Sight Word Reading Research Articles

Increasing Sight-Word Reading Through Peer-Mediated Strategic Incremental Rehearsal

Increasing Sight-Word Reading Through Peer-Mediated Strategic Incremental Rehearsal

Comparison of using Words with Pictures and Words alone with Simultaneous Prompting to Teach Sight-Word Reading to Students with Mild Intellectual Disability

This study compares the effectiveness and efficiency of using words with pictures and words alone with simultaneous prompting (SP) to teach sight word reading to four students, 8 to 11 years of age, with mild intellectual disabilities (ID). An adapted alternating treatment design was used to assess the two methods. The results suggest that both procedures were equally effective. Maintenance data showed that all students were able to maintain the acquired skills through the two teaching procedures, although words with picture resulted in a slightly higher maintenance level. words with pictures were more efficient according to four efficiency measures. All participants learned the words in fewer sessions and trials, made less errors, and needed less instructional time when they were presented with pictures rather than alone. Although pictures do assist in sight word acquisition, participant were unable to read all words in the absence of the picture. This finding is consistent with the phenomenon of overshadowing (pictures can be extra stimulus prompt where it distracts the learner's attention from the word) and blocking effect where the learner associates the spoken word with the picture and not with the written word.

Language and reading in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder+developmental language disorder.

The current study sought to examine whether psycholinguistic assessments could discriminate children and adolescents with developmental language disorder (DLD) from those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; combined or inattentive subtype) and comorbid DLD+ADHD. The Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Screening Test (CELFST; Wiig etal., 2013), the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (nonword repetition subtest; Wagner etal., 2013), and the Test of Word Reading Efficiency (sight word and phonemic decoding subtests; Torgesen etal., 2012) were examined in 441 children and adolescents between 6 and 16years of age. The presence of a language disorder (with or without ADHD) predicted poor performance across tasks. Children and adolescents with ADHD (combined vs. inattentive) only significantly differed in sight word reading, in favor of those with combined type. Measures of reading efficiency could distinguish between the two types of ADHD, but not between other groups. Interestingly, scores on the standard language screener were no worse for children with ADHD+DLD than children with DLD only. The combination of comorbid ADHD+DLD did not appear to be associated with lower language abilities, sight word reading, or phonemic decoding relative to DLD alone. Reading efficiency was effective in discriminating between ADHD subtypes. These findings offer valuable insights into differential diagnosis and the identification of comorbidity.

26 The Importance of Executive Functioning for Academic Achievement Among a National Sample of Children with Epilepsy

Objective:Children with epilepsy are at greater risk of lower academic achievement than their typically developing peers (Reilly and Neville, 2015). Demographic, social, and neuropsychological factors, such as executive functioning (EF), mediate this relation. While research emphasizes the importance of EF skills for academic achievement among typically developing children (e.g., Best et al., 2011; Spiegel et al., 2021) less is known among children with epilepsy (Ng et al., 2020). The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of EF skills on academic achievement in a nationwide sample of children with epilepsy.Participants and Methods:Participants included 427 children with epilepsy (52% male; MAge= 10.71), enrolled in the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium (PERC) Epilepsy Surgery Database who had been referred for surgery and underwent neuropsychological testing. Academic achievement was assessed by performance measures (word reading, reading comprehension, spelling, and calculation and word-based mathematics) and parent-rating measures (Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (ABAS) Functional Academics and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) School Performance). EF was assessed by verbal fluency measures, sequencing, and planning measures from the Delis Kaplan Executive Function System (DKEFS), NEPSY, and Tower of London test. Rating-based measures of EF included the 'Attention Problems’ subscale from the CBCL and 'Cognitive Regulation’ index from the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF-2). Partial correlations assessed associations between EF predictors and academic achievement, controlling for fullscale IQ (FSIQ; A composite across intelligence tests). Significant predictors of each academic skill or rating were entered into a two-step regression that included FSIQ, demographics, and seizure variables (age of onset, current medications) in the first step with EF predictors in the second step.Results:Although zero-order correlations were significant between EF predictors and academic achievement (.29 < r’s < .63 for performance; -.63 < r’s < -.50 for rating measures), partial correlations controlling for FSIQ showed fewer significant relations. For performance-based EF, only letter fluency (DKEFS Letter Fluency) and cognitive flexibility (DKEFS Trails Condition 4) demonstrated significant associations with performance-based academic achievement (r’s > .29). Regression models for performance-based academic achievement indicated that letter fluency (ß = .22, p = .017) and CBCL attention problems (ß = -.21, p =.002) were significant predictors of sight-word reading. Only letter fluency (ß = .23, p =.006) was significant for math calculation. CBCL Attention Problems were a significant predictor of spelling performance (ß = -.21, p = .009) and reading comprehension (ß = -.18, p =.039). CBCL Attention Problems (ß = -.38, p <.001 for ABAS; ß = -.34, p =.002 for CBCL School) and BRIEF-2 Cognitive Regulation difficulties (ß = -.46, p < .001 for ABAS; ß = -.46, p =.013 for CBCL School) were significant predictors of parent-rated ABAS Functional Academics and CBCL School Performance.Conclusions:Among a national pediatric epilepsy dataset, performance-based and ratings-based measures of EF predicted performance academic achievement, whereas only ratings-based EF predicted parent-rated academic achievement, due at least in part to shared method variance. These findings suggest that interventions that increase cognitive regulation, reduce symptoms of attention dysfunction, and promote self-generative, flexible thinking, may promote academic achievement among children with epilepsy.

