Predictor Of Reading Achievement Research Articles

Does learning to read shape verbal working memory?

Many experimental studies have investigated the relationship between the acquisition of reading and working memory in a unidirectional way, attempting to determine to what extent individual differences in working memory can predict reading achievement. In contrast, very little attention has been dedicated to the converse possibility that learning to read shapes the development of verbal memory processes. In this paper, we present available evidence that advocates a more prominent role for reading acquisition on verbal working memory and then discuss the potential mechanisms of such literacy effects. First, the early decoding activities might bolster the development of subvocal rehearsal, which, in turn, would enhance serial order performance in immediate memory tasks. In addition, learning to read and write in an alphabetical system allows the emergence of phonemic awareness and finely tuned phonological representations, as well as of orthographic representations. This could improve the quality, strength, and precision of lexical representations, and hence offer better support for the temporary encoding of memory items and/or for their retrieval.

Editorial: Frontiers in the acquisition of literacy.

Editorial: Frontiers in the acquisition of literacy.

Learning-related skills and academic achievement in academically at-risk first graders

Using an academically at-risk, ethnically diverse sample of 744 first-grade children, this study tested a multi-method (i.e., child performance measures, teacher ratings, and peer ratings) measurement model of learning-related skills (i.e., effortful control [EC], behavioral self-regulation [BSR], and social competence [SC]), and their shared and unique contributions to children's reading and math achievement, above the effect of demographic variables. The hypothesized correlated factor measurement model demonstrated relatively good fit, with BSR and SC correlated highly with one another and moderately with EC. When entered in separate regression equations, EC and BSR each predicted children's reading and math achievement; SC only predicted reading achievement. When considered simultaneously, neither EC, BSR, nor SC contributed independently to reading achievement; however, EC had a direct effect on math achievement and an indirect effect on reading achievement via both BSR and SC. Implications for research and early intervention efforts are discussed.

Universal factors of student achievement in high-performing Eastern and Western countries.

This study investigates whether a common set of student attitudes and behavioral tendencies can account for academic achievement across different, especially high-performing, countries via analysis of the PISA 2009 international data set. The 13 countries examined are 5 of the top-performing Eastern countries/systems, namely Shanghai China, South Korea, Hong Kong China, Singapore, and Japan; 5 top-performing Western countries, including Finland, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the Netherlands; and the 3 “superpower” countries of Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Ten extensively studied achievement-related attitudinal and behavioral variables—including attitudes toward school, enjoyment, learning strategies, reading habits, and reading strategies—were investigated. Overall, when comparing the East and West across the 10 variables, there were small to medium effect sizes, with Cohen’s d ranging from 0.04 to 0.47, which resulted in salient differences between the 2 regions. More important, there were striking similarities across all 13 countries in their “best” predictor of reading achievement—either enjoyment of reading or utilization of reading strategies to efficiently summarize the text. Enjoyment of reading in particular was a strong predictor at both individual and country levels. This study concludes that what motivates human learning is invariant across countries with vastly different educational, cultural, and language systems.

Class Size Effects on Reading Achievement Using PIRLS Data: Evidence from Greece

Background/ContextThe effects of class size on student achievement have gained considerable attention in education research and policy, especially over the last 30 years. Perhaps the best evidence about the effects of class size thus far has been produced from analyses of Project STAR data, a large-scale experiment where students and teachers were randomly assigned to smaller or larger classes within schools. Researchers have also analyzed observational data to examine the effects of class size, but the results have been mixed.Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of StudyIt is generally difficult to draw causal inferences about class size effects with observational data because of the omitted variables problem. This shortcoming can be overcome with instrumental variables (IV) methods that are designed to facilitate causal inferences. The present study uses IV methods to examine the effects of class size on reading achievement using data from the 2001 fourth-grade sample of the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) in Greece. We took advantage of Greece's nationwide rule about maximum class size in elementary schools to construct IV estimates of class size.PopulationPIRLS was designed to monitor children's achievement levels in fourth grade worldwide. We used reading achievement data from 2001 in Greece. The sample was a national probability sample of fourth graders. The use of appropriate weights helped us make projections to the fourth-grade student population in Greece in 2001.Research DesignThe research design was secondary analysis. We examined whether class size predicts reading achievement for fourth graders in Greece net of student, teacher/classroom, and school characteristics. We used multilevel models to capture the dependency in the data (i.e., students nested within schools). We also used instrumental variables methods to facilitate causal inferences about class size effects.ConclusionsWe investigated the effects of class size on reading achievement for fourth graders in Greece in 2001 using rich data from PIRLS. The results produced from the multilevel and the IV analyses were overall similar. Generally, the results indicated a positive association between class size and achievement. However, the association was typically statistically insignificant, especially when teacher/classroom and school variables were taken into account.

