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The use of texts is an indispensable resource for students' learning, especially in science domains. While developing understanding of a specific topic usually is the main goal of reading expository texts, an important consideration is how to best measure whether this understanding has been reached. In this study, we aimed to analyze gains in students' reading comprehension based on reading three expository texts on chemistry and physics topics. By means of a pre-post design, we assessed the reading comprehension of 261 eighth grade students with regard to three levels of reading comprehension. Latent change scores were estimated to analyze changes in students' total test scores, while also calculating difference scores based on the single items. Results indicate that students' topic-related comprehension increases from pre- to posttest, while gains seem to be limited to word and sentence level questions. In line with other studies, these findings stress that students would benefit from explicit strategy instruction, at least when learning from reading is the goal of using science texts in classrooms.

Reading comprehension is an essential skill for learning in general and in science classes. Problems with reading comprehension might hinder students' participation in learning science. Text in science includes specific language features that distinguishes it from narrative text, so should reading instruction be part of teaching science? The direct and inferential mediation (DIME) model of reading comprehension subsumes factors that influence reading comprehension. It was tested separately regarding narrative text as well as expository text in English; however, both have not been tested by directly comparing them to each other. In this study, we investigated to what degree general reading comprehension of narrative text is directly comparable to topic-specific reading comprehension of science text. Hence, first the applicability of the DIME model of reading comprehension in another language (i.e. German) was tested. Second, a general reading comprehension model was directly compared to a topic-specific model for reading comprehension of science text. Participants across the two studies were 704 German Grade 8 students who completed measures of comprehension and the DIME predictor variables. Results of two path analyses indicate the general applicability of the model for another language and additionally for both genres. However, some differences are highlighted that may be of importance in future science-specific studies as well as for teaching science.

Previous research illustrated that reading comprehension and science performance correlate highly. Because students with specific learning disorders with impairments in reading (SLD-IR) show deficits in reading comprehension, they may struggle to perform in science. As language in science is characterized by linguistic complexity, the question arises whether students with SLD-IR can be supported by reducing linguistic complexity. The aim of this preregistered study was to investigate whether students with SLD-IR benefit more from linguistic simplification in science than their peers without SLD-IR. The sample consisted of 70 students (age, M = 12.67; 50% female) with n = 35 having SLD-IR. Applying a multilevel logistic regression model, we found neither a main effect of linguistic simplification nor an interaction effect (differential boost) on science performance. However, students with SLD-IR performed significantly lower in science. Implications include further investigation on how to support students with SLD-IR in their science performance.

Science performance is highly affected by students' reading comprehension. Recently, there has been a growing attention to the role of linguistic features for science performance, but findings are ambivalent, especially when looking into item word count. The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction of students' reading comprehension and item word count of given science measures on performance, controlling for students' cognitive abilities, gender, family language, and school track. The sample consisted of N = 2051 German students in grades 10 and 11. Students completed (scientific) literacy measures. We then applied a multilevel logistic regression to investigate the hypothesized interaction effect of reading comprehension and word count on students' science performance. The results showed a significant interaction of students' reading comprehension and word count on science performance, controlling for several covariates. Particularly students with high reading comprehension benefit from science items with increasing word count. Our findings empirically support previous research, showing that reading comprehension is crucial for science performance and enhances the interaction between reading comprehension and linguistic features of written text in science subjects. Finally, theoretical and practical implications and limitations of this study are discussed.

Although it is widely known that reading plays a significant role in mathematics performance, it remains unclear how specific reading component skills and item characteristics are associated with adults' mathematics performance. The aim of this study was to investigate reading component skills (printed vocabulary, sentence processing, passage comprehension), characteristics of mathematics items (picture/table, complex verb forms, number of prepositions, lexical density), and the possible interaction effects thereof on mathematics performance. The sample consisted of 368 German adults (age: M = 50.45; 59% female). Our results showed main effects on performance from adults' reading component skills and item characteristics. Furthermore, interaction effects between passage comprehension and two item characteristics on mathematics performance emerge. Implications include enhancing adults' reading component skills.

The 2I/E model is an extension of Marsh's (1986) classical internal/external frame of reference (I/E) model. Whereas the classical I/E model describes the formation of academic self-concept by the joint operation of social (external) and dimensional (internal) comparisons, the 2I/E model integrates temporal comparisons as an additional internal comparison process. In the 2I/E model, paths from achievement levels to self-concepts in the same subject are assumed to represent social comparisons, paths from achievement levels to self-concepts in another subject are assumed to represent dimensional comparisons, and paths from achievement changes to self-concepts in the same subject are assumed to represent temporal comparisons. The present research validated the 2I/E model in six empirical studies with a total of more than 20,000 students. Generally, there were strong positive social comparison paths, moderate negative dimensional comparison paths, and small positive temporal comparison paths. Furthermore, the relations of the 2I/E model were replicated with both grades and standardized test scores as achievement indicators (Study 1 and Study 2). Dimensional comparison effects were stronger between dissimilar subjects, like math and German, than between similar subjects, like German and English (Study 2 and Study 3). Also, the relations of the 2I/E model were shown when prior self-concepts were controlled for (Study 4). Overall, the 2I/E model seems to have the potential to enrich future theory and research on self-concept formation and comparison processes.