A Prospectus for Bilingual Early Reading Instruction

In this paper, we describe a framework for bilingual decoding instruction, with a call for collaborators. Decoding is the ability to apply knowledge of letter-sound correspondences to pronounce words. We adopt a standard phonological approach for early instruction that could be expanded to include practice with constructive morphemes, like prefixes and suffixes, and reading for meaning. Decades of research have shown that word decoding is a bottleneck in reading comprehension. Unless children develop sight-word reading capabilities, comprehension of texts is severely hampered. The present approach draws on children’s spoken vocabulary knowledge in their native language as a bridge to decoding in a second language. The goal is to develop a tutoring system that draws on current and forthcoming multimedia technologies, and to implement the system in multilingual countries, e.g.: USA, India, Ukraine and across national borders. As a starting point, the authors will use a web platform https://ethicalengineer.ttu.edu designed in 2017 by the USA, Indian, and Ukrainian collaborators, several of them being co-authors of this paper, as a model for the new website for reading instruction. The Ethical Engineer website demonstrates one mechanism through which instructors can reach out to establish connections within and outside their native country around topics and issues of common interest and support educator cooperation and research development. The new model hopes to achieve success comparable to that of the EthicalEngineer. Using computer-based instruction allows for empirical testing of teaching methods, thereby optimizing the educational process. It is important to take advantage of this to ensure the most effective methods are used in early reading instruction for children. Disclosure statement No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

A Study of Phonemic Awareness, Letter Sound Knowledge, and Word Reading in Struggling Adolescent Students

ABSTRACT Phonemic awareness is thought to be a causal factor predicting early reading acquisition while its influence diminishes as other reading skills develop. This is a descriptive study of 74, primarily African American, fifth- through eighth-grade students attending a small, inner-city school. The study sought to determine the relationship between phonemic awareness, developmental spelling, pseudoword reading, and sight word reading in adolescent students who struggle with reading. Correlation results showed statistically significant relations among all four variables with the largest between phonemic awareness and developmental spelling. Regression results revealed phonemic awareness predicted significant variance in developmental spelling (R2 = .51), but not pseudo- or sight word reading. A discontinuity test determined that the influence of phonemic awareness on developmental spelling was consistent across all levels of attainment. Results are discussed from a developmental perspective.

Sleep-disordered breathing and daytime sleepiness predict children's reading ability.

BackgroundSleep problems are common in children and are known to detrimentally affect language and cognitive abilities, as well as academic achievement.AimsWe aimed to investigate effects of sleep on oral word and non‐word reading in a large, cross‐sectional sample of children.SampleOf 428 children who attended a public psychological science event, 339 children aged 4–14 years (mean 8;10 ± 2;2) took part.MethodsParents completed two sleep questionnaires (Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire and Sleep‐Disordered Breathing Questionnaire) whilst children completed the Test of Word Reading Efficiency.ResultsHierarchical multiple linear regression assessed whether parentally reported sleep problems were able to predict word and non‐word oral reading speeds as measures of sight word reading and phonemic decoding efficiency, respectively. Children with parent‐reported increased sleep‐disordered breathing, daytime sleepiness, and shorter sleep latency had poorer performance on the reading task for both words and non‐words, as well as the total combined score. The models explained 6–7% of the variance in reading scores.ConclusionsThis study illustrates associations between sleep and word and non‐word reading. The small but significant effect is clinically meaningful, especially since adverse factors affecting children’s reading ability are cumulative. Thus, for children with multiple risk factors for poor reading ability, sleep problems may be another avenue for treatment. Since reading ability is a strong predictor of later academic success and life outcomes, our study provides important evidence to suggest that children with sleep problems should also be screened for literacy difficulties, and children with literacy difficulties be screened for sleep problems.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Reading and Writing Interventions for Students with Disorders of Intellectual Development

