Word frequency modulates morpheme-based reading in poor and skilled Italian readers

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 513-532 ◽  
Author(s):  
STEFANIA MARCOLINI ◽  
DANIELA TRAFICANTE ◽  
PIERLUIGI ZOCCOLOTTI ◽  
CRISTINA BURANI
Keyword(s):  
Word Frequency ◽  
Reading Fluency ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
Word Processing ◽  
Morphological Structure ◽  
Adult Readers ◽  
Skilled Readers ◽  
Complex Words ◽  
Whole Word ◽  
Derivational Suffix

ABSTRACTA previous study reported that, similar to young and adult skilled readers, Italian developmental dyslexics read pseudowords made up of a root and a derivational suffix faster and more accurately than simple pseudowords. Unlike skilled readers, only dyslexic and reading-matched younger children benefited from morphological structure in reading words aloud. In this study, we show that word frequency affects the probability of morpheme-based reading, interacting with reading ability. Young skilled readers named low- but not high-frequency morphologically complex words faster than simple words. By contrast, the advantage for morphologically complex words was present in poor readers irrespective of word frequency. Adult readers showed no facilitating effect of morphological structure. These results indicate that young readers use reading units (morphemes) that are larger than the single-grapheme grain size. It is argued that morpheme-based reading is important for obtaining reading fluency (rather than accuracy) in transparent orthographies and is useful particularly in children with limited reading ability who do not fully master whole-word processing.

scholarly journals Reading Ability, Reading Fluency and Orthographic Skills: The Case of L1 Slovene English as a Foreign Language Students

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 119-139
Author(s):  
Florina Erbeli ◽  
Karmen Pižorn
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Reading Fluency ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
Skilled Readers ◽  
English As Foreign Language ◽  
L2 Learning ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Language Students ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Foreign Language Students

This study examined the difference between less-skilled and skilled L1 Slovene English as foreign language (EFL) students in foreign language (L2) fluency and L2 orthographic skills; 93 less-skilled Grade 7 L1 Slovene students and 102 skilled Grade 7 L1 Slovene students participated in the study. The results showed that skilled readers performed better in all fluency and orthographic skills tasks, as the differences between groups were statistically significant. The correlations among all variables showed that L2 fluency and L2 orthographic skills are positively interrelated among both groups, suggesting that higher L2 fluency scores are associated with higher L2 orthography scores. This outcome implies that less-skilled readers need to be greatly exposed to L2 language and be ensured necessaryopportunities in- or outside the classroom in L2 learning.

Construction Morphology

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geert Booij
Keyword(s):  
Word Processing ◽  
Language Change ◽  
Strong Dependence ◽  
Morphological Structure ◽  
Parallel Architecture ◽  
Word Structure ◽  
Intermediate Layers ◽  
Construction Morphology ◽  
Complex Words ◽  
Case Markers

Construction Morphology is a theory of word structure in which the complex words of a language are analyzed as constructions, that is, systematic pairings of form and meaning. These pairings are analyzed within a Tripartite Parallel Architecture conception of grammar. This presupposes a word-based approach to the analysis of morphological structure and a strong dependence on paradigmatic relations between words. The lexicon contains both words and the constructional schemas they are instantiations of. Words and schemas are organized in a hierarchical network, with intermediate layers of subschemas. These schemas have a motivating function with respect to existing complex words and specify how new complex words can be formed. The consequence of this view of morphology is that there is no sharp boundary between lexicon and grammar. In addition, the use of morphological patterns may also depend on specific syntactic constructions (construction-dependent morphology). This theory of lexical relatedness also provides insight into language change such as the use of obsolete case markers as markers of specific constructions, the change of words into affixes, and the debonding of word constituents into independent words. Studies of language acquisition and word processing confirm this view of the lexicon and the nature of lexical knowledge. Construction Morphology is also well equipped for dealing with inflection and the relationships between the cells of inflectional paradigms, because it can express how morphological schemas are related paradigmatically.

scholarly journals Smart Reading Aid for Detecting Problems With Reading Fluency and Comprehension

