Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Relationships between sixth-graders’ reading comprehension and two different measures of print exposure

  • Published:
Reading and Writing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study examined sixth-graders’ reading comprehension and component reading abilities in relation to two measures of print exposure: an author recognition test (ART) involving fiction authors and a reading habits questionnaire (RHQ) about children’s voluntary reading for enjoyment across various genres. The ART correlated only with children’s fiction book reading habits, not with other habits such as nonfiction book or magazine reading, and had a stronger relationship to all tested reading abilities than did the RHQ. Strong comprehenders in reading outperformed weak comprehenders on all component reading measures, ART score, and fiction habits; however, weak comprehenders scored higher than did strong comprehenders on the indicator of nonfiction reading habits. The two groups of comprehenders did not differ significantly on other reported reading habits. The results are discussed in relation to children’s specific book choices and demonstrate the relevance of genre to evaluations of children’s print exposure.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aaron, P. G., Joshi, M., Gooden, R., & Bentum, K. (2008). Diagnosis and treatment of reading disabilities based on the component model of reading: An alternative to the discrepancy model of LD. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 41, 67–84. doi:10.1177/0022219407310838.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen, L., Cipielewski, J., & Stanovich, K. E. (1992). Multiple indicators of children’s reading habits and attitudes: Construct validity and cognitive correlates. Journal of Educational Psychology, 84, 489–503. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.84.4.489.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, R. C., Wilson, P. T., & Fielding, L. G. (1988). Growth in reading and how children spend their time outside of school. Reading Research Quarterly, 23, 285–303. doi:10.1598/RRQ.23.3.2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baker, L., & Wigfield, A. (1999). Dimensions of children’s motivation for reading and their relations to reading activity and reading achievement. Reading Research Quarterly, 34, 452–477. doi:10.1598/RRQ.34.4.4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Biemiller, A. (1977–78). Relationships between oral reading rates for letters, words, and simple text in the development of reading achievement. Reading Research Quarterly, 13, 223–253. doi:10.2307/747307.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cain, K., Oakhill, J. V., & Bryant, P. (2004). Children’s reading comprehension ability: Concurrent prediction by working memory, verbal ability, and component skills. Journal of Educational Psychology, 96, 31–42. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.96.1.31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carver, R. P., & Leibert, R. E. (1995). The effect of reading library books at different levels of difficulty upon gain in reading ability. Reading Research Quarterly, 30, 26–48. doi:10.2307/747743.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chall, J. S. (1996). Stages of reading development (2nd ed.). Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chiu, M. M., & McBride-Chang, C. (2006). Gender, context, and reading: A comparison of students in 43 countries. Scientific Studies of Reading, 10, 331–362. doi:10.1207/s1532799xssr1004_1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cipielewski, J., & Stanovich, K. E. (1992). Predicting growth in reading ability from children’s exposure to print. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 54, 74–89. doi:10.1016/0022-0965(92)90018-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Connecticut State Department of Education. (2006). Connecticut Mastery Test-4th Generation. Hartford, CT: Connecticut State Department of Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham, A. E., & Stanovich, K. E. (1991). Tracking the unique effects of print exposure in children: Associations with vocabulary, general knowledge, and spelling. Journal of Educational Psychology, 83, 264–274. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.83.2.264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham, A. E., & Stanovich, K. E. (1997). Early reading acquisition and its relation to reading experience and ability ten years later. Developmental Psychology, 33, 934–945. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.33.6.934.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duke, N. K. (2000). Print environments and experiences offered to first-grade students in very low- and very high-SES school districts. Reading Research Quarterly, 35, 456–457. doi:10.1598/RRQ.35.4.1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunn, L., & Dunn, M. (1997). Peabody picture vocabulary test-III. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gough, P. B., & Tunmer, W. E. (1986). Decoding, reading, and reading disability. Remedial and Special Education, 7, 6–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guthrie, J. T., Wigfield, A., Metsala, J. L., & Cox, K. E. (1999). Motivational and cognitive predictors of text comprehension and reading amount. Scientific Studies of Reading, 3, 231–256. doi:10.1207/s1532799xssr0303_3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, D. P., & Ahrens, M. (1988). Vocabulary simplification for children: A special case of ‘motherese’. Journal of Child Language, 15, 395–410.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hughes-Hassell, S., & Rodge, P. (2007). The leisure reading habits of urban adolescents. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 51, 22–33. doi:10.1598/JAAL.51.1.3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, J. S., & White, T. G. (2008). Scaffolding voluntary summer reading for children in grades 3 to 5: An experimental study. Scientific Studies of Reading, 12, 1–23. doi:10.1080/10888430701746849.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krashen, S. (1993). The power of reading: Insights from the research. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.

