The Common Core State Standards emphasize the need for U.S. students to read complex texts. As a result, the level of word complexity for primary-level texts is important, particularly the dimensions of and changes in complexity between first grade and the important third-grade high-stakes testing year. In this study, we addressed word complexity…

Research has widely demonstrated the contribution of word reading, listening comprehension skills, and oral reading fluency to reading comprehension performance. However, the existence of reciprocal relations among these skills has been investigated less frequently. The authors examined the directionality of the relations among reading…

Examines the contribution of orthographic processing skills to individual differences on five types of reading measures for third grade children. Finds that orthographic skills contributed significantly to each type of reading. Finds that significant variation still remains after print exposure is partialed out of the regression. (RS)

Conditions were examined in which second and third graders used context to identify words. The data indicated that good readers were predominantly text-driven, while poor readers used more context clues. (MKM)

Investigates whether it is worthwhile to spend time teaching children in the intermediate grades to derive the meaning of words through morphological analysis. Proposes a stage model of morphological analysis which supports morphological teaching at grade four and above. (RS)

Reports that although the traditional domain of developmental lag models has been dyslexia, this type of model is actually more helpful as an aid to understanding the normal achievement variations found among nondyslexic children. (FL)

Examines the word-reading strategies of a sample of second- and third-grade students in normal classrooms, focusing on the students' relative reliance on decoding versus sight-word associations. Suggests that lack of efficient decoding skills will begin to take a toll on reading comprehension by grade 3. (SR)