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Predicting Foreign Language Reading Achievement in Elementary School Students

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Abstract

This study examined whether factors affecting first language reading acquisition also affect English Foreign Language (EFL) reading acquisition. Hebrew (L1) and EFL reading related measures were administrated to 145 fourth graders from the north of Israel who were beginning their first year of English instruction. Results from a Linear Structural Equational Analysis (LISREL) showed that the Hebrew independent variable consisting of morphological and phonological awareness, orthographic ability, and word reading (accuracy and speed) predicted EFL knowledge of letter sounds and names, word attack and reading comprehension. In addition to the Hebrew independent variable, English word recognition (accuracy and speed) predicted English reading comprehension. These results support the Linguistic Coding Differences Hypothesis (LCDH), which argues for core linguistic abilities that influence first and subsequent language reading acquisition.

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Abbreviations

EFL:

English as a Foreign Language

L1:

first language

LCDH:

Linguistic Coding Differences Hypothesis

L2:

second language

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Haifa, Haifa, Manof 46, D. N. Misgav, 20184, Israel

    Janina Kahn-Horwitz

  2. University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel

    Joseph Shimron

  3. College of Mt. St. Joseph, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

    Richard L. Sparks

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  1. Janina Kahn-Horwitz
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  2. Joseph Shimron
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  3. Richard L. Sparks
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Correspondence to Janina Kahn-Horwitz.

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Kahn-Horwitz, J., Shimron, J. & Sparks, R.L. Predicting Foreign Language Reading Achievement in Elementary School Students. Read Writ 18, 527–558 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-005-3179-x

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