TY - JOUR
T1 - Uneven profiles
T2 - Language minority learners' word reading, vocabulary, and reading comprehension skills
AU - Lesaux, Nonie K.
AU - Crosson, Amy C.
AU - Kieffer, Michael J.
AU - Pierce, Margaret
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by grants awarded to Nonie K. Lesaux from Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development ( R03 HD049674-01 ) and the Milton Fund at the Harvard Medical School. The research was also supported by a Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship awarded to Nonie K. Lesaux. The authors would like to thank Carol Barry, Debbie Beldock, Carol Osborne, Cara Wells, and Breeanna Murphy for their contributions to this research. Finally, special thanks to the participating principals, teachers, and students who made the work possible.
PY - 2010/11
Y1 - 2010/11
N2 - English reading comprehension skill development was examined in a group of 87 native Spanish-speakers developing English literacy skills, followed from fourth through fifth grade. Specifically, the effects of Spanish (L1) and English (L2) oral language and word reading skills on reading comprehension were investigated. The participants showed average word reading skills and below average comprehension skills, influenced by low oral language skills. Structural equation modeling confirmed that L2 oral language skills had a large, significant effect on L2 reading comprehension, whereas students' word-level reading skills, whether in L1 or L2, were not significantly related to English reading comprehension in three of four models fitted. The results converge with findings from studies with monolinguals demonstrating the influence of oral language on reading comprehension outcomes, and extend these findings by showing that, for language minority learners, L2 oral language exerts a stronger influence than word reading in models of L2 reading.
AB - English reading comprehension skill development was examined in a group of 87 native Spanish-speakers developing English literacy skills, followed from fourth through fifth grade. Specifically, the effects of Spanish (L1) and English (L2) oral language and word reading skills on reading comprehension were investigated. The participants showed average word reading skills and below average comprehension skills, influenced by low oral language skills. Structural equation modeling confirmed that L2 oral language skills had a large, significant effect on L2 reading comprehension, whereas students' word-level reading skills, whether in L1 or L2, were not significantly related to English reading comprehension in three of four models fitted. The results converge with findings from studies with monolinguals demonstrating the influence of oral language on reading comprehension outcomes, and extend these findings by showing that, for language minority learners, L2 oral language exerts a stronger influence than word reading in models of L2 reading.
KW - English language learners
KW - Reading comprehension
KW - Structural equation modeling
KW - Vocabulary
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U2 - 10.1016/j.appdev.2010.09.004
DO - 10.1016/j.appdev.2010.09.004
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:78649526395
SN - 0193-3973
VL - 31
SP - 475
EP - 483
JO - Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology
JF - Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology
IS - 6
ER -