Knowledge Comprehension Research Articles

Exploring teachers teaching reading comprehension: knowledge, behaviours and attitudes

ABSTRACT There are few measures of teacher professional knowledge of reading comprehension, therefore little is known about the levels of teacher professional knowledge, their motivation and attitudes to teaching reading comprehension. The Knowledge, Behaviour and Attitudes Test for Reading Comprehension (KBAT-RC) was developed from a systematic literature review, in collaboration with researchers and practitioners. Findings from the first sample suggest that teachers prefer more tangible practices when teaching reading comprehension (teaching vocabulary, prediction and asking questions), in contrast to developing the inference skills and self-monitoring for meaning strategies of the children they teach. Implications for the development of teacher professional knowledge in reading comprehension are discussed.

A Study on the Error Patterns of Sixth-Grade Elementary School Students in the Unit of Ratio and Proportion

<p>本研究旨在探討國小六年級學生在比與比值單元中的解題表現，並深入研究學生在該單元中常見的錯誤類型。研究採用紙筆測驗收集量化資料，對臺南市8所小學13個班級的237名學童進行施測，利用研究者自編的「比與比值成就測驗」。接著，對學生在比與比值單元中的錯誤類型進行分析，並探討可能形成這些錯誤的原因。研究結果如下：一、國小六年級學童在比與比值單元的整體表現以及各向度表現各有不同，其中在相等的比向度表現最佳，而在比的應用向度表現最差。二、國小六年級學生在比與比值單元常見的錯誤類型分為十七種，包括誤解題意、錯置前後項、前後項概念不清、比值概念不清、比與比值概念混淆、相等的比概念不清、最簡整數比概念不清、最簡單整數比認知不足未化至最簡、以一(多)步驟的方式解題、忽略題意資訊、列式錯誤或未完整、計算式錯誤、單位換算錯誤、單位錯誤、無計算過程、應用問題未寫出答案、計算錯誤。三、國小六年級學生在比與比值單元出現的錯誤類型可能形成的原因包括整體量或分量的概念不清、比與比值概念混淆、誤解題意、比的相關算則不清、比的概念不清、閱讀理解題目能力不足、基本運算能力不足、書寫粗心等八種原因。</p> <p> </p><p>The purpose of this study was to explore the problem-solving performance of sixth-grade elementary school students in the unit of ratio and proportion, explored the error patterns that students often made in this unit. This study adopted paper-and-pencil tests to collect quantitative data. The sample consisted of 237 students from thirteen classes of eight elementary schools in Tainan City. The students were tested by the researcher’s self-edited "Ratio and Proportion Achievement Test."Subsequently, organized the error patterns made by students in the ratio and proportion unit, and found out the possible reasons of the error patterns. The research results are as follows: 1.The performance of sixth-grade elementary school students in the ratio and proportion unit from the entirety and different dimensions was different. All of the students had the higest grade in the equivalent ratio dimension, and had the lowest grade in the application of the ratio dimension. 2..There were seventeen error patterns that commonly made by sixth-grade elementary school students in the unit of ratio and proportion: Misunderstanding the question, misplacing antecedent or consequent of the ratio, unclear concept of antecedent and consequent of the ratio, unclear concept of proportion, confusing concept of ratio with concept of proportion, unclear concept of equivalent ratio, unclear concept of irreducible ratio, not converting ratios into the lowest term by insufficient knowledge of irreducible ratio, solving the problem by using one or multiple steps, ignoring the meaning of the question, the wrong or incomplete of the equation, the incorrect formula of calculation, transferring the unit incorrectly, the incorrect unit, not calculating process, not writting the answer of the application questions, and the incorrect calculation. 6.There were eight possible reasons for the error patterns made by sixth-grade elementary school students in the unit of ratio and ratio: Unclear concept of the whole quantity or part quantity, confusing concept of ratio with concept of proportion, misunderstanding the question, unclear the calculation rules of the ratio, unclear concept of ratio, insufficient knowledge of reading comprehension, insufficient of basic arithmetic ability, and writing carelessly.</p> <p> </p>

Knowledge of English Affixes in Thai EFL Learners of Science and Language Programs

