As a practitioner providing online therapy services to schools, staying informed about the latest research is crucial for improving your skills and the outcomes for your students. The research article "Predicting Reading Abilities from Oral Language Skills: A Critical Review of the Literature" by Elizabeth Ekins and Phyllis Schneider offers valuable insights that can help you better support students at risk for reading difficulties.
One of the key takeaways from this research is the importance of early identification. Traditionally, reading problems are identified after instruction has begun, but the study highlights that oral language skills can be predictive of later reading abilities. This means that by assessing oral language skills early, you can intervene sooner and potentially prevent reading difficulties.
Key Predictors of Reading Abilities
The research identifies several oral language measures that can predict reading abilities:
- Phonological Awareness: Tasks like syllable and phoneme deletion and blending are strong predictors of both lower-level reading (decoding) and higher-level reading (comprehension).
- Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN): Measures such as naming letters, numbers, objects, and colors quickly can predict lower-level reading skills and reader-group membership.
- Expressive Language: Standardized measures of expressive language, including narrative production and vocabulary tests, can predict reading comprehension in early grades.
- Receptive Language: Measures like the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) and the Test for Reception of Grammar (TROG) are useful for predicting reading comprehension.
Practical Applications
Implementing these findings in your practice can be straightforward and highly effective:
- Early Assessments: Incorporate phonological awareness and RAN tasks into your early assessments to identify children at risk for reading difficulties.
- Targeted Interventions: Use the results of these assessments to tailor your interventions, focusing on strengthening the specific oral language skills that predict reading success.
- Collaboration with Educators: Share your findings with teachers and parents to create a comprehensive support system for the child, ensuring that interventions are reinforced both in the classroom and at home.
By staying informed and applying these research findings, you can make a significant difference in the reading abilities of the children you work with. For more detailed information, consider reading the original research paper: Predicting Reading Abilities from Oral Language Skills: A Critical Review of the Literature.
