Reading Development Research Articles

The Effect of Self-Concept and Self-Efficacy on Learning Engagement and Subsequent Reading Performance: The Difference Between L1 and L2 Reading in First-Grade Students

ABSTRACT Reading self-beliefs, comprising self-concept and self-efficacy, play a pivotal role in shaping students’ learning engagement and learning outcomes. However, existing literature on the self-beliefs of school-entry students primarily originates from Western contexts, and the exploration of differences in self-beliefs, engagement in learning, and their impact on reading performance among L1 and L2 learners remains uncharted territory. This dearth of knowledge leaves us questioning whether self-concept and self-efficacy function uniquely in shaping the reading development of L1 and L2 children. Research Findings: By conducting multigroup SEM analysis, this study found no significant differences in self-efficacy or self-concept between L1 and L2 Chinese first-grade students. However, it did reveal distinct patterns in their impact: In L1 students, self-efficacy and self-concept predict learning engagement, with self-concept having a stronger influence on reading performance. Conversely, for L2 students, self-efficacy primarily affects their learning engagement, which indirectly impacts reading performance. Practice or Policy: This study enhances our understanding of different roles of self-beliefs in L1 and L2 learning and offers pedagogical insights for language teaching in countries with both ethnic minority and local populations.

Development of Reading in Multilingual Environments in 2nd Grade Children

The main objective of this study is to assess the Spanish literacy competence of students enrolled in bilingual and trilingual programs by analyzing the developmental process and evolutionary course of reading during the first cycle of Primary Education. This analysis aims to determine whether the reading skills in Spanish of students in multilingual schools are affected by immersion in a foreign language, in this case, English. To achieve this, a total of 258 second-grade primary students were examined, categorized into groups based on the number of languages they knew (two or three), in comparison to a control group of monolingual students. Two variables were measured: intelligence using the WISC-IV and literacy competence using the TALE. The results of both tests indicate that there are no significant differences in reading competence between bilingual and trilingual students and monolingual students. These results reinforce the idea that learning to read is a process not influenced by the number of languages spoken.

The impact of online learning during the pandemic on language and reading performance in English–French bilingual children

BackgroundThe COVID‐19 pandemic created a unique learning experience, characterised by school closures and a shift to online learning. Research suggests that online learning during the pandemic negatively impacted the reading development of elementary school children. However, little is known about the challenges of learning a second language (L2) remotely. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of online learning during the pandemic on language and reading development among French immersion (FI) students who learn French as an L2.MethodsA total of 137 Grade 1 and Grade 2 students from two cohorts were included in the study. The in‐person cohort consisted of 72 students who attended school in person and were tested in person before the pandemic. The online cohort consisted of 65 students who received virtual instruction during the pandemic and were tested online. Measures of vocabulary, word reading accuracy and fluency, and phonological awareness were administered in English and French to both cohorts. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) were carried out to assess the effects of cohort and grade on the measures, with guardian education as a covariate.ResultsStudents in the in‐person cohort performed significantly better on French vocabulary and English word reading accuracy than students online. The cohort effect was not significant for other French and English measures. Grade 2 students significantly outperformed Grade 1 students in both English and French vocabulary and word reading.ConclusionsThe current results suggest that online learning may have had a moderately negative effect on French vocabulary but no impact on French phonological awareness or word reading. FI students' English skills were also largely unaffected. Therefore, FI students made progress on their language and literacy skills through online learning during the pandemic. The findings point to the importance of enhancing L2 vocabulary input during online learning.

Reciprocal relationships among reading and vocabulary over time: a longitudinal study from grade 1 to 5

AbstractReading comprehension is contingent on both oral language comprehension and word-level reading ability, skills that are thought to be intrinsically related in the early school years. However, while previous studies examining bidirectional relationships among oral vocabulary and reading development have generally found an association between word recognition and subsequent vocabulary skills, they have yielded inconsistent results regarding whether vocabulary is linked to later word recognition. In this longitudinal study (n = 176), we assessed reciprocal relationships between expressive and receptive vocabulary and word recognition measured yearly from Grade 1 to 5. We compared results from a cross-lagged panel model (CLPM) to a random-intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM), an analytic approach which permits disaggregation of variance between children in the constructs of interest from year-to-year fluctuations within children. Expressive and receptive vocabulary were examined in separate models. Results showed that the RI-CLPMs provided a better fit to the data in contrast to the CLPMs, and provided evidence of reciprocal relationships between word recognition and both receptive and expressive vocabulary. Significant between-child variance was shown for vocabulary but not word recognition. These findings confirm that reading and vocabulary skills build upon one another across the primary years, and each is an important area of classroom instruction focus. Early and regular screening measures may serve to inform the development of timely and appropriate support and intervention.