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoltán Rusák ◽  
Niels van de Water ◽  
Bram de Smit ◽  
Imre Horváth ◽  
Wilhelm Frederik Van Der Vegte
Keyword(s):  
Reading Fluency ◽  
Word Processing ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
Brain Signals ◽  
Normal Reading ◽  
Fluency And Comprehension ◽  
Functional Prototype ◽  
Tracking Technology ◽  
Processing Difficulty

Brain signal and eye tracking technology have been intensively applied in cognitive science in order to study reading, listening and learning processes. Though promising results have been found in laboratory experiments, there are no smart reading aids that are capable to estimate difficulty during normal reading. This paper presents a new concept that aims to tackle this challenge. Based on a literature study and an experiment, we have identified several indicators for characterizing word processing difficulty by interpreting electroencelography (EEG) and electrooculography (EOG) signals. We have defined a computational model based on fuzzy set theory, which estimates the probability of word processing and comprehension difficulty during normal reading. The paper also presents a concept and functional prototype of a smart reading aid, which is used to demonstrate the feasibility of our solution. The results of our research proves that it is possible to implement a smart reading aid that is capable to detect reading difficulty in real time. We show that the most reliable indicators are related to eye movement (i.e. fixation and regression), while brain signals are less dependable sources for indicating word processing difficulty during continuous reading.

Morphology Matters, but What Do Teacher Candidates Know About It?

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 246-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin K. Washburn ◽  
Candace A. Mulcahy
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Morphological Structure ◽  
Reading Teachers ◽  
Complex Process ◽  
Secondary Grades ◽  
Striving Readers ◽  
Complex Words

Skilled reading is a complex process in which many subskills are involved, including an awareness of the morphological structure of language. Morphological awareness is the ability to understand how words are broken into meaningful units (e.g., affixes, root words). Explicit and systematic teaching of morphological concepts are reported to help striving readers, particularly those in upper elementary, middle, and secondary grades, with reading. To teach morphological concepts and their relation to reading, teachers need to have both awareness and knowledge of morphology. In the present study, general and special education teachers’ knowledge of morphological concepts are examined. Results indicate that teachers, regardless of type of certification (general vs. special education) or grade level (elementary vs. secondary), have difficulty identifying morphemes in both simple and complex words. Suggestions for what and how teacher educators can integrate the teaching of morphological concepts into teacher preparation contexts are provided.

scholarly journals Neurocognitive mechanisms for processing inflectional and derivational complexity in English

Psihologija ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 439-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirjana Bozic ◽  
William Marslen-Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Access ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Current Paper ◽  
Present Evidence ◽  
Morphological Complexity ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
Complex Words ◽  
Whole Word ◽  
Processing Network

In the current paper we discuss the mechanisms that underlie the processing of inflectional and derivational complexity in English. We address this issue from a neurocognitive perspective and present evidence from a new fMRI study that the two types of morphological complexity engage the language processing network in different ways. The processing of inflectional complexity selectively activates a left-lateralised frontotemporal system, specialised for combinatorial grammatical computations, while derivational complexity primarily engages a distributed bilateral system, argued to support whole-word, stem based lexical access. We discuss the implications of our findings for theories of the processing and representation of morphologically complex words.

scholarly journals Miscue Analysis of Oral Reading Among Non-Proficient Malaysian ESL Learners

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-185
Author(s):  
Adeena Deepa Ramakrishna Pillai ◽  
Shamala Paramasivam
Keyword(s):  
Oral Reading ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
Direct Method ◽  
Multiple Choice ◽  
Miscue Analysis ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
Microsoft Excel ◽  
Reading Material ◽  
Complex Words ◽  
Esl Learners

Reading is a vital skill. Research has shown that proficient learners usually have a greater comprehension of the reading material. This study focuses on non-proficient learners’ oral reading as a direct method of assessing their reading ability. Miscue analysis is used as a tool to gather information and measure strategies used in reading and comprehending a given material. The study investigates the types and frequencies of miscues made by learners when they orally read texts and assesses learners’ comprehension based on the oral reading through the use of multiple-choice questions. The number of miscues made and the scores for the multiple choice questions are patterned using Microsoft Excel program and are converted into percentages. This study found that when the number of miscues made by the learners reduced during the oral reading process, the scores on the comprehension section did not necessarily improve. The types of miscues made by learners were omission of words namely plural and past-tense endings of verbs, substitution of words such as the pronoun ‘she’ with ‘he’, and hesitation especially with complex words. The findings imply that learners have language problems in grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and the use of reading strategies.