Relation of Reading Motivation to Reading Achievement in Seventh-Grade Students From Kenya and the United States

Research showing a relationship between middle school students’ reading motivation and achievement originates primarily in the Western world. The current study was conducted in Kenya and the United States to investigate whether motivation to read and reading achievement are related similarly in the 2 settings. A total of 208 seventh-grade students from public schools from Kenya (51 girls, 34 boys) and the United States (60 girls, 63 boys) completed the Reading Motivation Questionnaire ( Wigfield & Guthrie, 1995 ) after completing their respective standardized examination for reading achievement. Regression analyses revealed that efficacy (positive) and importance of reading (negative) were predictors of reading achievement for the U.S. students while challenge and compliance were both positive significant predictors of reading achievement for the Kenyan students. Overall, girls reported being more motivated by compliance and social reasons and boys by challenge. Girls showed higher reading achievement. These findings suggest that the motivation for reading and its relationship to success in reading differ by cultural setting and by gender.

Growth trajectories of early aggression, overactivity, and inattention: Relations to second-grade reading.

The link between behavior problems and low academic achievement is well established, but few studies have examined longitudinal relations between early externalizing behaviors before school entry and low academic achievement following transition to formal schooling. Early inattention has been particularly overlooked, despite strong associations between inattention and reading difficulties later in development. Trajectories of infant and toddler aggression, overactivity, and inattention, developed from parent reports about 1- to 3-year-old children, were examined as predictors of direct assessments of 2nd-grade reading in an at-risk epidemiological study subsample (N = 359). Reports of inattentive and overactive behaviors at ages 1-3 years and changes in inattention through toddlerhood predicted reading achievement in 2nd grade. A parallel process model suggested that the effects of early inattention on reading appear to be most robust. Findings underscore the contribution of social-emotional development to school readiness and the importance of early identification of children with externalizing problems, as early interventions designed to reduce externalizing problems may improve later reading skills.

Motivation for Reading and Upper Primary School Students’ Academic Achievement in Reading in Kenya

This study examined primary school students' reading motivation and performance on the standardized exam. Participants included 901 seventh and eighth grade students from Kenya. There were 468 females and 433 males. Contrary to previous studies, results showed reading challenge and aesthetics, but not efficacy, predicted reading achievement, indicating reading motivation may not influence achievement similarly across cultures. Gender differences were found in reading achievement but not motivation, an indication of a complex relationship between reading motivation and achievement. Students who read mostly for compliance and recognition did poorly in reading. Eighth graders did better in both reading motivation and achievement.

Students' Individual Perceptions of School Climate Predict Reading Achievement in Shanghai

Students, as one specific group of school stakeholders, have unique perceptions of school climate, which predict academic performance. In the Program for International Student Assessment 2009 Shanghai survey, 5,115 students from 152 schools participated. The results from this study showed that compared with their peers in the countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Shanghai students reported better teacher–student relationships, classroom disciplinary climate, and teacher stimulation of reading, although they had worse attitudes toward school. In line with prior literature, multilevel analyses in this study revealed that students' individual perceptions of school climate predicted reading achievement in Shanghai. Controlling for student background characteristics, these individual perceptions explained 1.71% of the within-school differences in reading achievement.

