Enhancing Reading Comprehension in First Graders: The Effects of Two Training Programs Provided in Listening or Written Modality
Agnese Capodieci , Claudia Zamperlin , Gianna Friso , Barbara Carretti
It has been well documented that oral language skills are precursors of the development of written abilities, meaning that improving oral language ski.
- Pub. date: February 15, 2021
- Pages: 187-200
- 1115 Downloads
- 1563 Views
- 2 Citations
It has been well documented that oral language skills are precursors of the development of written abilities, meaning that improving oral language skills, e.g. vocabulary, listening comprehension, could have positive effects reading comprehension. The main aim of the present study was to analyze the effect of a training program focused on four components of comprehension ability provided in listening or written modality on first-graders’ reading and listening comprehension. The training programs were implemented by school teachers as part of the class’s normal school activities, under the supervision of experts. Their efficacy was compared with the results obtained in a passive control group. Our results showed that both the training programs produced positive effects on listening and reading comprehension (by comparison with a passive control group), and that the gains in reading comprehension were maintained at a five-month follow-up. Findings demonstrated specific improvements in listening comprehension with the listening modality program, as well as an improvement in the modality not directly trained. A similar cross-modality effect was found from the written modality training group, therefore confirming the strict relation between oral and written abilities. Reading comprehension performance of first graders can be improved with activities provided in listening and written modality. Hence, it is possible to enhance reading comprehension even before decoding and fluency in reading are acquired.
Keywords: Reading comprehension, listening comprehension, training, first-graders, vocabulary.
References
Bagci, H., & Unveren, D. (2020). Investigation The relationship between metacognitive awareness of reading strategies and self-efficacy perception in reading comprehension in mother-tongue: Sample of 8th graders. International Journal of Educational Methodology, 6(1), 83-98. https://doi.org/10.12973/ijem.6.1.83
Berninger, V., & Abbott, D. (2010). Listening comprehension, oral expression, reading comprehension and written expression: related yet unique language systems in grades 1, 3, 5, and 7. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(3), 635–651. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019319
Bianco, M., Bressoux, P., Doyen, A.L., Lambert, E., Lima, L., Pellenq, C., & Zorman, M. (2010). Early training of oral comprehension and phonological skills: Results of a 3 year longitudinal study. Scientific Studies of Reading, 14(3), 211–246. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888430903117518
Bianco, M., Pellenq, C., Lambert, E., Bressoux, P., Lima, L., & Doyen, A. L. (2012). Impact of early code‐skill and oral‐comprehension training on reading achievement in first grade. Journal of Research in Reading, 35(4), 427-455
Cain, K., & Oakhill, J. (2007). Children's comprehension problems in oral and written language. Guilford Press.
Cain, K., Oakhill, J., & Bryant, P. (2004). Children's reading comprehension ability: Concurrent prediction by working memory, verbal ability, and component skills. Journal of Educational Psychology, 96(1), 31-42. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.96.1.31
Carretti, B., Borella, E., Elosúa, M. E., Gómez-Veiga, I., & García-Madruga, J. A. (2017). Improvements in reading comprehension performance after a training program focusing on executive processes of working memory. Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, 1, 268–279. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41465-017-0012-9
Carretti, B., Caldarola, N., Tencati, C., & Cornoldi, C. (2014). Improving reading comprehension in reading and listening settings: the effect of two training programs focusing on metacognition and working memory. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 84(2), 194-210. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12022
Carretti, B., & Zamperlin, C. (2010). La relazione fra lettura strumentale, comprensione da ascolto e comprensione del testo in studenti italiani [The relationship between instrumental reading, listening comprehension and reading comprehension in Italian students]. Psychology Research/ Ricerche di Psicologia, 3, 361–373. https://doi.org/10.3280/RIP2010-003003
Clarke, P. J., Snowling, M. J., Truelove, E., & Hulme, C. (2010). Ameliorating children's reading-comprehension difficulties: a randomized controlled trial. Psychological Science, 21(8), 1106-1116. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797610375449
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. Lawrence Erlbaum.
Cornoldi, C., & Colpo, G. (2011). Prove di lettura MT-2 per la scuola primaria [Test for reading assessment in primary school]. Giunti OS.