This study investigated the knowledge of affixes on vocabulary development among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, focusing on the differentiation between students studying science and those studying the language. Affix knowledge, encompassing both prefixes and suffixes, is essential for expanding word family knowledge, serving as a cognitive bridge to proliferate word family members. To explore this, 111 secondary school students from a semi-urban Thai school, split into 53 science and 58 language program students, were assessed through receptive and productive affix knowledge tests. The findings reveal that science program students outperformed their language counterparts in receptive affix knowledge tests. Additionally, results indicated a learning continuum in affix acquisition, with students showing better average performance on receptive tests compared to more complex productive tasks. Notably, affix knowledge concerning prefixes was superior to that of suffixes across both test types. Moreover, the correlational analysis revealed a medium to strong relationship between English affix knowledge and vocabulary knowledge. The findings also suggest that suffix knowledge has a greater impact on productive vocabulary than on receptive vocabulary. Regression analysis supports the correlation results, highlighting that a deeper understanding of affixes is linked to stronger vocabulary knowledge in both comprehension and usage. These results suggest a structured progression in affix learning, from recognition to production, and underline the significance of affix knowledge in vocabulary expansion for EFL learners. The study emphasizes the need for further research into the mechanisms of affix acquisition and its role in language learning curricula.

READING ACROSS BOUNDARIES: CULTURAL CONFLICTS AND REMEDIES

Reading, according to Butterflies et al. (2020), is a cognitive process involving the decoding of written symbols to extract or construct meaning. However, from a pragmatist perspective, this notion is outdated and insufficient. Reading is no longer merely a passive act of decoding thoughts. Instead, it should be perceived as an active and dynamic interaction between the reader and the text. A student interpretation of a text is significantly influenced by their schemata, which includes cultural background knowledge, personal experiences, and prior understanding. This perspective does not discount the crucial role of linguistic knowledge in reading comprehension. Instead, it highlights the fact that cultural knowledge is equally essential for achieving a complete and genuine understanding of the text. Linguistic and cultural knowledge are interconnected and should not be viewed in isolation. When these elements are separated, the reader fails to grasp the full significance and richness of what they are reading, resulting in an incomplete and superficial interpretation. This paper argues that to fully comprehend a text, both linguistic and cultural contexts must be considered together, providing a holistic and meaningful reading experience for students.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0736/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Effects of Bilingualism Strategy on the Academic Performance of Primary School Pupils in English Studies in Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract This study determined the effects of bilingualism on the academic performance of primary school pupils in English Studies in Ile-Ife, Osun State. It also examined the interactive effects of sex and bilingualism on the academic performance of primary school pupils in English Studies in Ile-Ife, Osun State and further investigated the effects of the strategy on the attitude of the pupils in learning English Studies in the study area. The study utilized an experimental research design and the instruments used for data collection are Test of Knowledge of Reading Comprehension (TKRC) in English Studies and Pupils Attitude Questionnaire (PAQ) towards the effects of bilingualism strategy on the academic performance of primary school pupils in English Studies in Ile-Ife (PAQ). The sample comprised thirty three pupils of two randomly selected primary three classes of primary schools in Ile-Ife. Using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), the results showed that students performed better when they were taught using bilingualism strategy than when they were taught using monolingual strategy with the statistical value of Sig=0.024, F=5.811 (p0.05). Result also showed that there is a transfer of knowledge of the Pupils' L1 to the understanding of English studies in the classroom and that irrespective of sex the pupils performed better when they were taught using bilingualism. The results also revealed that bilingualism has significant effect on the attitude of the pupils towards the learning of English reading comprehension The study concluded that bilingualism strategy is effective in improving the academic performance of primary school pupils in English reading comprehension in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. Keywords; bilingualism; english studies; strategy; academic performance

Does word knowledge account for the effect of world knowledge on pronoun interpretation?

Abstract To what extent can statistical language knowledge account for the effects of world knowledge in language comprehension? We address this question by focusing on a core aspect of language understanding: pronoun resolution. While existing studies suggest that comprehenders use world knowledge to resolve pronouns, the distributional hypothesis and its operationalization in large language models (LLMs) provide an alternative account of how purely linguistic information could drive apparent world knowledge effects. We addressed these confounds in two experiments. In Experiment 1, we found a strong effect of world knowledge plausibility (measured using a norming study) on responses to comprehension questions that probed pronoun interpretation. In experiment 2, participants were slower to read continuations that contradicted world knowledge-consistent interpretations of a pronoun, implying that comprehenders deploy world knowledge spontaneously. Both effects persisted when controlling for the predictions of GPT-3, an LLM, suggesting that pronoun interpretation is at least partly driven by knowledge about the world and not the word. We propose two potential mechanisms by which knowledge-driven pronoun resolution occurs, based on validation- and expectation-driven discourse processes. The results suggest that while distributional information may capture some aspects of world knowledge, human comprehenders likely draw on other sources unavailable to LLMs.