Intrinsic motivation, perceived competence and classroom engagement as longitudinal predictors of adolescent reading achievement

This study investigated the effects of intrinsic motivation, perceived competence, classroom engagement and extrinsic motivation on reading development among youth. Using a nationally representative sample of students in the US, the researchers followed students longitudinally from fifth to eighth grade. Reading achievement was measured using composite tests of vocabulary, reading comprehension and sight-word identification. Hierarchical linear regression was used to examine the effect of students’ perceived intrinsic motivation and competence, as well as teacher rated classroom engagement in the 5th grade, on reading achievement in the 8th grade. Important control variables were utilised such as gender, family SES, race/ethnicity and prior reading achievement. The results showed that intrinsic motivation to read, perceived competence and engagement in 5th grade significantly predict reading achievement in 8th grade. The importance students placed upon grades also predicted reading development. Implications for promoting intrinsic motivation and strong engagement in schools are discussed.

Longitudinal predictors of reading achievement among at-risk children

Early exposure to multiple risk factors is related to an elevated risk for academic difficulty. Thus, it is important to promote academic resilience as early as possible and to identify factors that support resilience. Given the positive relation between early literacy skills and later academic outcomes, examining resilience in reading is important. This study examined, first, whether the reading gap widens or narrows for below-average and above-average, at-risk children during the first four years of school; and, second, what protective factors predict reading achievement over time from kindergarten through the end of third grade. Results indicated that as a group, low-achieving children made smaller gains in reading than high-achieving children over the first four years of school. In addition, participation in center-based prekindergarten care, plus more access to books in the home, better interpersonal skills, and fewer poor physical conditions immediately surrounding elementary schools served as prote...

Differentiating Behavioral Ratings of Inattention, Impulsivity, and Hyperactivity in Children

The purpose of the study is to differentiate between behaviors of ADHD: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity and how each domain contributes to reading achievement in elementary school-aged children. Data from 131 children were collected, which include performance from reading fluency and comprehension measures as well as parent and teacher ratings of ADHD behaviors based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) criteria. Correlation and regression analyses revealed that inattentive behaviors were strongly linked to reading fluency and comprehension. Hyperactivity and impulsive behaviors did not predict reading achievement. A significant two-way interaction was found only for gender and inattention with reading comprehension as the outcome. Many of the behaviors related to inattention strongly predicted reading fluency, reading comprehension, and overall reading ability. Boys who exhibited inattentive behaviors performed more poorly on reading comprehension measures than girls with inattentive behaviors.

Environmental factors associated with early reading achievement in the developing world: A cross-national study

Educational research from the developed world is often used as the basis for policies and programs in the developing world. However, local contextual factors should be taken into consideration in any transfer of research findings. This study examines associations that socioeconomic status (SES) and the home literacy environment (HLE) have with reading achievement in the developing world. Models that predict reading achievement are created and the patterns across countries are analyzed. The correlation coefficients for achievement and SES, as well as achievement and HLE are compared. Significant between-country variation in the best proxies for SES and HLE is discovered. Results from this study suggest that education efforts in the developing world must consider local contexts to achieve their goals.

Response to “Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS)” by Kamii and Manning

This article is a response to “Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS): A Tool for Evaluating Student Learning?” by Kamii and Manning (2005). The intent of their study was to evaluate how DIBELS and a writing test predict reading achievement, which was measured by scores on the Slosson Oral Reading Test (SORT) as well as by a writing task. Approximately 200 students from two geographically discrepant schools were included in this study. The authors concluded that their test was a superior predictor of reading achievement. A few of the authors' many criticisms of their study is that there were insufficient descriptions of their sample and their test administration procedures. Also, their study lacked fidelity of implementation checks. Their results actually showed that the DIBELS score distribution was in the normal range, but that was not true of their writing task.

Autonomic Regulation on the Stroop Predicts Reading Achievement in School Age Children

In this study we examined high frequency heart rate variability (HF‐HRV, a parasympathetic index) both at rest and during challenge, to assess if variations in cardiovascular activity measured during a Stroop task could be used to predict reading achievement in typically developing children. Reading achievement was examined using the Peabody Individual Achievement Test–Revised. Results showed that greater HF‐HRV suppression during both the Stroop word and Stroop word–color conflict tasks was associated with better reading achievement. Higher basal levels of HF‐HRV did not predict better reading scores. These results are among the first to show a link between HF‐HRV and reading achievement in a normative school age population, and offer new insight into the association between cognitive activity and autonomic regulation of the heart.