Students with disorders of intellectual development (ID) experience challenges in reading and writing, indicating the need for research-based interventions. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the effects of reading and writing interventions for students aged 4–19 with disorders of ID using randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental designs (QEDs). We conducted electronic searches of relevant databases, backward and forward searches, and contacted experts in the field. Based on predefined criteria, nine studies were included in the systematic review, and seven were included in the meta-analysis. The reading interventions included decoding strategies, often combined with sight-word and supplemental instructions appropriate to the participants’ adaptive and cognitive skills. None of the studies aimed to increase writing skills. The overall mean effect size from the reading interventions for trained reading was large (g = 0.95, 95% CI = [0.51, 1.38]), for transfer reading small-to-moderate (g = 0.49, 95% CI = [0.20, 0.78]) and for transfer writing small (g = 0.04, 95% CI = [−0.36, 0.44]). Students with disorders of ID can benefit from reading interventions combining decoding strategies and sight word reading. There is a need for RCT and QED studies investigating writing interventions for students with disorders of ID only.

Resting-state functional connectivity and reading subskills in children

Individual differences in reading ability have been linked to characteristics of functional connectivity in the brain in both children and adults. However, many previous studies have used single or composite measures of reading, leading to difficulty characterizing the role of functional connectivity in discrete subskills of reading. The present study addresses this issue using resting-state fMRI to examine how resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) related to individual differences in children's reading subskills, including decoding, sight word reading, reading comprehension, and rapid automatized naming (RAN). Findings showed both positive and negative RSFC-behaviour relationships that diverged across different reading subskills. Positive relationships included increasing RSFC among left dorsal and anterior regions with increasing decoding proficiency, and increasing RSFC between the left thalamus and right fusiform gyrus with increasing sight word reading, RAN, and reading comprehension abilities. In contrast, negative relationships suggested greater functional segregation of attentional and reading networks with improved performance on RAN, decoding, and reading comprehension tasks. Importantly, the results suggest that although reading subskills rely to some extent on shared functional networks, there are also distinct functional connections supporting different components of reading ability in children.

Understanding Text Reading Comprehension of Chinese Students Who Are d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing: The Roles of Segmental Phonological Awareness and Suprasegmental Lexical Tone Awareness.

The authors investigated the roles of Chinese segmental (i.e., onset and rime) and suprasegmental (i.e., lexical tone) phonological awareness in Chinese text reading comprehension among 146 Chinese students in grades 3-9 who were d/Deaf and hard of hearing. All participants completed tasks involving onset and rime detection, lexical tone identification, sight word reading, text reading comprehension, nonverbal intelligence, and working memory. Path analyses showed that after controlling for age, grade, nonverbal intelligence, and working memory, segmental phonological awareness contributed both directly and indirectly (via sight word reading) to text reading comprehension, whereas suprasegmental lexical tone awareness only exerted only an indirect effect on text reading comprehension via sight word reading. These findings underscore the importance of phonological awareness in text reading comprehension for Chinese students who are d/Dhh.

The Effect of a Tablet-Mediated Flashcard Intervention on the Acquisition and Maintenance of Sight-Word Phrases

Although many studies have shown the efficacy of using flashcard interventions to increase sight-word reading, very few have investigated ways to increase sight-phrase reading. In the current study, a concurrent multiple-baseline across students design was used to examine the effects of a tablet-based flashcard intervention on the acquisition of sight phrases for three second-grade students. Students completed a series of stimulus-response-stimulus-response learning trials of previously unknown phrases using an iPad flashcard program. Results demonstrated that all three students quickly increased the percentage of acquired phrases to 100% and were able to maintain the acquired phrase knowledge a month later. Discussion focuses on the implications of using tablet-based interventions and future directions for validating the sight-phrase fluency intervention. Impact Statement This article provides an example of a novel, easy-to-use, mobile intervention to increase sight phrase acquisition for elementary students. Acquisition of sight phrases may help students make gains in automatic word recognition, leading to increased reading fluency. Results can be useful for teachers in developing independent interventions for struggling readers.

