Preschool pathways to reading comprehension: A systematic meta-analytic review. (June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hjetland, Hanne Næss; Brinchmann, Ellen Iren; Scherer, Ronny; Hulme, Charles; Melby-Lervåg, Monica
• Is Part Of: Educational research review. Volume 30(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-06
• Subjects: Reading comprehension -- Language development -- Longitudinal study designs -- meta-Analysis -- Systematic review; Education -- Research -- Periodicals; 370.7205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.edurev.2020.100323
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1747-938X

Abstract

Abstract: The ability to construct meaning from texts is the core of reading. We report a meta-analysis and a systematic review of 64 longitudinal studies tracing the development of reading comprehension from preschool. Previous research showed that linguistic comprehension and code-related abilities in preschool correlate moderately with reading comprehension, but the results across studies are inconsistent. Meta-analytic structural equation modelling showed two distinct but related pathways from preschool linguistic comprehension abilities to reading comprehension in school. One pathway consists of code-related skills (letter knowledge and phonological awareness), and it affects reading comprehension through word recognition. A second pathway consists of linguistic comprehension skills (vocabulary and grammar), and it has a direct influence on reading comprehension. Early interventions to facilitate language development appear to provide a promising approach to facilitate the later development of reading comprehension skills. Highlights: Moderate longitudinal correlations between skills in preschool and later reading comprehension. Code-related skills and linguistic comprehension are separable predictors of later reading comprehension. Two distinct but related pathways from preschool language to reading comprehension in school. Linguistic comprehension has a key role in the development of reading comprehension.