Reading and Writing最新文献

The trend of podcast and audiobook listening is on the rise, thus paving the way for a new, popular learning environment. It is crucial to deliberate on the influence of multiple-text listening comprehension. This research aimed to explore the impact of conceptual network processing on multiple-text comprehension performance from the perspective of long-term working memory (LT-WM). Additionally, it examined the sensitivity of a concept network analysis measure in facilitating the construction of conceptual structures during text listening. To this end, 128 participants were randomly assigned to four different treatment groups. These groups varied in terms of text order (theoretical text followed by applied text or vice versa) and post-listening network drawing tasks. Participants either drew concept maps using key terms specific to each text or irrelevant terms as a control group. After completing both texts, all participants were required to complete a final multi-document network drawing task. Finally, a multiple-choice delayed test was administered three days later. The findings suggest that conceptual networks in LT-WM significantly influence multiple-text comprehension performance. Furthermore, the network drawing task appears to be an effective method for reconstructing knowledge structures in LT-WM, serving as a complementary measure to the MCT in assessing listening comprehension.

Shifting demographics in K-12 schools have increased Spanish-speaking Multi-Language Learners’ (MLLs’) enrollment across the United States. While literacy variations between MLLs and proficient English speakers have been studied predominantly with upper elementary students, there remains a need for more exploration among early elementary Spanish-speaking MLLs in English-dominant settings. Leveraging universal screening data from a Southern U.S. state, students were categorized into literacy profiles based on the simple view of reading (SVR) using end-of-kindergarten listening comprehension and start-of-first-grade decoding measures. We aimed to explore possible differences in the distribution of MLLs and English-proficient students across these literacy profiles. Additionally, we analyzed performance levels in phonemic awareness, letter knowledge, and vocabulary. Our exploration aimed to discern potential differences in these skills between MLLs and proficient English-speaking students and determine if literacy profile membership mediated any observed differences. Analyses showed distinct distributions of MMLs and proficient English speakers across SVR-derived literacy profiles. Also, proficient speakers demonstrated higher proficiency in early literacy skills than MLLs, except in letter knowledge, a main effect that did not interact with literacy profile membership. Our findings underscore the importance of enriching MLLs’ language experiences and prioritizing vocabulary-building activities. Furthermore, they catalyze discussions on accommodating diverse MLL profiles, ensuring equitable educational access, and addressing the comprehensive language learning needs of MLLs in both oral and written language.

Typical print formatting provides no information regarding the linguistic features of a text, although texts vary considerably with respect to grammatical complexity and readability. Complex texts may be particularly challenging for individuals with weak language knowledge, such as English language learners. This paper investigates the usefulness of a text format referred to as Linguistically-Driven Text Formatting (LDTF), which provides visual cues to grammatical structure for in-the-moment language support during reading. We assessed reading comprehension in adult English Language Learners after a two-session exposure to the new format (also called Cascade Format). Participants’ primary languages were Mandarin and Korean, which have substantially different syntactic structures from English. Ninety participants (30 L1 English, 30 L1 Mandarin, 30 L1 Korean) were randomly assigned to either the traditional or the LDTF format and read six English passages across two sessions within the same week. Comprehension was assessed via questions that probe sentence comprehension and global text properties. Participants also completed a TOEFL assessment, presented in either LDTF or traditional format. Bayesian analyses showed that the Cascade Format improved sentence comprehension relative to control participants for all language groups and experience levels. Effects on the TOEFL assessment, which taps inferencing and meta-linguistic skills, were not observed. Syntactic knowledge plays a fundamental role in reading comprehension, and LDTF appears to support comprehension by providing visual cues to this knowledge that can be used at the very moment of meaning construction.

Preschool teachers’ literacy-related beliefs and literacy knowledge relate to their educational practices and preschoolers’ literacy skills. In this light, we explored how preschool teachers’ beliefs regarding early literacy and its promotion predict their knowledge, reflected in how they evaluate three young children’s writing products and their recommendations for ways to promote these children’s writing, taking into consideration teacher and classroom variables (teacher training, preschool age group, and preschool SES). Participants were 110 teachers of preschoolers (aged 4–6). The teachers completed a literacy beliefs questionnaire. They were then presented with three products written by anonymous 5.5-year-old preschoolers, representing three writing levels: initial, intermediate, and advanced, and asked what each child knows about writing and recommendations for how they can be promoted. Responses were coded for the following aspects: letters, phonology, orthography, the writing system, and composing. Results showed that preschool teachers believe children’s early literacy and its promotion are important, and that these beliefs predicted some of their evaluations and recommendations. In the evaluations, the teachers did not relate at all to composing. They related primarily to letters and phonology, both in their assessments of the children’s knowledge and their recommendations for promoting the children’s writing. At more advanced writing levels, they also related to Hebrew orthography and the writing system, and made recommendations regarding these aspects. The study suggests that preschool teachers should be encouraged to incorporate composing and more complex aspects of writing into their writing activities and instruction.

In the last decade, researchers have focused more on how to provide instructional supports for mathematics writing (Powell et al., 2017). In this synthesis, we examined 22 studies about mathematics writing to determine the overall mathematics-writing and mathematics outcomes of mathematics-writing instruction, the mathematics-writing and mathematics outcomes based on study and instructional features, the methods used within mathematics-writing instruction, and the methods used within studies involving students with mathematics difficulty (MD). We conducted a comprehensive review of peer-reviewed studies, published since 2000, focused on instruction in mathematics writing in Kindergarten through Grade 12. We included studies with and without students with MD. Results demonstrated positive student outcomes for mathematics-writing instruction. Furthermore, instructional methods for mathematics writing frequently aligned with practices used for mathematics instruction and writing instruction. Although we identified positive outcomes related to mathematics-writing instruction, and we would recommend for practitioners to provide instruction in mathematics writing, results should be interpreted with caution. Additional high-quality research on mathematics-writing instruction is needed to verify and extend on the results from this synthesis.

Digital tools are an integral part of most writing communities across the globe, enhancing the criticality of gaining a comprehensive understanding of both paper and computer-based writing acquisition and development. The relationships between transcription skills and children’s paper-based writing performance are well documented. Less is known about the relationships between transcription skills and children’s computer-based writing performance. In this study, we examined the unique contributions of transcription skills (i.e., handwriting automaticity, keyboarding automaticity and spelling) in predicting Grade 2 students (N = 544) paper-based and computer-based writing performance (i.e., compositional quality and productivity) after controlling for other student-level factors (i.e., gender, word reading, reading comprehension, and attitudes towards writing) and classroom-level factors (i.e., amount of time teaching handwriting, keyboarding, and spelling). Multilevel modelling showed that, compared to handwriting automaticity, spelling skills accounted for a larger percentage of unique variance in predicting paper-based compositional quality; handwriting automaticity accounted for a larger percentage of unique variance in explaining paper-based compositional productivity. Findings further showed that keyboarding automaticity accounted for a larger percentage of unique variance in students’ computer-based compositional quality and productivity when compared to spelling. Gender and word reading skills were also found to be uniquely related to students’ writing performance across modalities. These findings underscore the need for educators to address and nurture the automaticity of inscription and spelling skills to enhance students' compositional quality and productivity, whether in traditional paperbased or computer-based text composing.