Paragraph Reading Research Articles

The Effects of Phonics Training based on Phonological and Morphological Awareness on Reading and Writing Abilities in Children with Reading Difficulties

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to find more efficient intervention methods for children with poor reading by comparing phonics intervention based on phonological awareness and with integrated phonics group including morphological awareness. Methods: 18 children with poor reading skills in elementary school were selected and classified into two experimental groups and a control group. Decoding, paragraph reading fluency, reading comprehension, dictation, and sentence reading and writing tests were administered as assessment tool. Additionally Jung (2014)’s morphological awareness ability task was utilized. Results: First, both experimental groups showed a significant increase in decoding skills. However, in terms of reading comprehension and fluency, there was a significant increase in the integrated phonics training group including morphological awareness, but there was no significant difference in the phonics training group based solely on phonological awareness. The control group did not show a significant increase in all areas. Second, both groups showed a significant improvement in the dictation skills, while the control group did not showed significant difference. Third, both experimental groups significantly increased their scores in phonological awareness tasks and morphological awareness ability tasks. Conversely, there was no significant increase observed in the control group. Conclusion: It is significant that the phonics intervention program, which integrates phonological and morphological awareness for children with poor reading skills, has an effect not only on reading and writing, but also on meta-recognition ability. This indicates that interventions, including morphological awareness training, have a broad impact on the realm of reading.

"Speech Is Golden": The Importance of Colloquial Arabic for Reading Standard Arabic for Beginning Readers.

We investigated the role of spoken language in the acquisition of literacy in the context of Arabic diglossia, where the written language, Standard Arabic, deviates substantially from the spoken language, Colloquial Arabic, children acquire naturally from birth. The participants (N = 110; 40 girls) were Saudi Arabic-speaking children in Grades 2-4. Children completed assessments of oral paragraph reading and word decoding using a vowelized script. They also completed three spoken assessments of Colloquial Arabic, which include sentence comprehension, sentence completion, and pragmatic knowledge, as well as a test of phonological awareness. We used path analysis to investigate the contributions of each of the spoken language indicators, decoding, and phonological awareness to reading comprehension (RC) in single and multiple serial mediator models. We found that spoken language (i.e., sentence comprehension, sentence completion, and pragmatic knowledge) and word decoding uniquely contributed to RC. Moreover, word decoding mediated the association between spoken language and RC. The path from spoken language to phonological awareness, then to word decoding, and finally to RC was inconclusive. While most studies on literacy acquisition in the context of Arabic diglossia focus on the linguistic distance between the colloquial (spoken) and the standard (written) language varieties, our results highlight the important contribution of spoken language skills to reading skills in Arabic despite this linguistic gap. The important implication of these findings is that spoken language interventions aimed at boosting children's narrative language skills in their home language (Colloquial Arabic) are an important tool for building a foundation for literacy in diglossia contexts.

Basal temporal language area revisited in Japanese language with a language function density map.

We revisited the anatomo-functional characteristics of the basal temporal language area (BTLA), first described by Lüders et al. (1986), using electrical cortical stimulation (ECS) in the context of Japanese language and semantic networks. We recruited 11 patients with focal epilepsy who underwent chronic subdural electrode implantation and ECS mapping with multiple language tasks for presurgical evaluation. A semiquantitative language function density map delineated the anatomo-functional characteristics of the BTLA (66 electrodes, mean 3.8cm from the temporal tip). The ECS-induced impairment probability was higher in the following tasks, listed in a descending order: spoken-word picture matching, picture naming, Kanji word reading, paragraph reading, spoken-verbal command, and Kana word reading. The anterior fusiform gyrus (FG), adjacent anterior inferior temporal gyrus (ITG), and the anterior end where FG and ITG fuse, were characterized by stimulation-induced impairment during visual and auditory tasks requiring verbal output or not, whereas the middle FG was characterized mainly by visual input. The parahippocampal gyrus was the least impaired of the three gyri in the basal temporal area. We propose that the BTLA has a functional gradient, with the anterior part involved in amodal semantic processing and the posterior part, especially the middle FG in unimodal semantic processing.

