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The relations between word reading, oral language, and reading comprehension in children who speak English as a first (L1) and second language (L2): a multigroup structural analysis

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Abstract

This study compared the reading and oral language skills of children who speak English as a first (L1) and second language (L2), and examined whether the strength of the relationship between word reading, oral language, and reading comprehension was invariant (equivalent) across the two groups. The participants included 183 L1 and L2 children (M = 9; 7 years, SD = 3.64 months) in England. As anticipated, there was a significant L1 advantage for oral language (i.e., vocabulary, verbal working memory, sentence repetition) and reading comprehension but not for word reading. Findings from the multigroup structural analysis indicated that the strength of relationships between oral language and reading was relatively invariant across the two groups. Oral language was the strongest predictor of reading comprehension levels in both groups. Finally, the weaker English oral language skills explained the lower performance of L2 learners on reading comprehension. Together the results underscored the importance of supporting oral language development in minority language learners.

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Notes

  1. Note that as the error variance for the text reading accuracy was fixed to zero in the L2 group, it was considered more appropriate to keep text reading error variances outside the invariance test.

  2. Although caution needs to be exercised when comparing findings from reading comprehension and text writing, it is noteworthy that similar invariant relations between verbal skills and text writing have been reported in a previous study (Babayiğit, 2014a).

  3. In this study, three L2 students could read or write in their home languages, hence it was unlikely that the orthography of the home language would have had any effect on the L2 students' reading comprehension performance in English.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported by a grant from the University of the West of England (Bristol), awarded to the author. Special thanks go the children and teachers who participated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health and Social Sciences, University of the West of England (Bristol), Coldharbour Lane, Bristol, BS16 1QY, UK

    Selma Babayiğit

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  1. Selma Babayiğit
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Correspondence to Selma Babayiğit.

Appendix

Appendix

See Table 4.

Table 4 Standardized mean differences in reading and oral language scores (first language learners minus second language learners)
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Babayiğit, S. The relations between word reading, oral language, and reading comprehension in children who speak English as a first (L1) and second language (L2): a multigroup structural analysis. Read Writ 28, 527–544 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-014-9536-x

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