Background: Connectives, such as "because" or "although," explicitly indicate how to semantically link individual segments of a text. Knowledge of connectives has been shown to significantly contribute to variance explanation in comprehension of English and Dutch texts, particularly amongst monolingual students and students with high metacognitive knowledge. The present study assessed the applicability of these findings to German narrative texts. Methods: Structural equation modelling was performed on a study of 456 ninth graders. Tasks mainly consisted of standardised tests. Results: Controlling for general vocabulary knowledge, reading fluency and knowledge of reading strategies, knowledge of connectives significantly and positively related to text comprehension for monolingual students, whereas there was no significant effect for bilinguals. Knowledge of connectives did not interact with knowledge of reading strategies. Conclusions: It may be beneficial to teach deep knowledge of connectives, in combination with further language knowledge essential to understand individual elements of a text, for example, vocabulary.

Background: Assigning students to different school tracks on the basis of their achievement levels is a widely used strategy that aims at giving students the best possible learning opportunity. There is, however, a growing body of literature that questions such positive effects of tracking. Aims: This study compared the developmental trajectories of reading comprehension and decoding speed between students at academic track schools that typically prepare students for university entrance and students at non-academic track schools that usually prepare students for vocational education. Sample: In a longitudinal design with three occasions of data collection, the authors drew on a sample of N= 1,508 5th graders (age at T1 about 11 years, age at T3 about 14 years) from 60 schools in Germany. The academic track sample comprised n= 568 students; the non-academic track sample comprised n= 940 students. Method: Achievement measures were obtained by standardized tests of reading comprehension and decoding speed. Students at the different tracks were closely matched using propensity scores. To compare students' growth trajectories between the different school tracks, we applied multi-group latent growth curve models. Results: Comparable results were recorded for the complete (unmatched) sample and for the matched pairs. In all cases, students at the different tracks displayed a similar growth in reading comprehension, whereas larger growth rates for students at academic track schools were recorded for decoding speed. Conclusions: Our findings contribute to an increasing body of literature suggesting that tracking might have undesired side effects. (Contains 3 footnotes, 5 tables, and 2 figures.)

Prior research has examined the impact of different cognitive predictors on students' expository and narrative text comprehension. It has become apparent that some cognitive variables predict text comprehension in both genres, while some are genre-specific predictors. However, the effect of reading motivation on expository and narrative text comprehension remains unclear. Thus, the aim was to investigate which reading-related cognitive and motivational characteristics predict universal versus genre-specific text comprehension. The sample consisted of 261 eighth graders (age: M = 14.96; 37.9% girls). Applying path modeling, the results showed that students' vocabulary was a significant predictor of text comprehension in both genres. Furthermore, reading strategy knowledge predicted text comprehension of a narrative and an expository text. Reading for interest predicted text comprehension in two of three expository texts. Identifying these universal and genre-specific characteristics of text comprehension can enable teachers to foster students' text comprehension by targeting these specific skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Reading self-concept and values co-developed in interindividually different ways. • Reading self-concept was more stable over time than values. • There was a tendency for changes in value to reduce incongruence with self-concept. • Gender, SES and their interaction influenced trajectory class followed. • Trajectory class membership was related to reading competence in grades 5 and 9. In this study we examined interindividual differences in intraindividual development of reading self-concept, intrinsic value, and importance value between grade 5 and grade 9 from a situated expectancy-value theory perspective. Growth mixture modelling with data from 1507 (49% girls) secondary school students from Germany indicated four developmental trajectories. We labelled these trajectories: Increasing Values (n = 83, 6%); Declining Importance Value (n = 251, 17%); Declining Values (n = 444, 29%); and Declining Self-Concept and Values (n = 729, 48%). The likelihood of following the Increasing Values or the Declining Values trajectory was lower for girls than boys. Furthermore, students following the Declining Self-Concept and Values trajectory had higher SES than students following the other three trajectories. Students following the Declining Self-Concept and Values trajectory had the highest reading comprehension in grade 5, although this advantage declined by grade 9. Our findings suggest that students may benefit from interventions that support intrinsic value, particularly at the start of secondary school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing body of research on the role of linguistic features (LF) in comprehension and performance in science and math. Of particular interest is which LF facilitate or hinder comprehension. In this systematic review, we provide an overview of findings on LF at the word, sentence and text levels, on comprehension and performance in science and math. Our literature search revealed n = 40 articles included in this review. Overall, the role of LF in comprehension and performance in science and math is complex, with findings varying across the different LF. For each LF, we discuss the findings and uncover remaining questions. In the general discussion, we uncover strengths and weaknesses of previous research and discuss open questions before making eight recommendations and identifying tasks for future research aiming to understand the complex nature of LF. • Language can impede comprehension and performance in science and math. • The role of linguistic features in both domains is complex. • We discuss strengths and weaknesses of previous research. • Proposing nine recommendations and tasks for future research on linguistic features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This research aimed to identify reciprocal effects between reading comprehension and spelling in a shallow language in lower secondary school students. We drew on two samples from a German longitudinal study comprising N =1227 and N =994 students who were repeatedly tested at the beginning of grade 5 and grade 7. In both samples, we found reciprocal effects between reading comprehension and spelling with a greater effect from reading comprehension to spelling than vice versa. The results of our study not only add to our knowledge about the importance of proficient reading comprehension for spelling but also to the growing body of literature showing the importance of spelling knowledge for reading for understanding. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]