Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5559/di.20.1.10
Reading Skill in Early Adolescence: Student Profiles
Barbara Rončević Zubković
orcid.org/0000-0002-0276-8326
; Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Rijeka
Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore whether homogenous
profiles of students could be differentiated based on their
comprehension level, reading speed, vocabulary, short-term and
working memory spans, and use of reading strategies. One
hundred eighty six seventh-graders participated in the study (98 boys and 88 girls). Comprehension was assessed for three short
texts, and reading speed for one of these. Students also completed
vocabulary test, strategic reading questionnaire and short-
-term and working memory tasks. The ability to detect focus
words in the sentences and inappropriate sentences in the text
was also tested. Cluster analysis yielded four distinct student
profiles. The first cluster consists of poor readers who score below
the average in all the tasks. The fourth cluster consists of good
readers who score above the average in all the tasks, except for
average reading speed. The second and the third cluster consist
of students of average comprehension, reading speed, vocabulary
and efficiency in detecting focus words and inappropriate
sentences. The students from the second cluster have significantly
smaller short-term and working memory spans than students
from the third cluster, but they report more frequent use of
reading strategies. These results are in line with theories emphasizing
the importance of compensatory strategies in overcoming
working memory limitations (Walczyk et al., 2001; 2007).
Keywords
reading; comprehension; strategies; working memory
Hrčak ID:
65358
URI
Publication date:
17.3.2011.
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