A Structural Equation Model Using Fluency-Based Early Literacy Measures to Predict Emerging Reading Ability in Kindergarten Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • The reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has initiated changes that are affecting early literacy assessment, and it has prompted the growing use of measures that incorporate phonological and alphabetic fluency. However, the question of how phonological and alphabetic fluency can inhibit (or promote) reading acquisition in kindergarten has received sparse attention. This study investigated phonological and alphabetic fluency as a predictor of emerging reading ability in kindergarten. Results indicated that a three-construct structural equation model could be developed. Moreover, an alphabetic construct, as formed from sublexical fluency measures administered at the middle of kindergarten, fully mediated the relationship between phonological fluency and end-of-year emerging reading ability. Implications are discussed in the context of reading acquisition.

published proceedings

  • REMEDIAL AND SPECIAL EDUCATION

author list (cited authors)

  • Burke, M. D., Hagan-Burke, S., Zou, Y., & Kwok, O.

citation count

  • 5

complete list of authors

  • Burke, Mack D||Hagan-Burke, Shanna||Zou, Yuanyuan||Kwok, Oiman

publication date

  • September 2010