A Brief Analysis of Business English Students’ “Knowledge Deficit”: Taking the Business English Reading Course as an Example

In addition to the English language knowledge and skills, students majoring in Business English should also master knowledge and skills in the various fields of business, intercultural communication, humanities, and social sciences. However, in the teaching practice of Business English students, the author finds that many of them face a “Knowledge Deficit” in learning, which refers to that students have very limited business knowledge, or their business knowledge cannot be interacted with their English Language knowledge when dealing with business texts, resulting in their obstacles when dealing with business texts and difficulty in forming a business thinking-pattern. Therefore, efforts should be made in many aspects so as to address this problem. In this paper, the author aims to analyze the “Knowledge Deficit” in teaching and learning of Business English by reviewing the role of knowledge in reading comprehension theoretically, exemplifying with some cases from his classroom teaching, analyzing the causes, and providing some tentative solutions.

Vocabulary Competency and Reading Comprehension of Grade 12 English as Second Language Users: A Systematic Review

This paper has three main objectives: (1) establish the relationship between performance in vocabulary with performance in reading comprehension and writing; (2) determine whether good performance in reading comprehension automatically translates into corresponding good performance in vocabulary and writing or not; (3) establish the correlation between gender and performance in vocabulary, reading comprehension and writing attainment among Grade 12 students. Numerous first language studies show a high correlation between good readers and writers, assuming reading and writing mutually reinforce each other. Some explore the link between vocabulary size and depth and their correlation with reading and writing. Fewer studies examined the connection of (1) vocabulary and reading comprehension and (2) vocabulary knowledge and writing in a second language environment. These studies have reported that second language inputs (reading and writing) play a pivotal role in developing literacy skills amongst learners in second language contexts, i.e., reading input affects the development of writing and reading abilities and or vice versa (meaning, writing input could have the same effect). We recommend that education standards officers, school administrators, and teachers should design strategies to develop in students the habit of independent reading.

The role of different types of knowledge in the text comprehension when reading (experience of experimental interpretative observation)

The article discusses the problem of studying knowledge, as well as the role of different types of knowledge in the text comprehension. In terms of theory, the purpose of this paper is to review the scientific literature on the problem of knowledge, their classification. On the practical side, the purpose of the article is to analyze the role of different types of knowledge in the process of the comprehension of a particular text when reading by a study population, as well as to identify some strategies and principles that students could be guided by when faced with the problem of adequate perception and comprehension of foreign-language texts.The paper applied the method of experimental interpretative observation using a private psycholinguistic empirical questionnaire method, involving interviewing and conversation with subjects under study, during which actual data were obtained. On the basis of these empirical data, the main theoretical and practical conclusions were builtThe article analyzed a certain amount of scientific literature on the problem of knowledge and its classification.It was found out that the problem of knowledge had been dealt with for a long time and there are quite a lot of controversial and unresolved issues in this area: problems of storing, using and acquiring knowledge. It was also found in the work that there are quite a large number of classifications of knowledge, the bases for these classifications, which often overlap.Based on the results of the practical study, some conclusions were drawn. Those conclusions imply that in the process of semantic perception and comprehension of the text when reading, which is an active process, the study population activate and apply numerous knowledge. In the process of reading the text, they also resort to certain strategies and principles of working with it. This allowed us to develop certain recommendations that students could apply when comprehending foreign-language text information. This problem is highly relevant due to the fact that the problem of adequate perception and comprehension of the text is important as one of the problems that determine the effectiveness of both teaching and learning a foreign language in an educational institution. In addition, knowledge of strategies and principles of understanding textual information could facilitate communication in a foreign language in real speech situations.

