The development of vocabulary and reading comprehension among Icelandic second language learners: PhD thesis

The strong relation between vocabulary and reading comprehension haslong been recognized. As bilingual children tend to develop less vocabularyin each language compared to monolinguals in their only language, theyfrequently demonstrate a continuous deficiency in reading comprehensionand academic achievement. Two prior studies with Icelandic secondlanguage compulsory school learners (Ice2) suggest that they make limitedprogress in the acquisition of Icelandic vocabulary across grades. However,only one of these studies was longitudinal and neither explored howvocabulary contributed to their reading comprehension and its development.The majority of vocabulary studies with second language learners in othercountries have included very young children or have spanned a relativelyshort period of time. The few studies that have extended over a longerperiod of time are mainly based on comparisons of achievement levelsacross grades, and therefore do not take an advantage of the opportunityoffered by longitudinal data.The main purpose of this study was to explore the shape and the rate ofvocabulary and reading comprehension growth among Ice2 learners fromgrade four to grade eight, and to detect the relation between these two skills.We also aimed to examine the extent to which linguistic and contextualfactors might influence their emergence, and drive change in these skills.Finally, we sought to study the students’ proficiency in expressing theirideas in print in support of their arguments, and if this was related with theirword skills.Two age groups of Icelandic second language learners were tested onvocabulary (PPVT, Orðskilningur, and Orðalykill) and readingcomprehension measurements (NARA and LesskilningsprófNámsmatsstofnunar) at three time points over a period of three years: theyounger group (49 children) in grades four, five, and six, and the oldergroup (41 children) in grades six, seven, and eight. Additionally, ameasurement of reading fluency was administered at Testing 1, to fourthand sixth graders, and a writing test at Testing 3, to sixth and eighth graders.A comparison group of age peers with Icelandic as their first language