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Wei Z, Wang L, Xu Z, Luo L, Zhang X, Li N, Liu D. The Global and Local Patterns of Reading-Related Cognitive and Ecological Variables in Chinese First-Grade Children: A Cross-Sectional Network Analysis. JOURNAL OF LEARNING DISABILITIES 2024:222194241283198. [PMID: 39376017 DOI: 10.1177/00222194241283198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/09/2024]
Abstract
In the current study, we tested a network model of reading difficulty by using state-of-the-art psychological network analysis. Four hundred and fifty-three Chinese first-grade children (about 38% female, mean age = 7.00, SD = 0.41) were divided into good (n = 154), competent (n = 147), and struggling readers (n = 152) based on their scores of Chinese character reading. The Extended Bayesian Information Criterion graphical lasso (EBICglasso) method was applied to estimate cross-sectional networks for the three groups. Each network included four cognitive nodes (homophone awareness, morphological structure awareness, phonological awareness, and vocabulary) and two ecological nodes (family socioeconomic status and the number of books at home). Chronological age and nonverbal intelligence were also included in the estimated networks. The global (i.e., global structure and global connectivity) and local patterns (i.e., the most important edges and nodes) in each network were reported. The network comparison results showed that global connectivity was significantly lower among struggling readers than for good readers, implying that a holistic impairment of bidirectional connections among multiple variables relates to the difficulty in learning to read. The theoretical and empirical implications and the significance of applying the network approach to reading research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqian Wei
- The Education University of Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Zhengye Xu
- The Education University of Hong Kong, China
| | - Lirong Luo
- The Education University of Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Ning Li
- Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University, China
| | - Duo Liu
- The Education University of Hong Kong, China
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van den Boer M, Bazen L, de Bree E. The Same yet Different: Oral and Silent Reading in Children and Adolescents with Dyslexia. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLINGUISTIC RESEARCH 2022; 51:803-817. [PMID: 35244816 PMCID: PMC9338140 DOI: 10.1007/s10936-022-09856-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Dyslexia is characterized by poor word reading. In research, education, and diagnosis, oral reading is commonly assessed, and outcomes are generalized to silent reading, although similarities and differences between oral and silent reading are poorly understood. We therefore compared oral word reading, oral text reading and silent text reading. Children (n = 40; aged 8-11) and adolescents (n = 54; aged 14-18) with dyslexia, and typical readers (n = 18, and n = 24 respectively), read a word-list and an age-appropriate text aloud, and silently read a text including instructions for simple tasks. Whereas oral and silent reading fluency were comparable for children, silent reading was more fluent than oral reading for adolescents. Importantly, the silent reading deficit of children and adolescents with dyslexia was as large as in oral reading or larger, highlighting the need for a focus on both reading modes in research, diagnosis and treatment of dyslexia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madelon van den Boer
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 15780, 1001 NG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Loes Bazen
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 15780, 1001 NG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Elise de Bree
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 15780, 1001 NG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Gao W, Namaziandost E, Abdulaal MAAD. Visual-Syntactic Text Formatting: Developing EFL Learners' Reading Fluency Components. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLINGUISTIC RESEARCH 2022; 51:707-727. [PMID: 34807375 DOI: 10.1007/s10936-021-09823-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Developing English reading fluency (ERF) is challenging due to cross-linguistic differences between L1 and L2. This study replicated, with modifications, prior study of "syntactic enhancement and secondary school EFL Students' reading fluency in South Korea." The current project investigated the impact of visual-syntactic text formatting (VSTF) on developing ERF components (i.e., parsing skills, reading speed, and comprehension) in an Iranian context. In order to reformat block-formatted English text in a way to be more concise, the VSTF technology was used. For 20 weeks, two experimental groups (76 intermediate EFL students) read reformatted passages, whereas the control group (n = 38) read their block-formatted textbook. After analyzing the pre-and post-test results, it was demonstrated that reformatted texts could support EFL students to enhance their ERF elements. The researchers also found that VSTF can be used as a syntactic enhancement, making it simpler for EFL learners to receive English syntactic information as input. Findings have led to the reasonable interpretation that learning L2 reading fluency components (RFC) was more productive when the VSTF technology was utilized for the learning processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Gao
- College of Teacher Education, Taishan University, Shandong, 271000, China
| | - Ehsan Namaziandost
- University of Applied Science and Technology (UAST), Khuzestan, Iran.