Localized alterations in cortical thickness and sulcal depth of the cingulo-opercular network in relation to lower reading fluency skills in children with dyslexia

The traditional models of reading development describe how language processing and word decoding contribute to reading comprehension and how impairments in word decoding, a defining feature of dyslexia, affect reading comprehension outcomes. However, these models do not include word and sentence reading (contextual reading) fluency, both of which engage executive functions, with notably decreased performance in children with dyslexia. In the current study, we compared cortical thickness and sulcal depth (CT/SD) in the cingulo-opercular (CO) executive functions brain network in children with dyslexia and typical readers and examined associations with word vs. contextual reading fluency. Overall, CT was lower in insular regions and higher in parietal and caudal anterior cingulate cortex regions in children with dyslexia. Children with dyslexia showed positive correlations between word reading fluency and CT/SD in insular regions, whereas no significant correlations were observed in typical readers. For sentence reading fluency, negative correlations with CT/SD were found in insular regions in children with dyslexia, while positive correlations with SD were found in insular regions in typical readers. These results demonstrate the differential relations between word and sentence reading fluency and anatomical circuitry supporting executive functions in children with dyslexia vs. typical readers. It also suggests that word and sentence reading fluency, relate to morphology of executive function-related regions in children with dyslexia, whereas in typical readers, only sentence reading fluency relates to morphology of executive function regions. The results also highlight the role of the insula within the CO network in reading fluency. Here we suggest that word and sentence reading fluency are distinct components of reading that should each be included in the Simple View of Reading traditional model.

ICT Media to the Beginning Reading Ability of Children Aged 5-6 Years

This study aims to determine the relationship between ICT-assisted learning and children's early reading skills at the Early Childhood Education Foundation in Generasi Cerdas. Beginning reading ability is the first skill that children must master when they learn to read. Utilization of telecommunication technology as part of it. In this study using descriptive qualitative method, descriptive qualitative research that applies research steps that produce descriptive data in the form of written words. The research subjects in this study were teachers, namely the process of reading development stages of children aged 5-6 years totaling 15 people. Data collection techniques obtained are observation, interviews, and documentation. From the data the results of the study of children's beginning reading ability are divided into 4 indicators that are observed, first mentioning letter symbols, second pronouncing letters, third mentioning letter sounds, and the last is stringing letters into words.

Action video games normalise the phonemic awareness in pre-readers at risk for developmental dyslexia

Action video-games (AVGs) could improve reading efficiency, enhancing not only visual attention but also phonological processing. Here we tested the AVG effects upon three consolidated language-based predictors of reading development in a sample of 79 pre-readers at-risk and 41 non-at-risk for developmental dyslexia. At-risk children were impaired in either phonemic awareness (i.e., phoneme discrimination task), phonological working memory (i.e., pseudoword repetition task) or rapid automatized naming (i.e., RAN of colours task). At-risk children were assigned to different groups by using an unequal allocation randomization: (1) AVG (n = 43), (2) Serious Non-Action Video Game (n = 11), (3) treatment-as-usual (i.e., speech therapy, n = 11), and (4) waiting list (n = 14). Pre- and post-training comparisons show that only phonemic awareness has a significantly higher improvement in the AVG group compared to the waiting list, the non-AVG, and the treatment-as-usual groups, as well as the combined active groups (n = 22). This cross-modal plastic change: (i) leads to a recovery in phonemic awareness when compared to the not-at-risk pre-readers; (ii) is present in more than 80% of AVG at-risk pre-readers, and; (iii) is maintained at a 6-months follow-up. The present findings indicate that this specific multisensory attentional training positively affects how phonemic awareness develops in pre-readers at risk for developmental dyslexia, paving the way for innovative prevention programs.

Digital Close Reading for Lower Primary Students

AbstractHow can primary literacy teachers effectively identify, adapt, and incorporate developmentally appropriate technologies to support their students' reading development? This article reports results from a case study attempting to digitize a classroom literacy practice—close reading—for Year 2 students. It suggests that digital tools can effectively support close reading practices and students' literacy learning. Results also identify some unique affordances that digitization offers. The author provides suggestions and tips for practitioners interested in incorporating technology into their regular close reading routines.

