Linguistic and cognitive predictors of listening comprehension among early elementary students (Stage 3, 4:47 PM)

• In Event: e-Lightning Ed-Talk Session 9 - Stage 3

Abstract

Previous studies highlight the roles of vocabulary knowledge, working memory, and inference making in children’s text comprehension. This study examined the unique and joint contributions of these skills to listening comprehension in 136 early elementary students from public and charter schools in North Florida. Results showed vocabulary depth and working memory significantly predicted listening comprehension, while vocabulary breadth and inference making did not. Vocabulary breadth, however, significantly predicted inference making. Inference making did not mediate the association between vocabulary knowledge and listening comprehension. These findings underscore the importance of vocabulary knowledge and working memory in early comprehension and suggest inference making may become a stronger predictor or mediator as children’s skills develop and they encounter more complex texts in later grades.

Authors

• Youngmin Oh, Florida State University

• Yiting Yao, Florida State University

• Beth M. Phillips, Florida State University