- Mehrarvand Institute of Technology, Abadan, Iran.
| | - Mohammad Awad Al-Dawoody Abdulaal
- Department of English, College of Sciences and Humanities, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
- Department of English, Faculty of Arts, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt
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Metsala JL, David MD. Improving English reading fluency and comprehension for children with reading fluency disabilities. DYSLEXIA (CHICHESTER, ENGLAND) 2022; 28:79-96. [PMID: 34463388 DOI: 10.1002/dys.1695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In the English language, students who read words accurately but have impairments in reading fluency are under-studied. The associated difficulties they have with comprehending text make it particularly important to delineate effective interventions for these students. Counter to suggestions that these readers need interventions focused on text reading, we examined the effects of a decoding-focused intervention. The intervention targeted decoding-related skills, including speeded training on sublexical spelling patterns. We examined the efficacy of this program for students with fluency-defined disabilities, and compared gains to those for students with accuracy-defined disabilities. In the initial phase of the program, readers with fluency-defined disabilities made greater gains in fluency, while readers with accuracy-defined disabilities made larger gains in word reading accuracy. The mean fluency score for readers with fluency-defined disabilities came within the average range across the intervention, as did reading comprehension for both groups. Readers' mastery on speeded learning of sublexical spelling patterns predicted unique variance in fluency outcomes, beyond variance accounted for by pre-test fluency and word reading accuracy. The results support intervention approaches focused on decoding-related skills for students who have fluency-defined disabilities and are consistent with theories of reading fluency that identify a role for automaticity with sublexical spelling patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L Metsala
- Faculty of Education, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Margaret D David
- Faculty of Education, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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Schöfl M, Steinmair G, Holzinger D, Weber C. Predicting Word Reading Deficits Using an App-Based Screening Tool at School Entry. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:863477. [PMID: 35633969 PMCID: PMC9130720 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.863477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reading is a crucial competence associated with academic development, mental health, and social adaptation. Reading difficulties are often detected at a late stage, with a possible negative impact on long-term reading development and secondary developmental disadvantages. The first manifestations of reading difficulties can be identified by word reading deficits in first and second grade, paving the way for specific interventions. For widespread implementation, instruments must be easy to use and motivating for children. OBJECTIVES Development and validation of an economical, well-accepted, and accurate screening tool composed of the domains of phonological information processing, language skills, and non-verbal intelligence in regular school settings. DESIGN In 2020, the screening tool was used on a sample of 409 first graders between the second and fifth weeks of school in a one-to-one setting. Additionally, information on parental education and the use of German and/or other languages by the child was collected using a parental questionnaire. A follow-up involving the use of established standardized word reading tests was conducted at the end of the first school year. RESULTS A five-variable screening tool consisting of the dimensions of phonological information processing (letter knowledge, rapid naming, and phonological awareness) and linguistic skills (receptive vocabulary and morphosyntax) showed statistical relevance (AUC = 0.78; sensitivity 0.80, specificity 0.74) for predicting word reading problems concerning reading speed (<16th percentile) at the end of first grade, whereas gender, first language, and age of first exposure to the German language did not contribute to the prediction. The instrument was well accepted by the children and screeners and can be administered within an acceptable time frame. CONCLUSION Word reading deficits at the end of first grade can be predicted by the use of an app-based screening tool at school entry that includes phonological information processing and language skills. Further validation and assessment of empirical feasibility data are needed to support the screening instrument for German orthography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Schöfl
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Education Upper Austria, Linz, Austria.,Research Institute for Developmental Medicine, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria
| | - Gabriele Steinmair
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Education Upper Austria, Linz, Austria
| | - Daniel Holzinger
- Research Institute for Developmental Medicine, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria.,Institute of Neurology of Senses and Language, Hospital of St. John of God, Linz, Austria
| | - Christoph Weber
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Education Upper Austria, Linz, Austria.,Research Institute for Developmental Medicine, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria
