Contributions of Strategies, Self-Efficacy, and General and Technical Vocabulary to Science Reading Comprehension Among English Learners

• In Event: Roundtable Session 47
  In Roundtable Session: Exploring Classroom Discourse, Vocabulary, and Academic Language Use in Second Language Learning

Abstract

This non-experimental study explored contributions of general and specialized skills needed for reading comprehension in science among Grade 7 students of varied English proficiency. Sample included 204 regular education students (35 non-ELs, 86 current ELs, 83 former ELs). Results of hierarchical regression models indicated that, regardless of EL status, general vocabulary accounted for little to no additional variance in reading above and beyond science vocabulary. Further, the results from the former EL model showed a marginally significant benefit of memory strategies above and beyond language-specific skills (ΔR2 = .09, p < .01). These findings warrant an instructional focus on technical vocabulary and suggest that learners of different proficiency may draw on different skill sets to support their reading comprehension.

Authors

• Yuliya Ardasheva, Washington State University - Tri-Cities

• Jonah B. Firestone, Arizona State University

• Richard Lamb, Washington State University - Pullman

• Sarah N. Newcomer, Arizona State University