Reading Comprehension in Both Spanish and English as a Foreign Language by High School Spanish Students

Several studies have highlighted that reading comprehension is determined by different linguistic skills: semantics, syntax, and morphology, in addition to one’s own competence in reading fluency (accuracy, speed, and prosody). On the other hand, according to the Linguistic Interdependence Hypothesis, linguistic skills developed in one’s own native language (L1) facilitate the development of these skills in a second one (L2). In this study, we wanted to explore the linguistic abilities that determine reading comprehension in Spanish (L1) and in English (L2) in Secondary Education students. To do this, 73 Secondary Education Students (1st and 3rd year) participated in this study. The students carried out a battery of tasks in English and Spanish, all of them related to reading comprehension (expository text) and different linguistic skills, which included syntactic awareness tasks, synonymy judgment tasks (vocabulary), and morphological awareness tasks. The results indicated a positive correlation between linguistic competencies in both languages (indicating a transfer effect between languages), which were determined by school year, with a lower performance in the 1st year than in the 3rd year. Moreover, we found more skills with correlations in English reading comprehension than in Spanish. Finally, reading comprehension in L1 was mainly explained English reading comprehension, while English reading comprehension was predicted by grade, and syntactic awareness, as well as Spanish reading comprehension. This could be explained by the different levels of exposure to L1 and L2 of sample subjects, as the linguistic variables have different influences on the reading comprehension of both languages.

Impacts of Reading for Ethiopia’s Achievement Developed Community Outreach Project Intervention on Students’ Oral Reading Fluency, Reading Comprehension, and Academic Achievements

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of Reading for Ethiopia’s Achievement Developed Community Outreach (READ CO) project intervention on students’ oral reading fluency, reading comprehension, academic achievements, and listening comprehension. It also aimed at identifying the students and teachers’ awareness and practices about the READ CO project interventions. Experimental research—Posttest-only control group—design was employed for the study, which is mainly quantitative, but also uses qualitative techniques (latent content analysis). The results were analyzed using t tests and econometrics analysis mainly. Questionnaires and observations were also developed and employed as other tools among the experimental group principals and language teachers in the school to investigate the overall practice. The results from quantitative data analysis indicated that there were no statistically significant differences between the posttest performance of the study group and the control group for reading comprehension, academic achievements, and listening comprehension, yet oral reading fluency is significant. The result from questionnaire and observation also showed that the project has not been found to have a positive impact on students reading performance or improvement. Finally, it was mainly recommended that practical training and real service should be given for the targeted schools on how to improve and implement reading practices via the project.

Word- and Text-Level Processes Contributing to Fluent Reading of Word Lists and Sentences

In this study, we investigated how word- and text-level processes contribute to different types of reading fluency measures. We aimed to increase our understanding of the underlying processes necessary for fluent reading. The sample included 73 Dutch Grade 3 children, who were assessed on serial word reading rate (familiar words), word-list reading fluency (increasingly difficult words), and sentence reading fluency. Word-level processes were individual word recognition speed (discrete word reading) and sequential processing efficiency (serial digit naming). Text-level processes were receptive vocabulary and syntactic skills. The results showed that word- and text-level processes combined accounted for a comparable amount of variance in all fluency outcomes. Both word-level processes were moderate predictors of all fluency outcomes. However, vocabulary only moderately predicted sentence reading fluency, and syntactic skills merely contributed to sentence reading fluency indirectly through vocabulary. The findings indicate that sequential processing efficiency has a crucial role in reading fluency across various measures besides individual word recognition speed. Additionally, text-level processes come into play when complexity and context availability of fluency measures increases, but the exact timing requires further study. Findings are discussed in terms of future directions and their possible value for diagnostic assessment and intervention of reading difficulties.

Using Game-Based Learning to Improve Boys' Literacy

This chapter foregrounds an online gamified visual intelligence innovation (eyebraingym) developed to enhance visual processing skills, improve memory and vocabulary, and increase reading fluency. The explicit aim of the innovation is to improve comprehension towards visual intelligence. Ninety-eight Grade 8 learners at a South African Boy's School completed their online development during the 2021 academic year. These learners were part of a group of students participating in a whole school reading and literacy intervention program. The innovation is an integral part of this ongoing project. Their interaction with the innovation consists of 15 sessions completed once or twice a week for 20 – 40 minutes over five months. The results of the project are positive. It shows that most participating students improved their perceptual development and reading speed (VPF) and cognitive development and comprehension skills (CDF). In addition, these outcomes transferred to improved relative efficiency when working with information (AIUF).

Analysing the Relationship between Reading Fluency and Reading Comprehension of Learners at Early Childhood Education

Reading fluency and reading comprehension are the determining factors at early grades. Children who are unable to read fluently and spend time to decode words get failed to understand the meaning of the written text. Taking into account this crucial problem, this study intends to determine the relationship between reading fluency and reading comprehension of learners at early grades. A qualitative survey was conducted to collect data from the learners studying in the six public schools by using convenient sampling technique. Informal Reading Inventory (IRI) was adopted to collect the data from learners studying at class two in public schools of district Multan. After applying the inferential statistics, simple linear regression was applied to infer the results of this study. Findings show a significant relationship between reading fluency and reading comprehension of learners. As to determine the current level of their reading fluency and reading comprehension, it is identified that learners are at frustrational level in reading and comprehending the written text. Keywords: Reading fluency, Comprehension, Early Childhood Education, Linear regression, Informal Reading Inventory

STUDENTS’ ATTITUDE TOWARD THE USE OF WATTPAD IN READING COMPREHENSION

This study attempts to seek what components of reading are affected by reading Wattpad and how the students' attitudes towards the use of Wattpad for reading. This research used a descriptive qualitative method. This research is also supported by the theory of reading attitude proposed by McKenna, et.al. The data for this study were collected from two sources, namely a close-ended questionnaire to 20 English Literature students of Universitas Sumatera Utara and supported by interview with 5 out of 20 selected respondents. The results of this study indicate two main things, namely: (1) Vocabulary is the component of reading that is most affected. As many as 40% of respondents chose vocabulary as the most affected reading component, 35% of respondents chose comprehension ability, 15% of respondents chose reading fluency and 10% of respondents chose phonemic awareness. (2) It was found that 10 respondents were judged to show a positive attitude towards the use of Wattpad, 6 respondents showed a neutral attitude and 4 respondents showed a negative attitude towards the use of Wattpad.