Enhanced Reading Skills are Associated with Auditory Spatial Attentional Rebalance Induced by the Exposure to Dual-language Contexts

ABSTRACT Purpose Research on the effects on early bilingualism on reading development is scarce. Here, we tackle this question by investigating whether the exposure to dual-language contexts (use of two languages in the same conversational situation) induces a boost in phonological and reading performance through more balanced spatial auditory attentional skills. Method Thirty Grade 1 early Spanish-Basque bilingual children predominantly exposed to dual-language contexts and 30 matched Spanish-Basque bilingual children predominantly exposed to single-language contexts were assessed on a dichotic listening task: syllables were simultaneously presented to the left and right ears and children were instructed to report the syllable they heard best. Results The dual-language contexts group demonstrated a reduced right ear advantage than the single-language contexts group, suggesting a more balanced report of syllables across ears in the former group. Moreover, more balanced reports were associated with more efficient reading skills. Conclusions These results suggest that the frequent exposure to dual-language contexts possibly triggers the spatial rebalance of attentional resources for speech processing, impacting positively the development of reading skills. Future studies will determine whether some bilingual experience might act as a protective factor to reduce the prevalence and severity of future reading impairments such as dyslexia.

Critical Reading inside a Cross-curricular Approach

This qualitative action research study explores six reading strategies to engage students in more dynamic reading through the implementation of workshops focused on the cross-curricular approach to develop critical reading skills among ninth graders at a public school. The study was conducted with 22 students selected, in the city of Manizales, Colombia. The data collection instruments were students’ artifacts, teachers’ field notes, focus group questionnaires, survey questionnaires, and documentary analysis. The findings demonstrate that the use of reading strategies within a cross-curricular approach facilitates the development of critical reading in students. In addition, the design of materials (workshops), based on topics related to the students' environment, has an impact that not only contributes to improving their knowledge of English but also to expanding their knowledge in other areas of the academic field.

The transition from vision to language: Distinct patterns of functional connectivity for subregions of the visual word form area.

Reading entails transforming visual symbols to sound and meaning. This process depends on specialized circuitry in the visual cortex, the visual word form area (VWFA). Recent findings suggest that this text-selective cortex comprises at least two distinct subregions: the more posterior VWFA-1 is sensitive to visual features, while the more anterior VWFA-2 processes higher level language information. Here, we explore whether these two subregions also exhibit different patterns of functional connectivity. To this end, we capitalize on two complementary datasets: Using the Natural Scenes Dataset (NSD), we identify text-selective responses in high-quality 7T adult data (N = 8), and investigate functional connectivity patterns of VWFA-1 and VWFA-2 at the individual level. We then turn to the Healthy Brain Network (HBN) database to assess whether these patterns replicate in a large developmental sample (N = 224; age 6-20 years), and whether they relate to reading development. In both datasets, we find that VWFA-1 is primarily correlated with bilateral visual regions. In contrast, VWFA-2 is more strongly correlated with language regions in the frontal and lateral parietal lobes, particularly the bilateral inferior frontal gyrus. Critically, these patterns do not generalize to adjacent face-selective regions, suggesting a specific relationship between VWFA-2 and the frontal language network. No correlations were observed between functional connectivity and reading ability. Together, our findings support the distinction between subregions of the VWFA, and suggest that functional connectivity patterns in the ventral temporal cortex are consistent over a wide range of reading skills.

Ortho-semantic learning of novel words: an event-related potential study of grade 3 children

IntroductionAs children become independent readers, they regularly encounter new words whose meanings they must infer from context, and whose spellings must be learned for future recognition. The self-teaching hypothesis proposes orthographic learning skills are critical in the transition to fluent reading, while the lexical quality hypothesis further emphasizes the importance of semantics. Event-related potential (ERP) studies of reading development have focused on effects related to the N170 component—print tuning (letters vs. symbols) and lexical tuning (real words vs. consonant strings)—as well as the N400 reflecting semantic processing, but have not investigated the relationship of these components to word learning during independent reading.MethodsIn this study, children in grade 3 independently read short stories that introduced novel words, then completed a lexical decision task from which ERPs were derived.ResultsLike real words, newly-learned novel words evoked a lexical tuning effect, indicating rapid establishment of orthographic representations. Both real and novel words elicited significantly smaller N400s than pseudowords, suggesting that semantic representations of the novel words were established. Further, N170 print tuning predicted accuracy on identifying the spellings of the novel words, while the N400 effect for novel words was associated with reading comprehension.DiscussionExposure to novel words during self-directed reading rapidly establishes neural markers of orthographic and semantic processing. Furthermore, the ability to rapidly filter letter strings from symbols is predictive of orthographic learning, while rapid establishment of semantic representations of novel words is associated with stronger reading comprehension.