    Google Scholar 

  • LaBerge, D., & Samuels, S. J. (1974). Toward a theory of automatic information processing in reading. Cognitive Psychology, 6, 293–323. doi:10.1016/0010-0285(74)90015-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGrew, K. S., & Woodcock, R. W. (2001). Technical manual. Woodcock-Johnson III. Itasca, IL: Riverside Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • McKenna, M., Kear, D., & Ellsworth, A. (1995). Children’s attitudes toward reading: A national survey. Reading Research Quarterly, 30, 934–956. doi:10.2307/748205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nation, K. (2005). Children’s reading comprehension difficulties. In M. J. Snowling & C. Hulme (Eds.), The science of reading: A handbook (pp. 248–266). Oxford, UK: Blackwell.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • National Education Association. (2001). NEA poll on the reading habits of adolescents. Washington, DC: National Education Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Reading Panel. (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. Washington, DC: National Institutes of Health.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pitcher, S. M., Albright, L. K., De Laney, C. J., Walker, N. T., Seunarinesingh, K., Mogge, S., et al. (2007). Assessing adolescents’ motivation to read. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 50, 378–396. doi:10.1598/JAAL.50.5.5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Questar Assessment. (2006). The degrees of reading power program. Brewster, NY: Questar Assessment.

    Google Scholar 

  • RAND Reading Study Group. (2002). Reading for understanding: Toward an R&D program in reading comprehension. Arlington, VA: RAND.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rupley, W. H., Willson, V. L., & Nichols, W. D. (1998). Exploration of the developmental components contributing to elementary school children’s reading comprehension. Scientific Studies of Reading, 2, 143–158. doi:10.1207/s1532799xssr0202_3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, F. (1988). Understanding reading. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snow, C. E., Barnes, W. S., Chandler, J., Goodman, J. F., & Hemphill, L. (1991). Unfulfilled expectations: Home and school influences on literacy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spear-Swerling, L. (2006). Children’s reading comprehension and oral reading fluency in easy text. Reading & Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 19, 199–220. doi:10.1007/s11145-005-4114-x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spector, J. (2005). How reliable are informal reading inventories? Psychology in the Schools, 42, 593–603. doi:10.1002/pits.20104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stanovich, K. E. (1986). Matthew effects in reading: Some consequences of individual differences in the acquisition of literacy. Reading Research Quarterly, 21, 36–406. doi:10.2307/747958.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stanovich, K. E. (2000). Progress in understanding reading: Scientific foundations and new frontiers. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanovich, K. E., & West, R. F. (1989). Exposure to print and orthographic processing. Reading Research Quarterly, 24, 402–433. doi:10.2307/747605.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strommen, L. T., & Mates, B. F. (2004). Learning to love reading: Interviews with older children and teens. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 48, 188–200. doi:10.1598/JAAL.48.3.1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whitehurst, G. J., & Lonigan, C. J. (2002). Emergent literacy: Development from prereaders to readers. In S. B. Neuman & D. K. Dickinson (Eds.), Handbook of early literacy research (pp. 11–29). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woodcock, R. W., McGrew, K. S., & Mather, N. (2001). Woodcock-Johnson III tests of achievement. Itasca, IL: Riverside Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a Connecticut State University research grant. We would like to extend our thanks to the children, teachers, and principals who participated in this project; to Kim Fitzner, Jackie Michaud, and Franziska Borner for their help with data collection; and to two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on an earlier draft of this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Special Education and Reading, Southern Connecticut State University, 501 Crescent St, New Haven, CT, 06515, USA

    Louise Spear-Swerling & Pamela O. Brucker

  2. Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA

    Michael P. Alfano

Authors
  1. Louise Spear-Swerling
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Pamela O. Brucker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Michael P. Alfano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Louise Spear-Swerling.

Appendix

Appendix

Author recognition test

Directions: On this page are some names of popular authors of fiction books. Some of them are the names of real fiction authors and some are not. Put a check mark next to the names that you know are real authors of fiction books. Do not guess, because guessing can be detected.

______ J.R.R. Tolkien

______ C. K. Leong

______ Mary Pope Osborne

______ Nancy Rue

______ Marilyn Jager Adams

______ Laurie Halse Anderson

______ Adeline Yen Mah

______ A. A. Milne

______ Michael Pressley

______ Eoin Colfer

______ Victor H. P. van Daal

______ Linnea Ehri

______ Madeleine L’Engle

______ Benita Blachman

______ Brian Jacques

______ Frank Vellutino

______ J. K. Rowling

______ Ann Brashares

______ Linda Siegel

______ Julia DeVillers

______ Dav Pilkey

______ Anne Castles

______ Lemony Snicket

______ Louis Sachar

______ Hollis Scarborough

______ R. K. Wagner

______ Meg Cabot

______ Jonathan Stroud

______ Stephen King

______ Cornelia Funke

______ Hugh Catts

______ R. L. Stine

______ Christopher Paolini

______ James Patterson

______ Maggie Snowling

______ Jenny Nimmo

______ Donald L. Compton

______ Andrew Biemiller

______ Isabel Beck

______ Alexandra Gottardo

______ Hans Christian Andersen

______ Lauren Myracle

______ Catherine McBride-Chang

______ Lisi Harrison

______ Blue Balliett

______ Richard Olson

______ Carl Hiaasen

______ Jeanne DuPrau

______ Peter F. de Jong

______ Kate Dicamillo

______ Roald Dahl

______ Mariam Jean Dreher

______ Patricia Bowers

______ Ludo Verhoeven

______ C. S. Lewis

______ Philip Pullman

______ Louise Rennison

______ Brian Byrne

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Spear-Swerling, L., Brucker, P.O. & Alfano, M.P. Relationships between sixth-graders’ reading comprehension and two different measures of print exposure. Read Writ 23, 73–96 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-008-9152-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-008-9152-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation