The Contributions of First and Second Language Skills to Reading Comprehension in English Language Learners

This study examined the language and cognitive factors underlying the development of reading comprehension in 120 elementary school English language learners (ELLs) from typologically different language backgrounds (Chinese and Spanish). The study first examined the validity of an extended Simple View of Reading (SVR) model for ELLs that includes cognitive skills (phonological awareness, rapid naming speed) and word reading fluency in addition to decoding and oral language skills. Hierarchical linear regression was used to investigate the contributions of Grade 1 English cognitive skills, and word reading fluency, in addition to the SVR components, to Grade 4 English reading comprehension. The validity of the extended SVR framework with ELL children in both language groups was supported. The second part investigated the contribution of parallel early L1 and L2 skills to English reading comprehension. There was no cross-language transfer of skills in Chinese ELLs; however, Grade 1 cognitive skills assessed in Spanish made significant contributions to Grade 4 English reading comprehension. The results underscore the importance of complementary theoretical perspectives. The "central processing hypothesis" is clearly relevant for Spanish speakers, but for Chinese ELLs, no additional information is gained by adding the L1 measures. These differences can be attributed to typological differences and differential contribution of L1 processing skills to L2 reading comprehension. The third part examined individual growth trajectories as predictors of Grade 4 reading comprehension in English. Hierarchical linear modeling and hierarchical linear regression were used to investigate the developmental trajectories of early predictor variables and the contribution of individual differences to these trajectories. The rate of growth on the cognitive variables (phonological awareness and rapid naming speed), SVR variables (receptive vocabulary and word reading), and word reading fluency made significant contributions to reading comprehension skills in Grade 4. The final model, consisting of non-verbal ability, the initial status of cognitive skills, cluster of the SVR skills, and of word reading fluency and the rate of growth on the SVR skills, explained 59% of the variance in reading comprehension three years later. These results show that the same English cognitive and linguistic skills play critical roles in ELL's development of English reading comprehension, despite the typological differences between L1 backgrounds.Ph.D