Guy Trainin

Rapid Naming, Phonological Awareness, and Reading: A Meta-Analysis of the Correlation Evidence

This study provides a meta-analysis of the correlational literature on measures of phonological awareness, rapid naming, reading, and related abilities. Correlations (N = 2,257) were corrected for sample size, restriction in range, and attenuation from 49 independent samples. Correlations between phonological awareness (PA) and rapid naming (RAN) were low (.38) and loaded on different factors. PA and RAN were moderately correlated with real-word reading (.48 and .46, respectively). Other findings were that (a) real-word reading was correlated best (r values were .60 to .80) with spelling and pseudoword reading, but correlations with RAN, PA, vocabulary, orthography, IQ, and memory measures were in the low-to-moderate range (.37 to .43); and (b) correlations between reading and RAN/PA varied minimally across age groups but were weaker in poor readers than in skilled readers. The results suggested that the importance of RAN and PA measures in accounting for reading performance has been overstated.

COGNITION, METACOGNITION, AND ACHIEVEMENT OF COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES

This study examined the way successful college students with LD compensated for their deficits in phonological processing. Successful was defined as average or above-average grades in college coursework. The study compared the cognitive and metacognitive performance of students with and without LD (N=40). Although achievement levels for both groups were comparable, students with LD scored significantly lower than students without LD in word reading, processing speed, semantic processing, and short-term memory. Differences were also found between groups in self-regulation and number of hours of studying. Results showed that students with LD compensated for their processing deficits by relying on verbal abilities, learning strategies, and help seeking.

First-Grade Students' Motivation and Achievement for Reading, Writing, and Spelling

This study examined factors affecting motivation for reading, writing, and spelling in primary grade students using a new measure, the Early Literacy Motivation Survey (ELMS). First-graders (198) responded to questions measuring attributions, self-efficacy, and perceived competence. The ELMS uses scenarios and short tasks to contextualize the questions for young children. A confirmatory factor analysis validated the motivation constructs investigated. A structural equation model produced a good fit for the data and indicated that literacy attributions in young children mediated between achievement and self-efficacy and perceived competence. Findings showed that first-grade students differentiate among their self-efficacy for reading, writing, and spelling.

Our Zoo To You: The link between zoo animals in the classroom and science and literacy concepts in first-grade journal writing

This study examined first-grade students’ journal writing to determine how placing live zoo animals in classrooms for science education links to students’ emergent and early writing. Students were asked to write journal entries during the daily language arts period. Although no direct instruction in informational text writing was offered, teachers suggested that journal writing about the current science topic or the live animal was a possible topic. We found that students in classrooms with zoo animals from the Our Zoo To You project wrote significantly longer and more coherent texts about zoo animals when compared with students who learned about the animals in more traditional ways. Students in Zoo classrooms included significantly more science concepts and vocabulary in their writing. Unexpectedly, using directive writing prompts enhanced texts in classrooms without zoo animals but actually hindered both the quality and quantity of writing in Zoo classrooms.