The word frequency effect in first- and second-language reading by Chinese and Dutch bilinguals

Abstract High-frequency words are processed faster than low-frequency words, known as the word frequency effect (FE). Although the FE has been studied in various writing systems as well as in first- (L1) and second-language (L2) reading, existing theoretical hypotheses are mainly based on findings in alphabetic languages. To date, no study has investigated theoretical explanations of the FE such as the learning hypothesis, the lexical entrenchment hypothesis and the rank hypothesis apply to Chinese–English bilinguals. The present study, therefore, compared the FEs in Chinese– and Dutch–English bilinguals during natural paragraph reading in their L1 and L2, using eye-tracking measures. Chinese bilinguals exhibited a larger FE in L2 than in L1. They displayed smaller L1 FEs and much steeper L2 FE curves than Dutch bilinguals. These findings are not entirely consistent with the existing FE hypotheses, and the present study discusses theoretical accounts in light of the observed results.

Reading Difficulties in Individuals with Homonymous Visual Field Defects: A Systematic Review of Reported Interventions.

Reading difficulties are amongst the most commonly reported problems in individuals with homonymous visual field defects (HVFDs). To be able to provide guidance for healthcare professionals considering offering reading training, researchers in this field and interested individuals with HVFDs, this systematic review aims to (1) provide an overview of the contextual and intervention characteristics of all published HVFD interventions and (2) generate insights into the different reading outcome measures that these studies adopted. A search on PsycINFO, MEDLINE and Web of Science was conducted up to February 2, 2023. All intervention studies for HVFD in which reading was measured were included. Data was collected about the intervention type, session duration, number of sessions, the intensity, duration, circumstance of the interventions, country in which the intervention was studied and reading measures. Sixty records are included, describing 70 interventions in total of which 21 are specifically reading interventions. Overall, adjusted saccadic behaviour interventions occur most in the literature. A wide range within all intervention characteristics was observed. Forty-nine records reported task-performance reading measures, and 33 records reported self-reported reading measures. The majority of task-performance measures are based on self-developed paragraph reading tasks with a time-based outcome measure (e.g. words per minute). Future research could benefit from making use of validated reading tests, approaching the measurement of reading mixed-methods and providing participants the possibility to supply outcomes relevant to them.

Efficacy of Learning Disorder Treatment for Reading or Mathematics Disorders: An Open Study.

This study aimed to identify the effectiveness of treatment programs for children with reading (RD) or mathematics disorders (MD). Structured treatment programs were developed to improve phonological awareness and number sense among children and adolescents with RD or MD, respectively, and the effectiveness of the learning disorder treatment programs were evaluated. We used standardized, objective diagnostic, and evaluation tools not only to recruit participants with RD, MD, or comorbid attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, but also to assess the effectiveness of the treatments regarding both improved core neurocognitive deficits of RD or MD and academic achievement. Forty children with RD or MD received one-on-one treatments from therapists. In the RD group, treatment effects were observed in all subtests. In the word and paragraph reading tests, the accuracy rates and fluency improved. The results of the phonological working memory test, word-sound correspondence test, and rapid automatic naming tests also improved. In the MD group, the accuracy rate and fluency on the arithmetic test improved. An increase in the accuracy rate in the size and distance comparison tests and a decrease in the error rate in the estimation test were also observed. However, there were no improvements in reaction time in these subtests. Learning disorder treatment programs that focus on improving phonological awareness or number sense in children with RD or MD improved achievement, phonological awareness, and number sense.

Comparison of automated and manual measures of speaking rate in individuals with dysarthria

Speech patterns in speakers with dysarthria exhibit a broad range of prosodic and articulatory variations, potentially posing a significant challenge for automated speech recognition systems. This study seeks to address a gap in the literature by exploring a fully automated approach to determine speaking rates in English-speaking individuals with dysarthria. This research aims to elucidate whether a syllable-based automated method yields results akin to manual processes when calculating speaking rates across diverse groups [i.e., individuals with dysarthria secondary to multiple sclerosis (MS) or Parkinson’s disease (PD), and healthy controls]. Moreover, this study examines the performance of an automated method across three distinct speech tasks: isolated sentences, paragraph reading, and spontaneous speech. The methodology involves adjusting parameters within a version of a published script specifically designed for calculating speaking rate through syllable detection (Praat Script Syllable Nuclei; de Jong et al., 2021). Using a sample of 60 speakers (20 MS, 20 PD, and 20 healthy controls), this study aims to evaluate the accuracy and validity of an automated script in calculating speaking rate. Ultimately, these findings are intended to guide speaking rate measurement of dysarthria in research and clinical practice.