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Martins M, Reis AM, Castro SL, Gaser C. Gray matter correlates of reading fluency deficits: SES matters, IQ does not. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:2585-2601. [PMID: 34357437 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02353-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Brain correlates of reading ability have been intensely investigated. Most studies have focused on single-word reading and phonological processing, but the brain basis of reading fluency remains poorly explored to date. Here, in a voxel-based morphometry study with 8-year-old children, we compared fluent readers (n = 18; seven boys) with dysfluent readers with normal IQ (n = 18; six boys) and with low IQ (n = 18; ten boys). Relative to dysfluent readers, fluent readers had larger gray matter volume in the right superior temporal gyrus and the two subgroups of dysfluent readers did not differ from each other, as shown in frequentist and Bayesian analyses. Pairwise comparisons showed that dysfluent readers of normal and low IQ did not differ in core reading regions and that both subgroups had less gray matter volume than fluent readers in occipito-temporal, parieto-temporal and fusiform areas. We also examined gray matter volume in matched subgroups of dysfluent readers differing only in socioeconomic status (SES): lower-SES (n = 14; seven boys) vs. higher-SES (n = 14; seven boys). Higher-SES dysfluent readers had larger gray matter volume in the right angular gyrus than their lower-SES peers, and the volume of this cluster correlated positively with lexico-semantic fluency. Age, sex, IQ, and gray matter volume of the right angular cluster explained 68% of the variance in the reading fluency of higher-SES dysfluent readers. In sum, this study shows that gray matter correlates of dysfluent reading are independent of IQ, and suggests that SES modulates areas sub-serving lexico-semantic processes in dysfluent readers-two findings that may be useful to inform language/reading remediation programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Martins
- Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), Lisboa, Portugal
- Center for Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | | | - São Luís Castro
- Center for Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Christian Gaser
- Department of Psychiatry, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
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Snowling MJ, Hulme C. Annual Research Review: Reading disorders revisited - the critical importance of oral language. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2021; 62:635-653. [PMID: 32956509 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
This paper discusses research on reading disorders during the period since their classification within the overarching category of neurodevelopmental disorders (Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 53, 2012, 593). Following a review of the predictors of learning to read across languages, and the role of language skills as critical foundations for literacy, profiles of reading disorders are discussed and putative causal risk factors at the cognitive, biological, and environmental levels of explanation considered. Reading disorders are highly heritable and highly comorbid with disorders of language, attention, and other learning disorders, notably mathematics disorders. The home literacy environment, reflecting gene-environment correlation, is one of several factors that promote reading development and highlight an important target for intervention. The multiple deficit view of dyslexia (Cognition, 101, 2006, 385) suggests that risks accumulate to a diagnostic threshold although categorical diagnoses tend to be unstable. Implications for assessment and intervention are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret J Snowling
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,St John's College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Charles Hulme
- Department of Education, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Lee JAC, Lee S, Yusoff NFM, Ong PH, Nordin ZS, Winskel H. An Early Reading Assessment Battery for Multilingual Learners in Malaysia. Front Psychol 2020; 11:1700. [PMID: 32754104 PMCID: PMC7365852 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the study was to develop a new comprehensive reading assessment battery for multi-ethnic and multilingual learners in Malaysia. Using this assessment battery, we examined the reliability, validity, and dimensionality of the factors associated with reading difficulties/disabilities in the Malay language, a highly transparent alphabetic orthography. In order to further evaluate the reading assessment battery, we compared results from the assessment battery with those obtained from the Malaysian national screening instrument. In the study, 866 Grade 1 children from multi-ethnic and multilingual backgrounds from 11 government primary schools participated. The reading assessment battery comprised 13 assessments, namely, reading comprehension, spelling, listening comprehension, letter name knowledge, letter name fluency, rapid automatized naming, word reading accuracy, word reading efficiency, oral reading fluency, expressive vocabulary, receptive vocabulary, elision, and phonological memory. High reliability and validity were found for the assessments. An exploratory factor analysis yielded three main constructs: phonological-decoding, sublexical-fluency, and vocabulary-memory. Phonological-decoding was found to be the most reliable construct that distinguished between at-risk and non-at-risk children. Identifying these underlying factors will be useful for detecting children at-risk for developing reading difficulties in the Malay language. In addition, these results highlight the importance of including a range of reading and reading-related measures for the early diagnosis of reading difficulties in this highly transparent orthography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia A C Lee
- Faculty of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Malaysia
| | - Seungjin Lee
- Department of Education, Sehan University, Yeongam, South Korea
| | - Nur Fatihah Mat Yusoff
- Faculty of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Malaysia
| | | | | | - Heather Winskel
- School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, Australia
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