The Impact of Vocabulary, Inferencing, and Metacognitive Strategies on Second Language Reading Comprehension

This study aims to explore exploring the predictive factors of second language (L2) reading comprehension scores, specifically focusing on L2 vocabulary knowledge, first language (L1) syllogistic inferencing, L1 reading comprehension, and L2 reading metacognitive strategy use. The study involved 90 Korean EFL university students. Their L2 vocabulary knowledge, L1 syllogistic inferencing, L1 reading comprehension, L2 metacognitive reading strategy use scores were collected and analyzed for their influence on L2 reading comprehension scores. A path analysis was conducted for data analysis. The findings revealed that both L2 linguistic knowledge and proficiency in L1 reading comprehension had a positive impact on L2 reading comprehension scores, underscoring the significance of language-specific and crosslinguistic factors, respectively, in the comprehension of L2 reading. The results also indicated an indirect effect of L1 syllogistic inferencing skills on L2 reading comprehension through L1 reading comprehension. This implies that L1 syllogistic inferencing may boost L1 reading comprehension, subsequently benefiting L2 reading comprehension. Furthermore, the study brought to light the potential adverse effects of L2 support reading strategies on L2 reading comprehension. Overall, this study adds to our comprehensive understanding of L2 reading comprehension by shedding light on the intricate interplay of linguistic, cross-linguistic, and metacognitive factors.

Application of the DECOLE programme in a natural classroom situation: effects on emergente literacy skills

This quasi-experimental study investigated the effects of the DECOLE Program, applied by a teacher in natural classroom conditions, on preschoolers' emergent literacy skills. Fifty-three Brazilian children attending a public preschool participated (average age: 5 years and 7 months; standard deviation: 3.9 months), separeted into an Experimental Group (n=30) and a Control Group (n=23). Before and after the intervention, participants’ phonological awareness, vocabulary, oral comprehension, and letter knowledge skills were assessed. The results indicate that the groups were equivalent in the pre-test regarding the skills assessed. In the post-intervention, significant differences were observed in favor of the Experimental Group, which participated in the intervention, in phonological awareness, oral comprehension and vocabulary. The results suggest the effectiveness of the DECOLE Program, when applied in a natural classroom situation, for the development of emergent literacy skills considered highly relevant for learning to read and write.

Exploring the Interdisciplinary Relationship between Music and Language for Enhanced Bilingual Curriculum

Developing an interdisciplinary approach is a paramount concern for educators and researchers in the field of education, given its proven effectiveness in enhancing cognitive comprehension and practical knowledge application. This study examines the pivotal role of music as a potential medium that possesses traits akin to language, serving as a conduit for expressing thoughts and emotions. Emphasizing the significance of music education, this study delves into its profound impact on fostering linguistic abilities. Through a comprehensive review of 32 studies, this study explores the dynamic interplay between music and language. It examines the development of musical properties and inherent characteristics of music competency, catering to diverse intelligences within the framework of linguistic growth. The findings obtained from the specified studies illustrate the manifold benefits of music in enhancing specific aspects of linguistic abilities, underscoring its positive impact on language education. This study provides valuable recommendations for music/language educators and bilingual instructors. It also identifies potential areas of focus, thereby establishing the foundation for future inquiries within this interdisciplinary field.

A - 66 Non-Fluent/Agrammatic Variant of Primary Progressive Aphasia (Nappa) in a Bilingual Chinese Speaker: a Single-Case Study.

The non-fluent/agrammatic variant of primary progressive aphasia (naPPA) is a neurodegenerative syndrome associated with agrammatism in language production and effortful speech (Gorno-Tempini et al., 2011). There is limited literature on PPA in non-English speakers and few clinical cases of bilingual naPPA have been described (Tee et al., 2022; Zanini et al., 2011). Characteristics of symptoms in orthographic languages, such as Chinese, are not well understood (Ting et al., 2017). This case describes the assessment of naPPA in a bilingual Mandarin Chinese speaker. A 66-year-old Asian male with 16years of education complained of worsening aphasia in both languages over two years with initial preferential sparing of Chinese. A comprehensive neuropsychological battery was administered mostly in Chinese with select subtests in English. Language functioning was assessed with the Bilingual Aphasia Screening Test (Paradis & Libben, 1987). Agrammatism and apraxia of speech was present in both languages. Single-word comprehension and object knowledge was preserved, while comprehension of complex commands was impaired. Lexical discrimination of real and nonsense words was preserved. Delayed memory was impaired with relative improvement upon recognition. Attention, processing speed, visuospatial skills, and motor functioning were preserved. Mood was euthymic. This case revealed deficits in both languages with slower decline of the dominant language, suggesting that the less proficient language in bilinguals is more vulnerable to degeneration in naPPA.