CSE3 Informed Dynamic Assessment of Northwest Rural Secondary School EFL Learners’ Reading Development

Abstract The gaps both in east-west China and urban-rural development affect English education in northwest rural areas. Reading comprehension, as the foundation for secondary school students’ English overall development, is in need of tailored mediation. Level 3 of China’s Standards of English (CSE3) can be used to inform the Dynamic Assessment (DA) test items and mediation model. With CSE3-based reading materials and the DA mediation model, the current study applied five sessions of one-on-one DA mediation to an experimental group. Results show that the experimental group outperformed the control group in both inferencing and main idea, though not at test level. Microgenetic analysis of their mediation and reciprocity types and frequencies reveal the expansion of their Zones of Proximal Development (ZPD) in reading. The study is among the first attempts to bring CSE3 into the mediation model for rural EFL learners to solve their reading difficulties. It also offers a plausible way to develop tailored mediation.

Letter-speech sound integration in typical reading development during the first years of formal education.

This study investigated the neural basis of letter and speech sound (LS) integration in 53 typical readers (35 girls, all White) during the first 2 years of reading education (ages 7-9). Changes in both sensory (multisensory vs unisensory) and linguistic (congruent vs incongruent) aspects of LS integration were examined. The left superior temporal cortex and bilateral inferior frontal cortex showed increasing activation for multisensory over unisensory LS over time, driven by reduced activation to speech sounds. No changes were noted in the congruency effect. However, at age nine, heightened activation to incongruent over congruent LS pairs were observed, correlating with individual differences in reading development. This suggests that the incongruency effect evolves at varying rates depending on reading skills.

The relationship between morphological awareness and reading comprehension among early grade Chinese children with reading difficulties: A path analysis

Substantial evidence revealed that morphological awareness could contribute to reading achievement in different alphabetic languages among children with and without reading difficulties. However, as the most spoken non-alphabetic language, there is a paucity of available research on Chinese reading development and impairment. This research focused on evaluating two potential intervening variables through the relationship between morphological awareness and reading comprehension. Compounding awareness, homophone awareness, homograph awareness, in addition to reading ability including character recognition, vocabulary knowledge, and reading comprehension were assessed in this research. Controls of phonological awareness and rapid automatized naming (RAN) were also included in the model. Participants were 200 second-grade students with reading difficulties in Chinese mainland . Path analysis revealed that morphological awareness made a direct contribution to reading comprehension beyond all other variables and this relationship was mediated by character recognition and vocabulary knowledge. Furthermore, two indirect pathways showed a significant difference in this study. The distinctive role of morphological awareness in reading comprehension for Chinese children with reading difficulties and the potential reasons for the significant effect difference between the two indirect pathways were discussed at the end of the study.

Understanding Communication Barriers: Demographic Variables and Language Needs in the Interaction between English-Speaking Animal Professionals and Spanish-Speaking Animal Caretakers.

This study focused on assessing the language needs of English-speaking animal professionals in their interactions with Hispanic/Spanish-speaking animal caretakers. A survey was administered to a target audience of non-Spanish speaking and bilingual animal professionals to identify communication gaps while interacting with Hispanic/Spanish-speaking animal caretakers. The data was analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics, including ordinal regression analyses to examine the impact of demographic variables on respondents' answer choices. The results showed that English-speaking professionals struggled with written and oral communication, which differed compared to bilingual professionals (p < 0.05). Additionally, responses of female professionals varied regarding the aspects of Spanish necessary for interacting with Hispanic/Spanish-speaking animal caretakers, as well as the topics likely to be addressed when agriculture professionals communicate with animal caretakers (p < 0.05). Communication difficulties in the oral medium for both oral receptive skills (listening) and oral productive skills (speaking) were reported as the major barriers that animal professionals need to overcome in their attempt to communicate with the Hispanic/Spanish-speaking workforce in farm settings. This emphasizes the need to address oral communication barriers, and to a lesser degree, the development of reading and writing skills. The topics: typical clinical signs of illness, euthanasia, treatment-drugs, and identification of sick or injured animals were identified as the most likely to be addressed during on-farm interactions. These findings indicate that there are gaps in communication that need to be overcome to improve communication with on-farm Hispanic/Spanish-speaking animal caretakers and consequently contribute to enhancing animal health, welfare, and production.

