisensory methods in elementary school. The research method used is integrative literature review with a five-stage framework, namely problem identification, literature search, data evaluation, data analysis, and presentation of findings. The electronic databases used are Sinta, ResearchGate, Google Scholar, Garuda, and Rama Repository, producing amount 38,649 articles over the past 10 years. Using search keywords, 7 journals were identified as meeting the inclusion criteria using the CASP (Critical Appraisal Skill Program) instrument. The result of this literature review is that multisensory methods are proven to improve the reading ability and learning quality of dyslexic children. Children experience an improvement in their ability to recognize words accurately although not significantly. Teachers need to provide remedial to overcome the difficulties and learning barriers they experience at school, and discuss with parents in order to children get a balanced teaching method between home and school.

Structural Analytic Synthetic Learning Method for Early Reading Ability

The Structural Analytic Synthetic (SAS) method is a learning method that begins with the introduction of complete sentence structures that build meaningful concepts in children. This research aimed to determine the effect of the SAS method on children's early reading abilities. This research uses a quantitative method with an experimental approach, using a pre-experimental one-group pretest and posttest design. Participants in this research were all early childhood children aged 6-7 years, totaling 32 children. Collection techniques include observation, interviews, and tests. The use of the SAS method in classroom learning has a positive influence, children's initial reading Ability when applying the SAS method in learning has a very big influence. The SAS method is an initial reading learning method that begins with presenting complete sentences which are then broken down into words into independent syllables and letters and combined again starting from letters into syllables, and words into complete sentences. Keywords: children aged 6-7 years, early reading ability, structural analytic-synthetic method

Appropriacy of Supplementary Reading Assessment Tools and Materials Used In Public Elementary Schools

Given this substantial and transformative shift in teaching and learning paradigms, teachers serving as frontline encounter numerous challenges. These challenges are particularly pertinent in the context of the appropriacy of supplementary reading assessment tools and materials used in public elementary schools. This study employed a descriptive-evaluative research method to determine the appropriacy of the supplementary reading assessment tools and materials used in public elementary schools in the Division of Ozamiz City, School Year 2022-2023. Participants of this study were the Grade-4 reading teachers and pupils. The study underscored the need for enhancements in selecting and appropriating these materials for Grade 4 learners. A notable discrepancy was observed between the intended grade levels of the materials and the actual reading performance of the students. It is imperative to align materials with learners’ reading abilities to provide an appropriate level of challenge conducive to learning. Consequently, there is a pressing need for comprehensive reviews and revisions of reading assessment tools and materials used in Grade 4 classrooms. Additionally, offering professional development programs and workshops to augment teachers’ competencies in selecting and utilizing suitable reading materials is essential for addressing these challenges effectively and promoting better literacy outcomes among pupils.

Pemanfaatan Aplikasi Android Belajar Membaca Untuk Meningkatkan Keterampilan Membaca Siswa

This research aims to determine the description of students' learning activities using the Android learning-to-read application and to determine the improvement in students' reading skills in class I at SDN 41 Batu Putih, Palopo City. The type of research used is Classroom Action Research (PTK) consisting of several stages, namely planning, implementation, observation or observation, and reflection. The focus of the research is to improve students' reading skills by using the learning-to-read Android application. The research subjects were all class I students at SDN 41 Batu Putih, Palopo City, totaling 26 students. The data collection techniques used were observation, interviews, tests, and documentation, then analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The results of this research show that in cycle I the description of student learning activities in meeting I got a percentage of 27% (poor), meeting II was 36% (poor), and meeting III was 55% (good). The average overall score percentage in cycle I was 39% (less). In cycle II, the description of student learning activities in meeting I got a percentage of 61% (good), meeting II was 86% (very good), and meeting III was 100% (very good). The average overall score percentage in cycle II was 82% (very good). The percentage of students' reading ability in cycle I got a percentage of 39% (poor) and in cycle II got percentage of 82% (very good). Based on the results of the percentage of learning activities and improvement in students' reading skills using the learning to read an android application, it can be concluded that students experienced an increase in their reading skills through using the "Belajar Membaca" android application.

