A text filled with unfamiliar vocabulary can significantly hinder comprehension and lead to reading difficulties.
Readers can no longer rely on the context. As reading materials become increasingly complex, many pupils struggle and risk falling behind in their academic progress.
Jeanne Chall invented the term ‘fourth-grade slump’. She has been studying pupils' reading development for several years and was particularly interested in the decline in year 4.
In her study with Vicki Jacobs and Luke Baldwin, Chall discovered that limited vocabulary is the primary cause of the fourth-grade reading slump.
Understanding the Fourth-Grade Slump: The Impact of Limited Vocabulary
Chall noticed something peculiar about the pupils’ reading development.
In the early grades, there are few differences between pupils from highly educated and low-educated families.
However, as the school years continue, reading proficiency begins to vary. Teachers told Chall that grade 4 was the tipping point: numerous pupils began to struggle with reading after that.
Why is this the case? Chall suspected that this was due to the transition from the phase of learning to read to the phase of reading to learn.
Key Findings from Chall’s Research on Vocabulary and Reading Development
Chall and her colleagues studied the language and reading development of 30 pupils in primary school and the first year of secondary school. All pupils came from low-income homes.
The results of conventional language and reading exams were compared to those of other pupils, including word recognition and decoding, reading aloud, word meaning, text comprehension, spelling, grammar, and language awareness.
Texts in year 1 and 2 contain vocabulary from spoken language that pupils are familiar with.
The researchers found that pupils in year 1 and 2 did not perform significantly worse in reading than other pupils.
This changes from year 3 onward, when reading becomes a way to gather knowledge. The language grows more complex, with fewer ordinary and abstract words. Spoken language becomes school language.
The first struggle the pupils were found to encounter is to discover word meanings. They had a hard time explaining abstract and uncommon words.
In year 4, pupils fell a year behind the average, which had climbed to two years by the first year of secondary school. As a result, they gradually fell behind.
The next challenge the pupils faced was word recognition and spelling, followed by reading aloud and comprehension of text. Pupils can handle the more difficult text by context for a while, but eventually become unable to do so.
As a result, in year 4 a significant drop in reading skills is seen.
Chall and her colleagues observed that the weakest readers also struggled to read fluently. They read slowly and with a stutter, making it difficult to keep up with the text.
The other pupils in the study relied on the context when they didn’t understand difficult words, which helped them understand the text. However, when the number of unknown words grew, this strategy became insufficient.
Children from low-income families are at higher risk of experiencing a reading slump due to limited language exposure in their home environment.
Due to a lack of reading culture at home, children have restricted vocabulary and less opportunity to increase it.
A five-year follow-up study with the same group of pupils revealed a rising deficit.
Developing a strong vocabulary is vital for preventing reading and learning deficiencies.
Chall’s Six Stages of Reading Development: A Step-by-Step Guide
Chall identified six universal stages of reading that are not language-specific. She believes that each step prepares for the next in a predetermined order.
0. Pseudo-reading, also known as emerging literacy (ages 0–5)
Learning to read:
- 1. Decoding letters (ages 6-7)
- 2. Automation and fluency in reading (ages 7-9)
Reading to Learn:
- 3. Reading for knowledge and inspiration (ages 10-11)
- 4. Abstract reading (ages 12-18)
- 5. Critical reading (starting at age 18)
Why Vocabulary is Crucial: Addressing the Root of the Reading Crisis
Successful schooling requires strong text comprehension skills.
Pupils need to read texts to gain information, as evidenced by the reading decrease in year 4 due to a lack of vocabulary.
Effective education hinges on the ability to read for learning, highlighting the importance of strong vocabulary skills. Failure to make the transition from learning to read can lead to stagnant reading development and performance.
Chall and colleagues provide a solution to the reading issue in year 4 by focussing on vocabulary development. This applies to the other years of primary education as well.
When pupils’ vocabulary scores fall behind their comprehension levels, it's a cause for concern. Brushing up on vocabulary early on can help pupils improve their comprehension and learning skills.
Classroom Strategies to Strengthen Vocabulary and Improve Reading Comprehension
Expanding your vocabulary involves reading a lot and playing with words.
Since this year, a school has implemented a reading approach that uses read-aloud books to improve children's reading skills. T
eachers should read aloud for at least 15 minutes each day and promote a book.
Pupils spend 30 minutes every day reading a book of their choice. They are given reading assignments, such as identifying unfamiliar words, and write these words on the classroom word wall to discuss them during technical reading.
Every week, there is a vocabulary lesson for new words. Teaching vocabulary can be quite boring, so use a variety of formats for teaching.
Examples are memory games, word bingo, using pictures, and Pictionary, where kids draw words on the board.
Pupils with a limited vocabulary are given additional resources. They can look up the definition of a word and seek assistance from a classmate.
You can ask pupils to analyze a word and draw connections, such as what it reminds them of. Pupils who struggle with technical reading should be identified in year 1 and 2.
Pupils who can read around tough words for a long time may struggle more with text comprehension.
Chall and colleagues' research provides methods to help pupils focus by identifying which words they understand and which they don't.
Which pupils consistently perform below average in vocabulary exercises and tests? This indicates that they may struggle with text comprehension in the future or have already had difficulties.
Key Takeaways: Building a Strong Vocabulary for Long-Term Success
- A strong vocabulary is crucial for reading comprehension.
- Limited vocabulary in year 1 and 2 may indicate future difficulties with reading and learning.
- Use difficult words, but always explain them.
Next up in this series: How World Knowledge Can Overcome the Fourth-Grade Slump: Strategies for Better Reading Comprehension
Reference
Chall, J. S., Jacobs, V. A., & Baldwin, L. E. (1990). The reading crisis: why poor children fall behind.