The influence of social networks on children’s literacy: challenges and opportunities

This article addressed the influence of social media on childhood literacy, exploring challenges and opportunities. The study was based on a bibliographic research, utilizing theoretical references from Castro (2021), Bezerra and Pimentel (2016), Veiga (2002), and Barros (2015). The central objective was to comprehend how frequent use of social media affects the development of literacy in children and adolescents, seeking to identify patterns, challenges, and coping strategies. The analysis of theoretical data revealed significant correlations between exposure to educational content on social media and positive development of linguistic skills. However, challenges such as cyberbullying and inappropriate exposure were also identified, necessitating educational and supervisory strategies. The discussed theories pointed to parental and educational mediation as crucial factors in promoting a secure digital environment, aligning with Bezerra and Pimentel's (2016) proposal. The promotion of educational content on social media, as analyzed in light of Veiga's (2002) theories, emerges as a valuable opportunity for the development of reading and writing skills. Exploring the development of critical thinking, as proposed by Barros (2015), the research indicated that participation in educational programs focused on this skill is positively associated with children's ability to discern information and confront different perspectives. In summary, this study provided an understanding of the complexities between social media and childhood literacy, highlighting the importance of parental mediation, promotion of educational content, and development of critical thinking as fundamental components for a balanced approach in the digital era.

Auditory Category Learning in Children With Dyslexia.

Developmental dyslexia is proposed to involve selective procedural memory deficits with intact declarative memory. Recent research in the domain of category learning has demonstrated that adults with dyslexia have selective deficits in Information-Integration (II) category learning that is proposed to rely on procedural learning mechanisms and unaffected Rule-Based (RB) category learning that is proposed to rely on declarative, hypothesis testing mechanisms. Importantly, learning mechanisms also change across development, with distinct developmental trajectories in both procedural and declarative learning mechanisms. It is unclear how dyslexia in childhood should influence auditory category learning, a critical skill for speech perception and reading development. We examined auditory category learning performance and strategies in 7- to 12-year-old children with dyslexia (n = 25; nine females, 16 males) and typically developing controls (n = 25; 13 females, 12 males). Participants learned nonspeech auditory categories of spectrotemporal ripples that could be optimally learned with either RB selective attention to the temporal modulation dimension or procedural integration of information across spectral and temporal dimensions. We statistically compared performance using mixed-model analyses of variance and identified strategies using decision-bound computational models. We found that children with dyslexia have an apparent selective RB category learning deficit, rather than a selective II learning deficit observed in prior work in adults with dyslexia. These results suggest that the important skill of auditory category learning is impacted in children with dyslexia and throughout development, individuals with dyslexia may develop compensatory strategies that preserve declarative learning while developing difficulties in procedural learning. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25148519.

EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS (CDA) ON ENHANCING 21ST CENTURY TEACHERS’ CRITICAL READING ABILITIES

This research aims to investigate the relationship between critical reading abilities and critical discourse analysis (CDA) competencies among future 21st century educators, emphasizing the critical necessity for these educators to possess such skills in today's demanding educational landscape. A sample of 70 prospective teachers was analyzed to determine the interconnection between their abilities in critical reading abilities and CDA, with an exploration into how one skill may influence the other. Additionally, the study examines the role of cognitive style—specifically, field-independent and field-dependent thinking—as a moderating factor in this relationship. Findings indicate a significant positive impact of CDA capabilities on critical reading abilities, suggesting that proficiency in analyzing discourse critically enhances one's ability to read with a critical eye. Furthermore, the study reveals no significant difference in CDA and critical reading abilities between participants categorized as field-independent thinkers versus those identified as field-dependent thinkers. These outcomes highlight the need for further research to explore additional factors that may affect the development of critical reading and discourse analysis skills. The study concludes with a call for educational strategies that integrate both critical reading and CDA competencies, considering the varied cognitive styles of learners.

MODERN FORMS OF LIBRARY ORGANIZATION IN THE ACTIVITY OF PARENTS AND EDUCATORS

This article talks about the reforms aimed at the development of reading from childhood, the responsibility of parents in raising children, the role of the family and preschool education organizations in the education of the young generation as a well-rounded person.