Cornoldi, C., Carretti, B., Drusi, S., & Tencati, C. (2015). Improving problem-solving in primary school students: the effect of a training program focusing on metacognition and working memory. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 85(3), 424–439. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12083
Cornoldi, C., Miato, L., Molin, A., & Poli, S. (2009). PRCR-2: Prove di prerequisito per le diagnosi delle difficoltà di lettura e scrittura [PRCR-2: Tests for the diagnosis of reading and writing difficulties]. Organizzazioni Speciali.
De Beni, R., Cornoldi, C., Caponi, B., & Gasparetto, R. (2004). Nuova guida alla comprensione del testo, volume 2 [New guide to understanding the text, volume 2]. Edizioni Erickson
Desmarais, C., Nadeau, L., Trudeau, N., Filiatrault-Veilleux, P., & Maxes-Fournier, C. (2013). Intervention for improving comprehension in 4–6year old children with specific language impairment: Practicing inferencing is a good thing. Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, 27(6–7), 540–552. https://doi.org/10.3109/02699206.2013.791880
Ecalle, J., Dujardin, E., Gomes, C., Cros, L., & Magnan, A. (2020). Decoding, fluency and reading comprehension: Examining the nature of their relationships in a large-scale study with first graders. Reading & Writing Quarterly. Advance Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10573569.2020.1846007
Florit, E., & Cain, K. (2011). The simple view of reading: Is it valid for different types of alphabetic orthographies? Educational Psychology Review, 23, 553-576. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-011-9175-6
Florit, E., Roch, M., & Levorato, M. C. (2014). Listening text comprehension in preschoolers: A longitudinal study on the role of semantic components. Reading & Writing, 27(7), 793–817. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-013-9464-1
Fricke, S., Bowyer-Crane, C., Haley, A. J., Hulme, C., & Snowling, M. J. (2013). Efficacy of language intervention in the early years. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 54(3), 280–290. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12010
Fricke, S., Burgoyne, K., Bowyer-Crane, C., Kyriacou, M., Zosimidou, A., Maxwell, L., Lervåg, A., Snowling, M. J., & Hulme, C. (2017). The efficacy of early language intervention in mainstream school settings: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 58(10), 1141–1151. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12737
García, J. R., & Cain, K. (2014). Decoding and reading comprehension: A meta-analysis to identify which reader and assessment characteristics influence the strength of the relationship in English. Review of Educational Research, 84(1), 74-111. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654313499616
García‐Madruga, J. A., Elosúa, M. R., Gil, L., Gómez‐Veiga, I., Vila, J. Ó., Orjales, I., Contreras, A., Rodriguez, R., Melero, M. A., & Duque, G. (2013). Reading comprehension and working memory's executive processes: An intervention study in primary school students. Reading Research Quarterly, 48(2), 155-174. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.44
Garner, J., & Bochna, C. (2004). Transfer of a listening comprehension strategy to independent reading in first-grade students. Early Childhood Education Journal, 32, 69-74. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-004-1071-y
Gernsbacher, M. A. (1990). Language comprehension as structure building. Erlbaum.
Gough, P. B., & Tunmer, W. E. (1986). Decoding, reading and reading disability. Remedial and Special Education, 7(1), 6-10. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F074193258600700104
Gough, P. B., Wesley A. H., & Peterson, C. L. (1996). Some observations on a simple view of reading. In C. Cornoldi & J. Oakhill (Eds.), Reading Comprehension Difficulties. Processes and Intervention (pp. 1-14). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Hjetland H. N., Brinchmann E. I., Scherer R., & Melby-Lervåg M. (2017). Preschool predictors of later reading comprehension ability: A systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 13(1), 1-155. https://doi.org/10.4073/csr.2017.14
Hoover, W. A., & Gough, P. B. (1990). The simple view of reading. Reading and Writing, 2, 127-160. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00401799
Hulme, C., & Snowling, M. J. (2009). Developmental disorders of language learning and cognition. Wiley-Blackwell.
