Researchers have developed different models of reading competence in first, second and foreign language. However, thus far, no such model has been developed in Slovenia for English as a foreign language reading competence. The most useful approach to build the model is the component analysis. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the latent structure of reading competence in English as a foreign language. Further, the study investigated the effects of the identified factors in the latent structure on reading comprehension in English and the differences in these effects among skilled and less-skilled readers. Finally, the study sought to build a model of reading activities for less-skilled readers that can be implemented in the English as a foreign language instruction.
Reading competence in English as a foreign language was examined in a group of 690 native Slovene seventh graders attending one of the 22 primary schools in the school year 2011/2012. According to the results on the Test of reading fluency and comprehension, 209 less-skilled and 271 skilled readers were chosen for the final analysis. They were measured on a series of tests and a questionnaire, covering different aspects of the reading competence in English as a foreign language.
An exploratory factor analysis revealed a multifactorial model with the following factors: reading comprehension, decoding, verbal fluency, listening comprehension and vocabulary, visual perception. A series of structural equation modelling analyses was conducted to examine whether decoding, verbal fluency, listening comprehension and vocabulary, visual perception were directly related to reading comprehension. Results indicated that decoding was the most important and the strongest predictor of reading comprehension. Verbal fluency and visual perception had an indirect effect on reading comprehension through an intermediary factor, i.e. decoding. Listening comprehension and vocabulary was not directly related to reading comprehension. However, in line with previous research it is expected that this factor would gain its direct effect on reading comprehension at increasing grade levels. Further, we examined the magnitude of relationship between decoding, verbal fluency, listening comprehension and vocabulary, visual perception and reading comprehension among skilled and less-skilled readers. Results showed that decoding was more strongly related to reading comprehension for skilled than for less-skilled readers.
According to the results we can build a model of reading activities for less-skilled readers that can be implemented in the English as a foreign language instruction.
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