Expanding vocabulary and sight word growth through guided play in a pre-primary classroom

Background: This article is based on a study that aimed at finding out how pre-primary teachers integrate directed play into literacy teaching and learning. Play is a platform through which young children acquire language. Aim: This study uses an action research approach to understand how guided play benefits incidental reading and expands vocabulary growth in a Chinese Grade K classroom. Method: Data collection involved classroom observations, document analysis, informal and focus group discussions. Results: The results revealed the key benefits of play-based learning for sight word or incidental reading and vocabulary development. These are: (1) teacher oral and written language learning, (2) learners’ classroom engagement is promoted, (3) learners were actively engaged in learning of orthographic features of words, (4) learners practised recognising the visual or grapho-phonemic structure of words, (5) teacher paced teaching and (6) teacher assesses miscues and (7) keep record of word recognition skills. Conclusion: In the light of the evidence, it is recommended that the English Second Language (ESL) curriculum for pre-service teachers integrate curricular objectives that promote practising playful learning strategies to prepare teachers for practice.

Using Graphic Markers to Highlight Syntactic and Emphatic Prosody and its Impact on ESP Readers' Foreign Language Reading Anxiety and Fluency

The study aimed at examining the effects of scaffolding ESP readers, by using graphic markers and highlighting syntactic and emphatic prosody, on their Foreign Language Reading Anxiety (FLRA) and fluency. A mixed-methods research design was used for a deeper understanding of the obtained data. An experimental design was planned with a control and an experimental group including 38 students of two fields, museum studies, and conservation of historic buildings in Shiraz University of Arts. Participants of the experimental group were scaffolded to develop reading fluency with different graphic markers, while members of the control group had their usual ESP classes. The participants’ FLRA and reading fluency levels were assessed prior to the study and after it ended. Statistical analysis of the results proved that scaffolding the students with graphic markers had the potential to lower their FLRA. Also, the results of fluency assessment frameworks including Words Read Correctly per Minute (WCPM), Multidimensional Fluency Scale (MDFS) and National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) confirmed the effectiveness of scaffolding the readers with graphic markers. For a deeper understanding, the data were explored using qualitative data classification and analysis by the NAEP framework. The qualitative analysis of the observations showed while graphic cues can scaffold the learners to notice their shortcomings toward an optimum level of fluency, they could not be the sufficient condition for achieving the goal. It was also concluded that online decoding, sight-word reading, and sensitivity to stress and intonation are pre-requisites of fluent and prosodic reading with expression.

An evaluation of systematized phonics on reading proficiency in Swedish second grade poor readers: Effects on pseudoword and sight word reading skills.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of systematized phonics on word reading in Swedish second grade poor readers. Forty‐nine children who performed at or below the 25th percentile on pseudoword reading and/or sight word reading at the beginning of second grade participated in the study. The study had a cross‐over design exploring within‐and between‐group effects of two different conditions: systematized phonics and classroom instruction. Overall, systematized phonics proved more effective than classroom instruction. At pre‐intervention, no child performed above the 30th percentile in pseudoword reading or sight word reading. At post‐intervention, corresponding numbers were 69% for pseudoword reading and 35% for sight word reading. Implications for a policy change in Sweden towards mandatory systematized phonics in primary school are discussed.

An Evaluation of Strategic Incremental Rehearsal on Sight Word Acquisition Among Students with Specific Learning Disabilities in Reading

The Strategic Incremental Rehearsal (SIR) intervention, a modified version of Incremental Rehearsal, is an efficient flashcard procedure that has demonstrated effectiveness on sight word acquisition for children who exhibit reading difficulties. However, to date, the procedure has not been evaluated with children identified with a reading disability who have a history of receiving special education services. This study uses a multiple baseline design across participants to examine the effects of SIR with a modified criterion for removal on sight word reading with three third-grade participants receiving special education services for a specific learning disability in reading. Results indicated sight word reading increased for all 3 participants at the onset of intervention compared to baseline. The total intervention time for each participant ranged from 16 to 48 min. All 3 participants correctly read a minimum of 21 out of 25 targeted words at a 5-week maintenance check. The results indicated that SIR with a modified criterion of removal is a potentially effective and efficient intervention for sight word reading for participants with specific learning disabilities in reading.