The Effectiveness of Applying the Habits of Mind Approach on Developing Female Fifth Graders’ Reading Self-Efficacy

Self-efficacy, which refers to one’s own capabilities to perform a task successfully, has been found to be a significant predictor of various educational achievements. The current study emphasizes the role of self-efficacy in the context of reading, highlighting that students’ beliefs about their reading abilities can significantly shape their motivation and performance in reading. Consequently, unsuccessful outcomes in reading may not necessarily result from a lack of skills or knowledge but rather from a deficiency in the self-efficacy beliefs needed to apply those skills effectively (Carroll & Fox, 2017). Considering the narrow scope of research on reading self-efficacy, this quasi-experimental study aimed to extend previous work by exploring how reading self-efficacy changes among female fifth-grade students through a nine-week Habits of Mind (HoM) program. This program specifically targeted the four primary sources of information that affect reading self-efficacy: progress, observational comparison, social feedback, and physiological states. Participants comprised 66 female fifth-grade students from a public elementary school, split into an experimental group of 33 who participated in the HoM program and a control group of 33 students adhering to the standard curriculum. The findings indicate that participants in the HoM program reported significantly higher reading self-efficacy levels in four sources of reading self-efficacy compared to those in the control group. Results also indicated that the improvements in reading self-efficacy and its four foundational factors, attained through implementing the HoM program, were either sustained or experienced further growth over time. We recommend that this approach might help students develop a lifelong passion for reading, along with the confidence they need to overcome reading challenges.

Effects of Mother Tongue Education and Multilingualism on Reading Skills in the Regional Language and English in India

AbstractIn a highly multilingual country like India, challenges and opportunities arise in education and language policy. Although multilingualism is often associated with developmental advantages, Indian primary school children generally show low learning outcomes, specifically on literacy. Here we examine the influence of mother tongue education and multilingualism on the reading skills and reading comprehension of 1272 Indian primary school children from low SES homes. The children performed the ASER literacy task in both the regional, majority language and in English, which was followed by newly developed reading comprehension questions. The results show that minority language speakers from monolingual households—who do not receive mother tongue education—underperform compared to majority language speakers when reading in the majority language. When reading in English, growing up in a multilingual household improves children's performance. Finally, in sites which have a larger proportion of mother tongue‐educated children, children perform better in literacy in the regional language and worse in English. Overall, these results provide insight into the influence of mother tongue education and multilingualism on reading abilities and show that more support is needed for minority language speakers to develop literacy in the majority language, and for all children to develop literacy in English.

Exploring the distribution and cognitive profiles of poor readers across varying levels of reading difficulty: implications for identification and support

BackgroundThis study explored the impact of different cut‐off points used to identify children with reading difficulties on the distribution of these children across the three poor reader groups predicted by the simple view of reading (dyslexia, specific comprehension difficulty and mixed difficulty). Additionally, the study investigated whether the cognitive profiles of these poor reader groups remained consistent across varying levels of reading impairment.MethodsThis study included 209 primary school children from New Zealand, in Years 4–6 and aged 8–10 years, who experienced reading comprehension difficulties. Using a two‐step cluster analysis, participants were assigned to one of three poor reader groups: dyslexia, specific comprehension difficulty (SCD) and mixed difficulty. We examined the distribution of children across these groups at eight levels of reading comprehension difficulty and conducted strengths and weaknesses profiles at four levels of reading ability across 14 tests that assessed a range of reading‐related skills. Additionally, we compared the performance of children in these groups who performed above and below the 10th percentile on a reading comprehension assessment across these tests.ResultsThe results showed that the proportion of children assigned to each group varied across the reading levels, with children at the lower end of the reading comprehension continuum more likely to exhibit the mixed difficulty profile than the SCD and dyslexia profiles. Overall, the research found that dyslexia, SCD and mixed difficulty profiles could be identified at all levels of reading comprehension difficulty, though weaknesses in their reading‐related skills increased as reading comprehension difficulties also increased.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that struggling readers demonstrate distinct cognitive profiles across all levels of reading ability. These results have important implications for identifying and supporting struggling readers, as well as enhancing our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of reading difficulties. The possible relationship between the results obtained in this study and tiered models of reading support is discussed.