Modality Synchronization When People With Aphasia Read With Text-to-Speech Support.

Text-to-speech (TTS) technology potentially benefits people with aphasia by presenting content through two modalities simultaneously; however, for this to help, eye fixations must synchronize with the auditory rendition of words. Researchers have yet to explore how often and to what extent people with aphasia achieve modality synchronization. This retrospective analysis examined the percent of words people with aphasia see and hear concurrently when reading passages presented via TTS technology. Text-to-speech (TTS) technology potentially benefits people with aphasia by presenting content through two modalities simultaneously; however, for this to help, eye fixations must synchronize with the auditory rendition of words. Researchers have yet to explore how often and to what extent people with aphasia achieve modality synchronization. This retrospective analysis examined the percent of words people with aphasia see and hear concurrently when reading passages presented via TTS technology. Nine adults with aphasia had their eye movements tracked while processing TTS passages at a preselected default rate of 150 words per minute. Modality synchronization occurred whenever fixation on a written word occurred during the time span beginning 300 ms before auditory presentation and ending at the next word's initiation. Correlations between standardized test scores, unsupported reading rate, and modality synchronization percentages were informative about the association of aphasia and reading impairment severity with achievement of synchronicity. Three participants demonstrated consistent modality synchronization; average synchronicity ranged from 67% to 76% of passage words. One participant displayed inconsistent synchronization within passages and achieved an average of 58%. The remaining five participants rarely achieved synchronization, with fixations typically lagging substantially behind the auditory presentation. A significant positive correlation occurred between paragraph reading comprehension test scores and modality synchronization percentages. A default TTS presentation rate does not result in dual modality synchronization for most people with aphasia. This lack of synchronization may contribute to inconsistencies in the benefit people with aphasia experience when provided with TTS support.

Oral Reading Fluency and Comprehension in Persons with Alexia and Aphasia

ABSTRACT Purpose This study examined word list and connected text oral reading fluency of persons with alexia and aphasia and whether fluency predicts reading comprehension abilities. Method Twelve individuals with chronic alexia and aphasia and twelve neurotypical, age- and education-matched individuals read aloud real and non word reading lists and paragraphs to elicit measures of fluency. Participants answered comprehension questions following the paragraphs. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and multiple linear regression were used to analyze fluency and comprehension. Results Neurotypical adults read significantly more fluently than persons with alexia and aphasia for word lists and paragraphs. For both participant groups, comprehension was not found to be significantly influenced by oral non word list fluency, oral real word list fluency, or oral paragraph reading fluency. Conclusions Though results are interpreted with caution due to study limitations, the study provides an initial framework for characterizing fluency and comprehension of oral single word list and oral paragraph reading in persons with alexia and aphasia. Clinical implications include caution with use of list reading for assessing reading ability, as well as the need for better assessments for diagnosing alexia.

Analysis of the reading ability of low vision students at the primary school teacher education, PGRI Ronggolawe University

Abstrak: Reading is one of the language skills a person has. When someone experiences problems with their sense of sight, it will definitely affect their reading ability. One of the disorders in the sense of sight is Low Vision. This research aims to describe the reading abilities of elementary school teacher education students with low vision. In learning practices at higher education institutions, low vision students have the same rights as regular students. This research method is a case study, and the research data was collected using interview and observation techniques using interview sheet instruments and observation guide sheets. The data that has been collected is analyzed descriptively qualitatively. Based on the results of interviews and observations, the type of letters that can be read are Times New Roman, Calibri, and Arial. The results of interviews and observations show that the three letters are size 12, spacing 1, 1.5, and 2, 2.5. and 3 spaces 1, 1.5, and 2 are not readable from any distance. The three letters, with sizes 14 and 16, bold, space 1, 1.5, and 2, black, white background, are not legible, but they are legible at a distance of 10 to 15 cm when using spaces 2, 2.5, and 3 and students occasionally spell and activities are carried out in outdoor. When indoors, students need more time to carry out these activities. Research subjects were also unable to read paragraphs consisting of three or more sentences. The reading activities of research subjects are also influenced by the light around them.

