Tracking vocabulary and reading growth in children from lower and higher socioeconomic backgrounds during the transition from primary to secondary education |
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| Authors: | Sanne W van der Kleij Adrian P Burgess Jessie Ricketts Laura R Shapiro |
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| Institution: | 1. School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK;2. School of Psychology, College of Health and Life Sciences, and Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment, Aston University, Birmingham, UK;3. Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, UK |
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| Abstract: | We examined the relation between socioeconomic status (SES), vocabulary, and reading in middle childhood, during the transition from primary (elementary) to secondary (high) school. Children (N = 279, 163 girls) completed assessments of everyday and curriculum-related vocabulary, (non)word reading, and reading comprehension at five timepoints from age 10 to 13. Piecewise linear mixed-effects models showed significant growth in everyday vocabulary and word reading between every time point. Curriculum vocabulary and reading comprehension showed significant growth during the school year, but not during the summer holidays. There were significant effects of SES on all measures except word reading; yet, SES differences did not widen over time. Our findings motivate targeted reading and vocabulary support for secondary school students from lower SES backgrounds. |
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