The Role of Vocabulary and Decoding Language Skills in Reading Comprehension: A Cross-Linguistic Perspective
Resource type
Journal Article
Authors/contributors
- Wawire, Brenda Aromu (Author)
- Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons (Author)
Title
The Role of Vocabulary and Decoding Language Skills in Reading Comprehension: A Cross-Linguistic Perspective
Abstract
The present study explored the role of vocabulary and decoding skills in predicting reading comprehension, utilizing data from 322 first- grade children from four elementary schools in Kenya. The children were administered a comprehensive battery of tests to assess pseudo-word reading skills, oral reading fluency, reading comprehension, and receptive vocabulary in English and Kiswahili. The results showed that receptive vocabulary and pseudo-word reading in English played a significant role in English reading comprehension. Kiswahili decoding explained a statistically significant unique variance of Kiswahili reading comprehension. An examination of the cross-linguistic variability showed that pseudo-word decoding in English and Kiswahili explained unique variance in reading comprehension cross-linguistically, while receptive vocabulary did not explain additional variance in reading comprehension across languages. These results add to the important evidence of receptive language skills and decoding skills in reading comprehension among multilingual children from low-middle income countries.
Publication
The Role of Vocabulary and Decoding Language Skills in Reading Comprehension: A Cross-Linguistic Perspective
Volume
15
Issue
1
Pages
23-42
Date
20210101
Language
eng
ISSN
1931-3152
Extra
an: EJ1283968; source: International Multilingual Research Journal; docTypes: Journal Articles ; Reports - Research; pubTypes: Academic JournalReport;
Citation
Wawire, B. A., & Zuilkowski, S. S. (20210101). The Role of Vocabulary and Decoding Language Skills in Reading Comprehension: A Cross-Linguistic Perspective. The Role of Vocabulary and Decoding Language Skills in Reading Comprehension: A Cross-Linguistic Perspective, 15(1), 23–42. https://doi.org/10.1080/19313152.2020.1753953
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