Innovation in Language Learning

Literacy and learning to read is foundational with reading fluency and comprehension to be essential skills. Reading fluency is considered a prerequisite for reading comprehension acting as a “bridge’ between decoding and comprehension (De Jong & Van der Leij 2002).  Research has indicated reading fluency to be the most reliable measure to discriminate typical children and adolescents from readers with reading disorders (Protopapas & Skaloumbakas, 2008). Further, poor PSTM is associated with poor reading skills in the first language (Talli, et al., 2016) and foreign language Kotsoni (2021) in dyslexic children. This study examined the association between PSTM and reading fluency in 72 children (49 typically developing and 23 dyslexic) aged 10-13 in inclusive classrooms. The research questions formulated were if PSTM, as assessed in a NWR task, a) correlated and b) predicted first language reading fluency in both typically developing and dyslexic children and c) to examine whether PSTM differed significantly between the two groups. Pearson correlations, univariate regression analysis, and independent-samples T-tests were conducted. Results indicated that PSTM was significantly associated and predicted reading fluency in the first language and that PSTM differed significantly between typically developing and dyslexic children. The importance of PSTM is indicated regarding reading fluency in both typical and non-typical young readers with implications for research and practice.

De Jong, P. F., & van der Leij, A. (2002). Effects of phonological abilities and linguistic comprehension on the development of reading. Scientific Studies of Reading, 6(1), 51–77.

Kotsoni, P. A. (2021, August 15–20). Learning disabilities, learning style, and phonological short-term memory: Predictive factors for foreign language vocabulary learning in inclusive classrooms. 19th AILA World Congress, virtual conference hosted from Groningen, the Netherlands.

Protopapas, A., & Skaloumbakas, C. (2007). Traditional and computer-based screening and diagnosis of reading disabilities in Greek. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 40(1), 15–36

Talli, I., Sprenger-Charolles, L., & Stavrakaki, S. (2016). Specific language impairment and developmental dyslexia: What are the boundaries? Data from Greek children. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 49–50, 339–353.

KEYWORDS: dyslexia, phonological short-term memory, Greek, reading fluency, young learners