Sight word acquisition in first grade students at risk for reading disabilities: an item-level exploration of the number of exposures required for mastery.

The purpose of this study was to examine word learning efficiency in at-risk first grade students (N = 93) participating in a yearlong study evaluating a multicomponent intervention targeting word reading and decoding skills. As part of each intervention lesson, students participated in a 1 to 3-min sight word reading activity in which high-frequency words were read from a list until mastered, at which point the word dropped off the list. This study explored factors predicting the number of exposures required for item reading mastery (N = 145 words). Specifically, we explored how the number of word exposures required to reach mastery varied as a function of linguistic features of the words and cognitive characteristics of the students. Using item-level crossed-random effects models, we found students required an average of 5.65 exposures for mastery, with word features representing word length, vocabulary grade, and imageability being significant predictors of learning efficiency. We also found a significant interaction between pretest word reading skill and imageability of a word, with this semantic feature being especially important for the poorest readers. Results indicate that in the absence of typical word recognition skills, poor readers tend to rely on other sources of information to learn words, which tend to be related to the semantic features of words.

Effects of an AAC App with Transition to Literacy Features on Single-Word Reading of Individuals with Complex Communication Needs.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Transition to Literacy (T2L) software features (i.e., dynamic text and speech output upon selection of a graphic symbol) within a grid display in an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) app on the sight word reading skills of five individuals with severe disabilities and complex communication needs. The study implemented a single case multiple probe research design across one set of three participants. The same design was utilized with an additional set of two participants. During intervention, the T2L feature was activated for targeted sight words during a book reading activity. The dependent variable was the number of 10 target words correctly identified. With only limited exposure to the T2L feature, the five participants all demonstrated increased accuracy in identification of 10 targeted sight words. Four of the five participants generalized learning to use of a text-only display for the 10 targeted sight words. This study provides preliminary evidence that redesigning AAC apps to include the provision of dynamic text combined with speech output can positively impact the sight-word reading of participants. This adaptation in AAC system design could be used to support improved outcomes in both language and literacy.

Noncredible effort on the Nonverbal-Medical Symptom Validity Test (NV-MSVT): Impact on cognitive performance in pediatric mild traumatic brain injury

This study examined failure rates on the Nonverbal-Medical Symptom Validity Test (NV-MSVT) and its impact on cognitive performance in a sample of youths with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Participants were 184 children and adolescents who presented to a multidisciplinary concussion clinic for a targeted neuropsychological evaluation. Performance Validity Tests (PVTs) were a part of the standard battery, including the NV-MSVT. Twenty-eight participants (15.2%) failed the NV-MSVT, none of whom displayed a genuine memory impairment profile (GMIP). Participants who failed the NV-MSVT performed significantly worse than those who passed the NV-MSVT on measures of IQ, memory, and immediate attention/working memory. There was no significant difference between groups on processing speed, sustained attention, cognitive flexibility, or sight word reading level. Aside from a slight difference in age, NV-MSVT failure was not impacted by demographic variables (sex, race), premorbid risk factors (pre-injury ADHD, learning disabilities, psychiatric diagnoses or treatment, developmental delays, or prior special education), injury-related variables (time since injury, positive neuroimaging findings, post-traumatic amnesia, number of prior mTBIs, etc.) or post-mTBI anxiety/depression. That said, participants who failed NV-MSVT endorsed significantly more severe postconcussive symptoms. These findings support the use of the NV-MSVT in neuropsychological evaluation of children and adolescents with mTBI.

Sight Word Reading Approach in Reading Syllables for Children with ASD: A Case Study

Sight Word Reading Approach in Reading Syllables for Children with ASD: A Case Study

Digital Books with Dynamic Text and Speech Output: Effects on Sight Word Reading for Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Despite the importance of literacy in today's educational curriculum, learning to read is a challenge for many children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). One of the foundational skills of early literacy learning is the ability to recognize sight words. This study used a single-subject, multiple-probe, across-participants design, to investigate the effects of a new software feature, dynamic text and speech output, on the acquisition of sight words by three pre-literate preschoolers with ASD during shared digital book reading experiences. All participants demonstrated successful acquisition of the target sight words with minimal exposure to the words. Limitations and future research directions are discussed, including the importance of investigating how the new software feature can be integrated into a more comprehensive literacy curriculum.