The relationship between Satisfaction and Interest related to the Aesthetic Judgment in Immanuel Kant’s Critique of Aesthetic Judgment

This article aims to present a reading of the first paragraphs of Immanuel Kant’s Critique of Aesthetic Judgment and the conceptualization about the beauty, pleasurable and good, and the relation there is between satisfaction and interest in the judgment of taste. Its motivation is due to the philosophical relevance that both the author and the topic represent in the framework of the philosophical renewal of his time and nowadays. With this central intention, this work seeks to disclose, in an explanatory way, all logical chains of the proposed Kantian thinking, to facilitate its understanding. The content was exposed based on a hermeneutic analysis of the book Critique of the Power of Judgment. As a result of the research, an excellent logical link was observed in the author's argument, defending the thinking about the judgment of taste and an expert work of conceptualization regarding beauty, pleasant and good. This research concludes by revealing that many of the aesthetic relations presented can be associated to both the faculty of thinking and the feeling developed between object and subject; thus, making it possible the advance of the research to a more comprehensive topic.

Identifying Spatial Neglect in Chronic Right Hemisphere Stroke Survivors Using the RHDBank Outcomes.

The chronicity of spatial neglect (SN) and the utility of existing diagnostic measures used by speech-language pathologists remain poorly understood. In this retrospective study, we examined how the RHDBank test battery informs the identification of SN after right hemisphere brain damage (RHD) during the chronic phase of recovery. Data from 29 right hemisphere stroke survivors were extracted from the RHDBank, including SN tests, for which we performed laterality index scoring: a 51-item demographic survey, the Apples Test, the Indented Paragraph Test, and the clock drawing task from the Cognitive Linguistic Quick Test (CLQT). Two groups (SN+ and SN-) were identified using the Apples Test. A hierarchical cluster analysis explored CLQT performance clusters in association with SN, and group comparisons of demographic variables and test scores were conducted. Ten patients were identified as having SN+ (34%) using the Apples Test. The Indented Paragraph Test and the CLQT's clock drawing test identified only two of the 20 stroke survivors with SN+. Cluster analyses showed that domain and task scores on the CLQT carried information to classify participants into SN+ and SN- in concordance with performance on the Apples Test. Participants in the SN+ cluster had moderately impaired attention and executive function skills and mildly impaired visuospatial skills. The Apples Test differentiated SN in a group of chronic right hemisphere stroke survivors. Using multiple measures from the CLQT seemed to capture a greater range of problems than clock drawing and paragraph reading tests alone. Therefore, the RHDBank test battery as a whole-and in part the CLQT, Apples Test, and Indented Paragraph Test-can detect certain subtypes of SN in the chronic deficit profile after RHD and is a starting point for diagnostic integration by speech-language pathologists.

Different language control mechanisms in comprehension and production: Evidence from paragraph reading

Chinese-English bilinguals read paragraphs with language switches using a rapid serial visual presentation paradigm silently while ERPs were measured (Experiment 1) or read them aloud (Experiment 2). Each paragraph was written in either Chinese or English with several function or content words switched to the other language. In Experiment 1, language switches elicited an early, long-lasting positivity when switching from the dominant language to the nondominant language, but when switching to the dominant language, the positivity started later, and was never larger than when switching to the nondominant language. In addition, switch effects on function words were not significantly larger than those on content words in any analyses. In Experiment 2, participants produced more cross-language intrusion errors when switching to the dominant than to the nondominant language, and more errors on function than content words. These results implicate different control mechanisms in bilingual language selection across comprehension and production.