The underlying neuropsychological and neural correlates of the impaired Chinese reading skills in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Impaired basic academic skills (e.g., word recognition) are common in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The underlying neuropsychological and neural correlates of impaired Chinese reading skills in children with ADHD have not been substantially explored. Three hundred and two children with ADHD (all medication-naïve) and 105 healthy controls underwent the Chinese language skill assessment, and 175 also underwent fMRI scans (84 ADHD and 91 controls). Between-group and mediation analyses were applied to explore the interrelationships of the diagnosis of ADHD, cognitive dysfunction, and impaired reading skills. Five ADHD-related brain functional networks, including the default mode network (DMN) and the dorsal attention network (DAN), were built using predefined regions of interest. Voxel-based group-wise comparisons were performed. The ADHD group performed worse than the control group in word-level reading ability tests, with lower scores in Chinese character recognition (CR) and word chains (WS) (all P < 0.05). With full-scale IQ and sustained attention in the mediation model, the direct effect of ADHD status on the CR score became insignificant (P = 0.066). The underlying neural correlates for the orthographic knowledge (OT) and CR differed between the ADHD and the control group. The ADHD group tended to recruit more DMN regions to maintain their reading performance, while the control group seemed to utilize more DAN regions. Children with ADHD generally presented impaired word-level reading skills, which might be caused by impaired sustained attention and lower IQ. According to the brain functional results, we infer that ADHD children might utilize a different strategy to maintain their orthographic knowledge and character recognition performance.

Can an extended-matching second-language vocabulary test format bridge the gap between meaning-recognition and meaning-recall?

Meaning-recognition and meaning-recall vocabulary tests are commonly used to assess knowledge of the form-meaning link as it relates to the receptive skills. Although meaning-recognition is generally more convenient, think-aloud protocols have revealed that in comparison to meaning-recall, meaning-recognition is more susceptible to blind guessing and the use of construct-irrelevant test strategies. Perhaps because of this, meaning-recall tends to be a stronger predictor of reading ability. Following Budescu (1988), this article reports on three studies that investigated an extended-matching test (EMT) format that was designed to address these limitations of meaning-recognition while retaining its convenience. An EMT with 90 target words was developed. It contained three clusters, each with a 30:130 ratio of target words to Vietnamese L2 response options. In comparison to meaning-recall criterion measures, the EMT did not meaningfully differ in terms of internal reliability, mean scores, and, importantly, the strength of the correlation with reading comprehension scores. The consistency of correct/incorrect response classifications ranged from 83 % to 86 %. These initial findings suggest that the EMT format may be used interchangeably with meaning-recall for many research purposes.

HelloTalk Application as an Alternative for Building Students’ Reading Ability on Narative Texts

English was regarded as a foreign language in Indonesia and holds significant importance in various domains, including education, economy, international relations, and technology. Consequently, the Indonesian government has designated English as the primary foreign language, mandatory for learning in both schools and universities. Thus, English has incorporated into the curriculum from elementary level up to university. This research aimed to determine if there is a significant difference in the reading abilities of students taught using the Hellotalk application compared to those taught through conventional methods.in this school most of students still  low to read the English text so the Reseacher interesting to give new method for them. The method used Quantitative research, with an experimental method and quasi-experimental design. The target population consisted of seventh-grade students. Purposive sampling was utilized to select a sample of 25 students for the experimental group and 25 students for the control group. Data collection involved the use of a multiple-choice test, which was subsequently analyzed using the independent t-test in SPSS 25. The research findings revealed a significant distinction between the experimental group and the control group. This meant that Hellotalk Application was suitable to use in teaching reading on narrative texts at the seventh grade.