Jaeggi, S. M., Buschkuehl, M., Jonides, J., & Shah, P. (2011). Short-and long-term benefits of cognitive training. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(25), 10081-10086. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1103228108
Kendeou, P., van den Broek, P., Helder, A., & Karlsson, J. (2014). A cognitive view of reading comprehension: Implications for reading difficulties. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 29(1), 10-16. https://doi.org/10.1111/ldrp.12025
Kendeou, P., van den Broek, P. W., White, M. J., & Lynch, J. S. (2009). Predicting reading comprehension in early elementary school: the independent contributions of oral language and decoding skills. Journal of Educational Psychology, 101(4), 765-778. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015956
Kim, Y. S. (2015). Language and cognitive predictors of text comprehension: Evidence from multivariate analysis. Child Development, 86(1), 128-144. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12293
Kim, Y.-S. G. (2016). Direct and mediated effects of language and cognitive skills on comprehension of oral narrative texts (listening comprehension) for children. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 141, 101-120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2015.08.003
Lepola, J., Lynch, J. S., Laakkonen, E., Silven, M., & Niemi, P. (2012). The role of inference making and other language skills in the development of narrative listening comprehension in 4–6-year-old children. Reading Research Quarterly, 47(3), 259-282. https://doi.org/10.1002/RRQ.020
Lepola, J., Lynch, J., Kiuru, N., Laakkonen, E., & Niemi, P. (2016). Early oral language comprehension, task orientation, and foundational reading skills as predictors of grade 3 reading comprehension. Reading Research Quarterly, 51(4), 373-390. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.145
Lervåg A., & Aukrust, V. G. (2010). Vocabulary knowledge is a critical determinant of the difference in reading comprehension growth between first and second language learners. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 51(5), 612-620. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2009.02185.x
Lervåg, A., Hulme, C., & Melby-Lervåg, M. (2018). Unpicking the developmental relationship between oral language skills and reading comprehension: It's simple, but complex. Child Development, 89(5), 1821–1838. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12861
Levorato, M. C., & Roch, M. (2007). Valutare la comprensione del testo orale: Il TOR 3-8 [The assessment of listening comprehension]. Organizzazioni Speciali.
Loosli, S. V., Buschkuehl, M., Perrig, W. J., & Jaeggi, S. M. (2012). Working memory training improves reading processes in typically developing children. Child Neuropsychology: a Journal on Normal and Abnormal Development in Childhood and Adolescence, 18(1), 62–78. https://doi.org/10.1080/09297049.2011.575772
Megherbi, H., Seigneuric, A, & Ehrlich, M. F. (2006). Reading comprehension in French 1st and 2nd grade children: Contribution of decoding and language comprehension. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 21, 135-147. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173573
Perfetti, C. A., Landi, N., & Oakhill, J. (2005). The acquisition of reading comprehension skill. In M. J. Snowling & C. Hulme (Eds.), The Science of Reading: a Handbook (pp. 227-247). Blackwell.
Sears, S., & Keogh, B. (1993). Predicting reading performance using the slingerland procedures. Annals of Dyslexia, 43, 78–89. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02928175
Silverman, R.D., Johnson, E.M., Keane, K., & Khanna, S. (2020). Beyond decoding: A meta‐analysis of the effects of language comprehension interventions on K–5 students’ language and literacy outcomes. Reading Research Quarterly, 55(S1), S207– S233. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.346
Solari, E. J., Grimm, R. P., McIntyre, N. S., & Denton, C. A. (2018). Reading comprehension development in at-risk vs. not at-risk first grade readers: The differential roles of listening comprehension, decoding, and fluency. Learning and Individual Differences, 65, 195-206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2018.06.005
Thurstone, T. G., & Thurstone, L. L. (1963). Primary Mental Ability. Science Research Associates, Chicago.
Tobia, V., & Bonifacci, P. (2015). The simple view of reading in a transparent orthography: The stronger role of oral comprehension. Reading and Writing, 28, 939–957. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-015-9556-1
Tunmer, W. E., & Chapman, J. W. (2012). The simple view of reading redux: Vocabulary knowledge and the independent components hypothesis. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 45(5), 453-466.
van den Broek, P.W. (2010). Using texts in science education: Cognitive processes and knowledge representation. Science, 328(5977), 453-456. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1182594
van den Broek, P., Kendeou, P., Lousberg, S., & Visser, G. (2011). Preparing for reading comprehension: Fostering text comprehension skills in preschool and early elementary school children. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 4(1), 259–268.
Zamperlin, C., Carretti, B., Friso, G., Manzan, M., & De Beni, R. (2014). Ascolto, capisco, racconto [I Listen, I Understand, I Tell]. Edizioni Erickson.