Growth, stability and predictors of word reading accuracy in European Portuguese: A longitudinal study from Grade 1 to Grade 4

Abstract

This study investigated the trajectories of word reading performance in European Portuguese from Grade 1 to Grade 4. First, we examined the developmental trajectories of students ’ word reading performance; second, we tested the influence of students ’ demographic characteristics and socioeconomic status on their word reading performance growth, as well as the existence of differences in the trajectories of typical readers and at-risk readers; and third, we analyzed the stability of word reading performance. A word reading test was administered to 269 Portuguese students at the end of each grade. The results suggested a cubic trend in word reading performance growth. Differences in word reading as a function of gender, school social action (SSA) coverage, maternal education and risk of reading failure were identified. A low stability of word reading performance across elementary school grades is also suggested. Implications for research on word reading skills and educational practices are discussed.