The acquisition of a novel phonetic category in a foreign language setting: Input versus phonological awareness

Input-related factors are fundamental for the acquisition of new second language (L2) phones (e.g., Flege et al., 1995). Nonetheless, evidence from instructional settings suggests that, in foreign language contexts, input alone may not be sufficient for the formation of new phonetic categories. In the present study, we investigated to what extent the acquisition of a novel L2 phone (/ð/) is associated with input-related variables and phonological awareness. First language (L1) Brazilian Portuguese speakers of English answered a language background, a phonological self-awareness questionnaire, and completed a paragraph reading task and a phonological awareness test. The recordings were submitted to acoustic analysis and accuracy assessment by Brazilian teachers of English. Linear mixed-effects models revealed that perceived accuracy was predicted by input quality and phonological self-awareness, suggesting that greater interaction with L1 speakers of the target language and heightened phonological self-awareness play an important role in the acquisition of the tested L2 phone.

“I WENT TO VENICE AND WAS VERY WORRIED.” – DIFFERENTIAL SUBSTITUTION OF THE /V/-/W/ CONTRAST IN SERBIAN-ENGLISH INTERPHONOLOGY

Previous findings of SLA research underlined the significance of differential substitution as one of the most common strategies for overcoming difficulties in pronouncing English consonants. The acquisi- tion of /v/-/w/ contrast seems particularly demanding for Serbian EFL learners, due to diverse factors, the dominant one being mother tongue interference and the resulting perceptual assimilation. Having the previously stated in mind, as well as the scarcity of research in the Serbian scientific context, the present study aimed at investigating instances of differential substitution of the English labiodental fricative and the labial-velar approximant in relation to the phonetic context and the formality of task type. Both the perception and production of a total of 72 English-major students were tested using different instruments, including phonemic discrimination task, wordlist as well as paragraph reading, and the interview. The obtained data were quantitatively ana- lyzed and supported by spectrogram illustrations of both native and non-native speakers of English. The results indicate a greater frequency of /v/-substitution ([w] being the main substitute) with phonetic con- text and task type playing a statistically significant role in differential substitution. Instances of substitution of the labial-velar approximant were not as frequent and are said to be characteristic of a specific group of learners (Serbian labiodental sonorant [ʋ] being the main sub- stitute). The results underscore the variability and complexity of the interlangauge system and the importance of valuing the process, and not merely the outcomes of L2 sound acquisition.

리듬 및 유창성 지수와 한국 화자의 영어 읽기 발화 청취 평가의 관련성

This study investigates the relationships between rhythm and fluency indices and listeners’ ratings of the rhythm and fluency of Korean college students’ English paragraph reading. 17 university students read and recorded a passage from “The North Wind and the Sun” twice before and after three months of English pronunciation instruction. Seven in-service and pre-service English teachers in graduate school assessed the rhythm and fluency of the utterances. In addition, the values of 14 indices of rhythm and fluency were extracted from each speech and the relationships between the indices and the listeners’ ratings were analyzed. The rhythm indices of the speakers in this study did not differ significantly from those of native English speakers presented in previous studies in %V, VarcoV, and nPVIV, but were higher in ΔV, ΔC, and VarcoC and lower in speech rate. The level of rhythm and fluency demonstrated by Korean college students was comparable, at least in terms of objective values for certain indices. The fluency indices, such as percentage of pauses, articulation rate, and speech rate, significantly contributed more to predicting both rhythm and fluency ratings than the rhythm indices..

Changes in speech and voice characteristics following two hours and eight hours of acute sleep deprivation