WAIS–IV, WISC–V, WPPSI–IV Subtests and their Relationship with CHC Theory

Psychometric intelligence tests have great importance for identification and diagnosis of learning problems, high talents, and cognitive profile in the context of developmental delay or brain injury impacts, for the orientation of specialized education. Among these tests are the three scales of Wechsler, which used frequently. From, the first to the last edition of Wechsler, tests based being, on the created g factor of Spearman. The Cattell-Horn-Carroll theory (CHC) is a complete psychometric theory and empirically based on the structure of cognitive skills. It’s used widely as a basis for the creation and classifying batteries of administration intelligence and neuropsychological tests to facilitate interpretation of cognitive performance. For organizing assessments for people suspected of having an intellectual disability, also three Wechsler tests are based on this theory. Our study tends to classify all subtests in the last three American edition versions of the Wechsler tests in this critical theory and compare these tests. We found that the five of The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Fifth Edition WISC-V primary indexes align with Gc (Comprehension knowledge), Gv (Visual and Spatial Thinking), Gf (Fluid Reasoning), Gwm (Working Memory), Gs (Processing Speed). As well Glr (long-term memory) is measured by two complementary indexes: the Naming Speed Index (NSI) and Symbol Translation Index (STI). Meanwhile, in The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence Fourth edition WPPSI-IV, The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition WAIS-IV and The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Fourth Edition WISC-IV. The only five primary indexes are aligning with Gc, Gv, Gf, Gwm, and Gs, and This proved that there existed more factors present in the WISC-V than the previous Wechsler test editions.

Developing an instrument for assessing pedagogical content knowledge in teaching reading comprehension based on the 2018 Literacy Curriculum Guideline in Vietnam

ABSTRACT In Vietnam, the Ministry of Education and Training recently issued the 2018 Literacy Curriculum Guideline, which required elementary teachers to add different knowledge for teaching reading comprehension based on the competency-based approach. This study aimed to develop an instrument to assess pedagogical content knowledge for teaching reading comprehension based on this curriculum guideline. Participants were a group of four experts, 126 pre-service teachers in three universities of education, and 105 in-service teachers in ten elementary schools in Ho Chi Minh City. Using four stages of instrument development, the Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Teaching Reading Comprehension Instrument (PCK-RC) was developed, including 58 items. Data analyses found high levels of validity and reliability for the PCK-RC instrument. Moreover, data collection with larger samples and integration with interviews, and observations are recommended to measure teacher knowledge in reading comprehension more profoundly.

Development of reading fluency and metacognitive knowledge of reading strategies during reciprocal teaching: do these changes actually contribute to reading comprehension?

The study examined the effect of reciprocal teaching on students' reading comprehension, reading fluency, and metacognitive knowledge of reading strategies, especially among students with learning difficulties. The special focus was to assess how the increase in reading fluency and metacognitive knowledge during the intervention contributes to the reading comprehension outcome. The sample consisted of 301 Grade 3 students, of whom 77 had learning difficulties. Analyzes of (co)variances were used for estimating the effects of reciprocal teaching on the development of reading comprehension, reading fluency, and metacognitive knowledge. Multigroup path analysis was used for testing the effect of increase in reading fluency and metacognitive knowledge on reading comprehension. We found reciprocal teaching had a positive effect on reading comprehension, especially for students with learning difficulties. Reading fluency and metacognitive knowledge improved significantly, but similarly in both the intervention and control groups. However, the increase in metacognitive knowledge only contributed to reading comprehension in the intervention group, not in the control group. The study sheds light on the cognitive and metacognitive mechanisms underlying students' reading comprehension process, emphasizing metacognitive knowledge and especially the systematic practice of reading strategies as key factors in improving reading comprehension.

The association between intelligence and financial literacy: A conceptual and meta-analytic review

Financial literacy is positively associated with intelligence, with typically moderate to large effect sizes across studies. The magnitude of the effect, however, has not yet been estimated meta-analytically. Such results suggest financial literacy may be conceptualised as a possible cognitive ability within the Cattel-Horn-Carroll (CHC) model of cognitive abilities. Consequently, we present a psychometric meta-analysis that estimated the true score correlation between cognitive ability and financial literacy. We identified a large, positive correlation with general intelligence (r’ = .62; k = 64, N = 62,194). We also found that financial literacy shared a substantial amount of variance with quantitative knowledge (Gq; via numeracy; r’ = .69; k = 42, N = 35,611), comprehension knowledge (crystallised intelligence; Gc; r’ = .48; k = 14, N = 10,835), and fluid reasoning (fluid intelligence; Gf; r’ = .48; k =20, N = 15,101). Furthermore, meta-analytic structural equation modelling revealed Gq partially mediated the association between cognitive ability (excluding Gq) and financial literacy. Additionally, both Gc and Gq had significant direct effects on financial literacy, whereas the total effect of Gf on financial literacy was fully mediated by a combination of Gc and Gq. While the meta-analyses provide preliminary support for the potential inclusion of financial literacy as primarily a Gc or Gq ability within the CHC taxonomy (rather than Gf), the review revealed that very few studies employed comprehensive cognitive ability measures and/or psychometrically robust financial literacy tests. Consequently, the review highlighted the need for future factor analytic research to evaluate financial literacy as a candidate for inclusion in the CHC taxonomy.

