Cover not available
Article published In:
Written Language & Literacy
Vol. 20:2 (2017) ► pp.170–193

How executive control predicts early reading development

 | Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University
 | Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University
 | Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University
Attentional and action control are two levels of executive control that are essential to early reading development. Together these levels enable the construction and monitoring of cognitive representations and of efficient task-behavior, which are both necessary to benefit from reading instruction. The longitudinal and unique contributions of this internal and external level of executive control to early reading are still unclear. We therefore examined how these control capacities facilitate reading development from kindergarten to second-grade. Attentional and action control and multiple early reading skills were assessed at all three time points. Structural Equation Modeling showed a mediation effect for attentional control and an indirect effect for action control to subsequent reading skills via the contributions to the precursor of phonological awareness. From these results it can be concluded that both types uniquely allowed for the emergence of kindergarten preliteracy skills, which in turn provided children with a better starting point for reading development in first- and second-grade.
Keywords: executive control, attentional control, action control, early reading development
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Direct contributions of attentional and action control to early reading development
    • 1.2Indirect contributions of attentional and action control to early reading development
    • 1.3The present study
  • 2.Method
    • 2.1Participants
    • 2.2Measures
      • 2.2.1Executive control
        • 2.2.1.1Attentional control
        • 2.2.1.2Action control
        • 2.2.1.3Aggregated executive control measures
      • 2.2.2Phonological awareness
        • 2.2.2.1Aggregated phonological awareness measures
      • 2.2.3Word-decoding
      • 2.2.4Reading comprehension
    • 2.3Procedure
    • 2.4Data analyses
  • 3.Results
    • 3.1Descriptive statistics and intercorrelations
    • 3.2Analyses of the direct and indirect effects of executive control to early reading development
  • 4.Discussion
    • 4.1Direct and indirect contributions of attentional and action control to early reading development
    • 4.2Limitations and future directions
    • 4.3Conclusions
  • References


This article is currently available as a sample article.

