The Effects of Character Recognition and Vocabulary Knowledge on Reading Comprehension in Early Elementary School Children: The Mediating Role of Reading Fluency

Wen Xintao; Xie Ruibo; Yu Yanling; Xia Yue; Wu Xinchun

doi:10.16719/j.cnki.1671-6981.20240409

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Journal of Psychological Science ›› 2024, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (4) : 838-847. DOI: 10.16719/j.cnki.1671-6981.20240409

The Effects of Character Recognition and Vocabulary Knowledge on Reading Comprehension in Early Elementary School Children: The Mediating Role of Reading Fluency

Wen Xintao¹, Xie Ruibo¹, Yu Yanling¹, Xia Yue¹, Wu Xinchun^2,3

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Abstract

Reading is a crucial activity to acquire knowledge. A key aspect of reading comprehension, the ultimate goal of reading, is required for various cognitive skills in children. Among these skills, character recognition and vocabulary knowledge are considered crucial foundations for reading comprehension in the early elementary grades. Character recognition involves obtaining pronunciation and meaning based on the shape of the character, while vocabulary knowledge encompasses vocabulary breadth and depth. Vocabulary breadth emphasizes the quantity of vocabulary mastered, while vocabulary depth emphasizes the quality.
According to the simple reading view, enhanced character recognition and vocabulary breadth skills can improve decoding ability, while enhanced vocabulary depth can lead to improved verbal comprehension. As children gain in fundamental word skills, their reading fluency gradually improves. Reading fluency can be divided into two categories: word reading fluency and sentence silent reading fluency. Word reading fluency demands children to read aloud, and beginner readers can engage in self-monitoring during this process to strengthen the connection between pronunciation and word form. Sentence silent reading fluency can more accurately reflect children's reading process. Examining the roles of the two in Chinese character recognition, vocabulary knowledge, and reading comprehension can help beginner readers smoothly transition through the beginner stage and improve children's reading process in real-life situations.
Despite the importance of character recognition, vocabulary knowledge, reading comprehension, and reading fluency, existing studies have not fully explored their integrated relations. Therefore, this study aims to systematically examine the role of character recognition, vocabulary breadth, and vocabulary depth in reading comprehension, as well as the mediating role of different levels of reading fluency in children in the early elementary grades.
The study followed 149 first-grade children in elementary school over a one-year period, measuring their character recognition and vocabulary knowledge in the fall semester of Grade 1 (T1), word reading fluency and sentence silent reading fluency in the spring semester of Grade 1 (T2), and reading comprehension in the fall semester of Grade 2 (T3). Control variables such as sex, rapid naming, orthographic awareness, and nonverbal intelligence were also measured at T1. Spearman correlation analysis was used to determine the correlations between the variables. Additionally, a longitudinal mediation model was established to investigate the predictive effect of character recognition and vocabulary knowledge on reading comprehension, as well as the mediating role of word reading fluency and sentence silent reading fluency.
The results revealed several key findings. Firstly, vocabulary depth in first-grade children directly predicted reading comprehension. Secondly, word reading fluency and sentence silent reading fluency mediated the relation between character recognition and reading comprehension. Lastly, sentence silent reading fluency mediated the relation between vocabulary breadth and reading comprehension. These findings suggest that character recognition indirectly influences reading comprehension through reading fluency, and that vocabulary knowledge not only directly predicts reading comprehension but also indirectly affects it through sentence silent reading fluency.
The results shed light on the different mechanisms involved in character recognition, vocabulary breadth, and depth of reading comprehension in children in the early elementary grades. While literacy is essential for reading, vocabulary knowledge is also crucial for successful reading and understanding meaning. This study found that the development of character recognition and vocabulary breadth can effectively enhance reading ability, improving both reading speed and basic meaning comprehension, which in turn influences later reading comprehension performance. Moreover, vocabulary depth directly influences the long-term development of reading comprehension. Therefore, all three aspects are important to children's reading skill development, even in early elementary school. It is essential for the teaching process to emphasize both character recognition and vocabulary knowledge, actively exposing students to new words and providing comprehensive explanations of vocabulary meanings. This approach is crucial for the overall long-term development of children's reading skills.

Key words

character recognition / vocabulary breadth / vocabulary depth / reading fluency / reading comprehension

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Wen Xintao, Xie Ruibo, Yu Yanling, Xia Yue, Wu Xinchun. The Effects of Character Recognition and Vocabulary Knowledge on Reading Comprehension in Early Elementary School Children: The Mediating Role of Reading Fluency[J]. Journal of Psychological Science. 2024, 47(4): 838-847 https://doi.org/10.16719/j.cnki.1671-6981.20240409

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