Impact of cognitive abilities on performance in organic chemistry

Abstract The purpose of this study was to observe the relationship between students’ cognitive abilities and their performance in organic chemistry. We were interested in measuring whether some cognitive composites were more predictive than others on organic chemistry performance, whether group differences existed between males and females, and whether group differences existed between students with above and below average cognitive abilities. For Study 1 and Study 2, our participants included 48 and 60 sophomore organic chemistry students respectively. We used the Woodcock-Johnson Test of Cognitive Abilities-IV to measure cognitive composites. ACS organic chemistry exam scores and scores on an organic chemistry concept inventory were used to measure student performance. We ran a correlational analysis between the cognitive composites and organic chemistry scores, and t-tests for group comparisons. For Study 1, we found a significant moderate correlation between long-term retrieval and organic chemistry scores. For Study 2, we found a significant small to moderate correlation between comprehension knowledge and short-term working memory, with organic chemistry scores. We did not find any significant gender differences, except on comprehension knowledge. The differences between above average and below average cognitive abilities were only seen in relation to the concept inventory and not ACS exam scores.

Simple View of Reading Across the Transition from Kindergarten to Grade 1 in a Transparent Orthography

ABSTRACT Purpose This longitudinal study investigated the simple view of reading (SVR) model and its cognitive basis in a transparent orthography of the Lithuanian across the transition from kindergarten to Grade 1. Method The language and early literacy skills of 229 children (Mage = 6.79, SD = .47) were tested at the end of kindergarten (vocabulary, letter knowledge, phonological awareness, and RAN); listening comprehension and word reading fluency were tested at the start of Grade 1; and reading comprehension was measured at the end of Grade 1. Results Together with parental education, word reading fluency and listening comprehension predicted reading comprehension (R2 = 43.2%). The second model, which also included language and early literacy skills, showed that vocabulary and phonological awareness indirectly predicted reading comprehension via listening comprehension, while phonological awareness, letter knowledge, and rapid automatized naming (RAN) indirectly predicted reading comprehension via word reading fluency (R2 = 43.6%). However, after allowing the direct paths from language and early literacy skills in kindergarten to reading comprehension, listening comprehension and word reading fluency were no longer significant predictors of reading comprehension, whereas vocabulary and letter knowledge were (R2 = 58.9%). Conclusion The results provided support for the SVR model in transparent Lithuanian orthography in that linguistic and decoding components are important for early reading comprehension. However, the results also suggested that, in the Lithuanian context, kindergarten vocabulary and letter knowledge are stronger measures in predicting reading comprehension than listening comprehension and word reading fluency in Grade 1.

Using structural equation modeling to examine the relationship between receptive vocabulary knowledge and receptive language proficiency: A new light on an old issue

AbstractIn recent years, applied linguists have paid more attention to the contributory roles of vocabulary knowledge in language subskills. However, little evidence has been collected to shed light upon the cross‐modality relationship between the two modalities of receptive word knowledge, namely phonological and orthographic vocabulary, and receptive language skills, namely reading and listening comprehension. Moreover, the majority of studies conducted on the topic only examined the bivariate correlations between the modalities and did not take the shared variance of the constructs into account, making their findings superficial. The present study analyzed a dataset which reported the performance of 234 students on two validated tests of receptive phonological and orthographic vocabulary knowledge and two standardized tests of listening and reading proficiency. Multi‐group, covariance‐based structural equation modeling was applied. Results from the analyses showed that both aural and orthographic knowledge of words were of equal importance to learners’ receptive vocabulary knowledge. While whole‐group results revealed that vocabulary knowledge contributed equally to learners’ reading and listening proficiency, multi‐group analyses indicated noticeable differences in the contributory role of receptive word knowledge in comprehension between learners of different vocabulary size groups. The role of vocabulary size in the relationship between vocabulary knowledge and comprehension was discussed and practical implications for vocabulary assessment were provided.