Using personality and cognitive ability to predict academic achievement in a young adult sample

This study examined the relationship between cognitive ability, personality, and academic achievement in post-secondary students, using latent variable models. Testing both simple and complex relationships, we found that cognitive ability and personality predicted reading achievement independently, but that they interact when predicting math achievement – at least in the Conscientiousness and Openness to Experience domains.

Creating a Brief Rating Scale for the Assessment of Learning Disabilities Using Reliability and True Score Estimates of the Scale’s Items Based on the Rasch Model

The purpose of the present studies was to provide the means to create brief versions of instruments that can aid the diagnosis and classification of students with learning disabilities and comorbid disorders (e.g., attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). A sample of 1,108 students with and without a diagnosis of learning disabilities took part in Study 1. Using information from modern theory methods (i.e., the Rasch model), a scale was created that included fewer than one third of the original battery items designed to assess reading skills. This best item synthesis was then evaluated for its predictive and criterion validity with a valid external reading battery (Study 2). Using a sample of 232 students with and without learning disabilities, results indicated that the brief version of the scale was equally effective as the original scale in predicting reading achievement. Analysis of the content of the brief scale indicated that the best item synthesis involved items from cognition, motivation, strategy use, and advanced reading skills. It is suggested that multiple psychometric criteria be employed in evaluating the psychometric adequacy of scales used for the assessment and identification of learning disabilities and comorbid disorders.

Poverty, Race, and Parental Involvement During the Transition to Elementary School

Using multilevel models of data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Kindergarten Cohort ( N = 20,356), the authors find that parental involvement in education partially mediates the association between family poverty and children’s math and reading achievement in kindergarten, but differences exist across race. In Asian families, poor and nonpoor children have similar levels of achievement. Poverty is not related to Black children’s participation in organized activities, but these activities are not associated with Black children’s achievement. Home-learning activities predict reading achievement in Hispanic families only. The findings provide support for application of the family process model to educational outcomes during the transition to elementary school and underscore the need to examine developmental models across racial subsets of the population.

Decomposing the relation between Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) and reading ability.

The Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) test involves rapidly naming sequences of items presented in a visual array. RAN has generated considerable interest because RAN performance predicts reading achievement. This study sought to determine what elements of RAN are responsible for the shared variance between RAN and reading performance using a series of cognitive tasks and a latent variable modelling approach. Participants performed RAN measures, a test of reading speed and comprehension, and six tasks, which tapped various hypothesised components of the RAN. RAN shared 10% of the variance with reading comprehension and 17% with reading rate. Together, the decomposition tasks explained 52% and 39% of the variance shared between RAN and reading comprehension and between RAN and reading rate, respectively. Significant predictors suggested that working memory encoding underlies part of the relationship between RAN and reading ability.

Influence of reading attitude on reading achievement: A test of the temporal‐interaction model

AbstractDespite widespread efforts to prevent reading problems and an abundance of research about best practices in remediating reading skills deficits, reading continues to be exceptionally difficult for many students. Researchers have become interested in investigating the degree to which affective factors such as reading attitude relates to reading performance. In the current study, 76 fourth‐grade students were administered Curriculum‐Based Measurement tasks in reading (R‐CBM) and the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (ERAS; McKenna & Kear, 1990, 1999). In the fall of the following school year (4 months later), participants completed a high‐stakes statewide reading assessment. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and a path analysis were computed to address the research questions. Results indicated that both reading ability (β = .62, p = .01) and reading attitude significantly predicted reading achievement (Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress‐Plus;ISTEP+) 4 months later (β = .22, p = .01), supporting a temporal interactive effect (Kush, Watkins, & Brookhart, 2005) of prior reading attitude and skill on later reading achievement. Additional findings, implications for practice, directions for future research, and limitations of the study are discussed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.