Final Activity Report Summary - READAL (Reading difficulties and second language learning: The effects of orthographic (non) transparency)
The main aim of the present research was to investigate whether orthographic transparency might affect the course of literacy development in different languages and reading groups. Speeded word reading and reading comprehension were targeted. Phonological awareness, rapid letter naming, morphological knowledge, vocabulary and oral language, i.e. narrative skills, were the independent variables. Raven's coloured progressive matrices (RCPM) was a control variable.
Four experiments were carried out. The first experiment examined 50 bilingual children from grades three to six, who had American-English as a first language and Greek as a second. A second experiment explored the same variables with a group of 50 American-English speaking monolingual children. A third experiment was performed using the same measures with 50 Greek monolingual children. The groups were matched on age, gender and general ability (RCPM score). The groups of 50 children were split into two separate subgroups: older readers, representing grades five and six, and younger readers, from grades three and four, in order to address developmental trends and group differences between younger (poor) and older (good) readers.
In addition, a fourth experiment was conducted during the return phase using the same variables with a sample of 46 native Greek poor readers. These were matched on age, gender and RCPM score to the normal readers of experiment three, i.e. of the monolingual Greek sample, in order to examine the poor readers' profile on the respective skills and sub-skills.
The results indicated similar developmental trends in reading across all four grades for the three groups. The level of orthographic transparency was not determining the course of reading development at late stages, e.g. from grade three to six. The findings highlighted the emergence of morphological and oral language (narrative) abilities as predictors of reading.
Four experiments were carried out. The first experiment examined 50 bilingual children from grades three to six, who had American-English as a first language and Greek as a second. A second experiment explored the same variables with a group of 50 American-English speaking monolingual children. A third experiment was performed using the same measures with 50 Greek monolingual children. The groups were matched on age, gender and general ability (RCPM score). The groups of 50 children were split into two separate subgroups: older readers, representing grades five and six, and younger readers, from grades three and four, in order to address developmental trends and group differences between younger (poor) and older (good) readers.
In addition, a fourth experiment was conducted during the return phase using the same variables with a sample of 46 native Greek poor readers. These were matched on age, gender and RCPM score to the normal readers of experiment three, i.e. of the monolingual Greek sample, in order to examine the poor readers' profile on the respective skills and sub-skills.
The results indicated similar developmental trends in reading across all four grades for the three groups. The level of orthographic transparency was not determining the course of reading development at late stages, e.g. from grade three to six. The findings highlighted the emergence of morphological and oral language (narrative) abilities as predictors of reading.