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Testing reciprocity between lexical knowledge and reading comprehension among Chinese children: a cross-lagged panel analysis

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Abstract

The present study aims to explore the reciprocal relationship between multidimensional lexical knowledge (reading vocabulary and morphological awareness) and reading comprehension among early elementary-age Chinese students. Using data from second-grade students (N = 288, Mage=7.8), the study drew upon a cross-lagged panel design to test the bidirectionality of the two constructs. Results showed lexical knowledge, indicated by reading vocabulary and morphological awareness, had a significant effect on the development of reading comprehension skill among young Chinese readers. However, the relationship was unidirectional in nature based on the cross-lagged paths. Implications of this study centered on the conceptualization and operationalization of lexical knowledge, the uniqueness of morphological awareness as a component of lexical knowledge, and variations in instructional practices.

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Notes

  1. The autoregressive connection builds on linear regression but refers to the relationship that the values of current variables (lexical knowledge and reading comprehension at time 2) depend on the values of past variables (lexical knowledge and reading comprehension at time 1).

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Acknowledgments

The study was sponsored by the Peak Discipline Construction Project of Education at East China Normal University, Shanghai Planning Project of Philosophy and Social Sciences (Grant No.:2018EYY009), Shanghai Pujiang Program (Grant No.: 18PJC035), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No.: 41300-20101-222397; 41300-20101-222154; 2018ECNU-QKT015).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200241, China

    Haomin (Stanley) Zhang

  2. Department of English, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200241, China

    Haomin (Stanley) Zhang

  3. The Foreign Language Research and Teaching Center, School of Foreign Languages, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200241, China

    Haomin (Stanley) Zhang

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  1. Haomin (Stanley) Zhang
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Correspondence to Haomin (Stanley) Zhang.

Additional information

Haomin (Stanley) Zhang. East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200241, China. E-mail: hmzhang@english.ecnu.edu.cn

Current themes of research:

Vocabulary and reading acquisition. Biliteracy development among linguistically diverse students. Metalinguistic awareness intervention.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Zhang, H., & Koda, K. (2018). Word-knowledge development in Chinese as a heritage language (CHL) learners: a comparative study. Studies in Second Language Acquisition. 40(1), 201–223. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263116000450

Zhang, H., & Koda, K. (2018). Vocabulary knowledge and morphological awareness in Chinese as a heritage language (CHL) reading comprehension ability. Reading and Writing, 31(1), 53–74. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-017-9773-x

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Zhang, H. S. (2015). Morphological awareness in vocabulary acquisition among Chinese-speaking children: testing partial mediation via lexical inference ability. Reading Research Quarterly, 50(1), 129–142. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.89

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Zhang, H.(. Testing reciprocity between lexical knowledge and reading comprehension among Chinese children: a cross-lagged panel analysis. Eur J Psychol Educ 35, 911–930 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-020-00462-9

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