Objectives: Sleep loss is known to affect aircrew performance. The study intended to examine the changes in speech and voice characteristics following 2 and 8 h of sleep deprivation for their potential usage as screening methods for detecting sleep deprivation in aircrew. Material and Methods: In a repeated measure design, the study analyzed the effects of 2 h and 8 h of acute sleep deprivation on speech and voice parameters among 30 healthy male volunteers by analyzing standard paragraph reading for 15 s and sustained vowel/a/for 6 s using the commercially available Dr. Speech Voice assessment tool. Subjective appreciation of sleepiness and fatigue was measured by Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS) and Chalder’s Fatigue Scale (CFS), respectively, and objective assessment of performance by psychomotor vigilance task (PVT). Results: The subjective markers (SSS and CFS) and objective parameters (PVT reaction time) indicated evidence of fatigue onset even after 2-h of sleep deprivation. In speech parameters, average fundamental frequency (F0), F0 range, and % silence time decreased significantly; whereas, speech time, percent voiceless time, and mean percent voiced time increased significantly following 8-h of sleep deprivation, while percent silence time decreased significantly after 8-h of sleep deprivation . In voice parameters, shimmer % and NNE increased significantly while harmonic-to-noise ratio and signal-to-noise ratio decreased significantly after 8-h of sleep deprivation. Mean shimmer % showed a significant change even after 2-h of sleep deprivation. Conclusion: The findings of the study bring out significant changes in both the speech and voice spectrum following periods of acute sleep deprivation. The changes were more pronounced during sleep deprivation of 8-h as compared to 2-h. These findings have potential application in aviation environment in objective detection of aircrew fatigue following periods of continuous wakefulness and resultant sleep deprivation.

RastrOS Project: Natural Language Processing contributions to the development of an eye-tracking corpus with predictability norms for Brazilian Portuguese.

This article presents RastrOS, a new eye-tracking corpus of eye movement data from university students during silent reading of paragraphs of texts in Brazilian Portuguese (BP). The article shows the potential of the corpus for natural language processing (NLP) using it to evaluate the sentence complexity prediction task in BP and it also focuses on the description of NLP resources and methods developed to create the corpus. Specifically, we present: (i) the method used to select the corpus paragraphs from large corpora, using linguistic metrics and clustering algorithms; (ii) the platform for collecting the Cloze test, which is also responsible for creating the project datasets, and (iii) the hybrid semantic similarity method, based on word embedding models and contextualised word representations, used to generate semantic predictability norms. RastrOS can be downloaded from the open science framework repository with the computational infrastructure mentioned above. Datasets with predictability norms of 393 participants and eye-tracking data of 37 participants are available in the OSF repository for this work (https://osf.io/9jxg3/).

What Reading-Level Match Design Reveals about Specific Reading Disability in a Transparent Orthography and How Much We Can Trust It

ABSTRACT Purpose To assess strengths and weaknesses of the reading level (RL) match approach and its potential to generate insights regarding the cognitive foundations of reading ability and disability. Method We applied RL-match design to a sample of 2nd – 6th graders reading a consistent orthography, Russian, using an “extreme phenotype” approach. Readers with suspected specific reading disability (sSRD, n = 538) and high-performing readers (HPR; n = 806) were matched via propensity Scores, using IQ and each of the alternatives: accuracy of word decoding, pseudoword decoding, word unitization, or paragraph reading fluency. In each case, two groups were compared on the remaining literacy tasks as well as phonological processing, orthographic processing, and rapid serial naming. Results When matched on word or pseudoword decoding (288 and 313 pairs, respectively), readers with sSRD and HPR differed on all remaining indicators. When matched on word unitization (173 pairs), the differences disappeared or had substantially diminished effect sizes. When matched on paragraph reading fluency (57 pairs), no significant differences remained. Thus, none of the componential skills appeared antecedent to the observed difficulties assessed via the number of correctly orally read words per minute. However, certain inherent limitations of RL-match design preclude us from considering this to be a definitive outcome.

The Interplay between Language Proficiency and Phonological Development: A Study on English Codas Produced by Brazilian Learners

The present study investigated the correlation between second-language (L2) proficiency and phonological development within a longitudinal frame. Five Brazilian learners of English participated in two data collection sessions with a seven-month interval. Participants completed a paragraph reading task containing several instances of two nasals and a rhotic coda in word-final position, namely, /m n ɹ/. Proficiency was measured via experienced English teachers’ ratings of an image description task. Results revealed cross-linguistic influences on coda production with vowel nasalization and deletion of the nasal codas, as well as frication and deletion of the rhotic coda. /ɹ/ was the segment that displayed considerable improvement over time. Statistical analyses unveiled a strong, significant relationship between proficiency and accuracy scores, but this relationship was not significant in the final data collection. The development of the phonological categories at issue seems to have occurred independently of participants’ oral proficiency.