Correlational patterns of cognitive and achievement variables by literacy ability group in first and second grade students

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the nature of the relationships of several cognitive constructs with decoding, spelling and reading fluency in young students of different skill levels. Students in first and second grade were assessed in the areas of phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming (RAN), visual processing speed, memory and semantic knowledge as well as decoding, spelling, and reading fluency. Students were assigned to three ability groups (low, average, or high) based on a cluster score composed of the three achievement variables. Correlations among all the variables were performed for the total and each subgroup. It was hypothesized that there would be significant differences in the correlational patterns between at least one of the ability groups and the total group. It was also hypothesized that there would be a different pattern of correlations between the ability subgroups. The third hypothesis was that a comparative review of the correlational patterns by group would provide insight into the nature of the developing literacy skills. In each case, the null was rejected. Significant findings indicated there were many more correlations in the low group than in the high group, indicating these constructs are necessary, but not sufficient, for acquiring literacy. The only correlation that was significant for the high group, but not the low group, was a measure of semantic knowledge, indicating vocabulary skills are related to students becoming early good readers. Other findings of interest include an inverse relation in the average group between spelling and two, but not three, of the timed constructs. Implications for research and practice are discussed.