The Relationship of Pitch Sight-Singing Skills With Tonal Discrimination, Language Reading Skills, and Academic Ability in Children

2018 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
James L. Reifinger
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Music Education ◽  
Early Literacy ◽  
Reading Fluency ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
Academic Ability ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Sight Singing ◽  
Ability Test ◽  
Resource Hypothesis

This study investigated correlates that might explain variance in beginning sight-singing achievement, including tonal discrimination, reading fluency, reading comprehension, and academic ability. Both curriculum-based and standardized tests were used, including the Intermediate Measures of Music Audiation, Otis-Lennon School Ability Test, and Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills. Sight-singing ability of second-grade students ( N = 170) was individually assessed for pitch accuracy only using four-note tonal patterns following a 16-week instructional period and again 8 weeks later following a period of no practice. A factor analysis explained 62% of the variance across 13 variables, revealing correlated factors of Music Ability, Reading Ability, and Academic Ability. Regression analyses with individual variables as predictors indicated that significant variance in sight-singing achievement beyond that explained by pitch matching ability could be explained by reading comprehension ability. Similar results were found with both sight-singing tests. Findings are discussed in relation to Patel’s shared syntactic integration resource hypothesis and the need to advocate for music education programs.

The use of a rapid priming technique I: Adult language processing

1999 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-91
Author(s):  
Chris Davis ◽  
Anne Castles
Keyword(s):  
Word Recognition ◽  
Incomplete Information ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Word Processing ◽  
Recognition System ◽  
Masked Priming ◽  
Written Language ◽  
Psycholinguistic Research ◽  
Skilled Readers ◽  
Priming Technique

ABSTRACTThis paper discusses the background and use of the masked priming procedure in adult psycholinguistic research. Using this technique, we address the issue of how precise the letter and word processing systems of adults is for rapidly displayed stimuli. Data is reviewed that suggests that, for skilled readers, the letter and word recognition system is sensitively tuned to the discrimination demands imposed on it by the properties of the written language. That is, the recognition system is able to be discriminative where precision is required, but is also able to consider and use incomplete information when this is predictive.

scholarly journals Visual word form processing deficits driven by severity of reading impairments in children with developmental dyslexia

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Brem ◽  
U. Maurer ◽  
M. Kronbichler ◽  
M. Schurz ◽  
F. Richlan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reading Fluency ◽  
Word Processing ◽  
Visual Word ◽  
Common Finding ◽  
Word Form ◽  
Reduced Word ◽  
Form Processing ◽  
Visual Word Form Area ◽  
Intermediate Readers ◽  
Spatially Extended

Abstract The visual word form area (VWFA) in the left ventral occipito-temporal (vOT) cortex is key to fluent reading in children and adults. Diminished VWFA activation during print processing tasks is a common finding in subjects with severe reading problems. Here, we report fMRI data from a multicentre study with 140 children in primary school (7.9–12.2 years; 55 children with dyslexia, 73 typical readers, 12 intermediate readers). All performed a semantic task on visually presented words and a matched control task on symbol strings. With this large group of children, including the entire spectrum from severely impaired to highly fluent readers, we aimed to clarify the association of reading fluency and left vOT activation during visual word processing. The results of this study confirm reduced word-sensitive activation within the left vOT in children with dyslexia. Interestingly, the association of reading skills and left vOT activation was especially strong and spatially extended in children with dyslexia. Thus, deficits in basic visual word form processing increase with the severity of reading disability but seem only weakly associated with fluency within the typical reading range suggesting a linear dependence of reading scores with VFWA activation only in the poorest readers.

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