Published online: 9 February 2018
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/wll.00003.san
References (68)
References
Adams, M. J. (1990). Beginning to read: thinking and learning about print. Cambridge: MIT Press.Google Scholar
Allan, N. P., Hume, L. E., Allan, D. M., Farrington, A. L., & Lonigan, C. J. (2014). Relations between inhibitory control and the development of academic skills in preschool and kindergarten: A meta-analysis. Developmental Psychology, 501, 2368. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Altemeier, L. E., Abbott, R. D., & Berninger, V. W. (2008). Executive functions for reading and writing in typical literacy development and dyslexia. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 301, 588–606. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Arrington, C. N., Kulesz, P. A., Francis, D. J., Fletcher, J. M., & Barnes, M. A. (2014). The contribution of attentional control and working memory to reading comprehension and decoding. Scientific Studies of Reading, 181, 325–346. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Best, J. R., Miller, P. H., & Naglieri, J. A. (2011). Relations between executive function and academic achievement from ages 5 to 17 in a large, representative national sample. Learning and Individual Differences, 211, 327–336. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Blair, C. & Razza, R. P. (2007). Relating effortful control, executive function, and false belief understanding to emerging math and literacy ability in kindergarten. Child Development, 781, 647–663. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Bradley, L., & Bryant, P. E. (1983). Categorizing sounds and learning to read: A causal connection. Nature, 3011, 419–421. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Bus, A. G. & van IJzendoorn, M. H. (1999). Phonological awareness and early reading: A meta-analysis of experimental training studies. Journal of Educational Psychology, 911, 403–414. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Cartwright, C. B. (2012). Insights from cognitive neuroscience: The importance of executive function for early reading development and education. Early Education and Development, 231, 24–36. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Castles, A. & Coltheart, M. (2004). Is there a causal link from phonological awareness to success in learning? Cognition, 911, 77–111. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Cain, K. (2006). Individual differences in children’s memory and reading comprehension: An investigation of semantic and inhibitory deficits. Memory, 14(5), 553–569. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Christopher, M. E., Miyake, A., Keenan, J. M., Pennington, B., DeFries, J. C., Wadsworth, S. J., et al. (2012). Predicting word reading and comprehension with executive function and speed measures across development: A latent variable analysis. Journal of Experimental Psychology-General, 141(3), 470–488. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Conners, F. A. (2009). Attentional control and the Simple view of reading. Reading and Writing, 221, 591–613. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Dally, K. (2006). The influence of phonological processing and inattentive behavior on reading acquisition. Journal of Educational Psychology, 981, 420–437. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Davidson, M. C., Amso, D., Anderson, L. C., & Diamond, A. (2006). Development of cognitive control and executive functions from 4–13 years: Evidence from manipulations of memory, inhibition, and task switching. Neuropsychologia, 441, 2037–2078. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Diamond, A. (2013). Executive functions. Annual Review of Psychology, 641, 135–168. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Diamond, A., Barnett, W. S., Thomas, J., & Munro, S. (2007). Preschool program improves cognitive control, Science, 3181, 1387–1388. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Diamond, A. & Lee, K. (2011). Interventions shown to aid executive function development in children 4–12 years old. Science, 3331, 959–964. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Dice, J. L. & Schwanenflugel, P. (2012). A structural model of the effects of preschool attention on kindergarten literacy. Reading and Writing, 251, 1–19. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Ehri, L. C. (2005). Learning to read words: Theory, findings, and issues. Scientific Studies of Reading, 91, 167–188. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Feenstra, H., Kleintjes, F., Kamphuis, F., & Krom, R. (2010). Leerling- en onderwijsvolgsysteem. Begrijpend lezen. Groep 3 t/m 6. [Student and Education Monitoring System. Reading Comprehension. Grade 1 to 3]. Arnhem: Cito.Google Scholar
Foy, J. G. & Mann, V. A. (2013). Executive function and early reading skills. Reading and Writing, 261, 453–472. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Garon, N. B., Bryson, S. E., & Smith, I. M. (2008). Executive function in preschoolers: A review using an integrative framework. Psychological Bulletin, 1341, 31–60. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Georgiou, G. K., Parrila, R., & Papadopoulos, T. C. (2008). Predictors of word decoding and reading fluency across languages varying in orthographic consistency. Journal of Educational Psychology, 1001, 566–580. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Goswami, U. (2000). Phonological representations, reading development, and dyslexia: Towards a cross-linguistic theoretical framework. Dyslexia, 61, 133–51. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Hagoort, P. (2013). MUC (memory, unification, control) and beyond. Frontiers in Psychology, 41. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Henderson, L., Snowling, M., & Clarke, P. (2013). Accessing, integrating, and inhibiting word meaning in poor comprehenders. Scientific Studies of Reading, 171, 177–198. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Hirvonen, R., Georgiou, G. K., Lerkkanen, M-J., Aunola, K., & Nurmi, J-E. (2010). Task-focused behaviour and literacy development: A reciprocal relationship. Journal of Research in Reading, 331, 302–319. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kegel, C. A. T., & Bus, A. G. (2014). Evidence for causal relations between executive functions and alphabetic skills based on longitudinal data. Infant and Child Development, 231, 22–35. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kegel, C. A. T., van der Kooy-Hofland, V. A. C., & Bus, A. G. (2009). Improving early phoneme skills with a computer program: Differential effects of regulatory skills. Learning and Individual Differences, 191, 549–554. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kendeou, P., van den Broek, P., White, M. J., & Lynch, J. (2009). Predicting reading comprehension in early elementary school: The independent contributions of oral language and decoding skills. Journal of Educational Psychology, 1011, 765–778. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Krom, R., Jongen, I., Verhelst, N., Kamphuis, F., & Kleintjes, F. (2010). Begrijpend lezen. Groep 3 t/m 6. [Reading Comprehension. Grade 1 to 3]. Arnhem: Cito.Google Scholar
Lepola, J., Niemi, P., Kuikka, M., & Hannula, M. M. (2005). Cognitive-linguistic skills and motivation as longitudinal predictors of reading and arithmetic achievement: A follow-up study from kindergarten to grade 2. International Journal of Educational Research, 431, 250–271. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Lepola, J., Poskiparta, E., Laakkonen, E., & Niemi, P. (2005). Development of and relationship between phonological and motivational processes and naming speed in predicting word recognition in grade 1. Scientific Studies of Reading, 91, 367–399. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
MacKinnon, D. P., Fairchild, A. J., & Fritz, M. S. (2007). Mediation analysis. Annual Review of Psychology, 581, 593–614. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
McClelland, M. M., Acock, A. C., & Morrison, F. J. (2006). The impact of kindergarten learning-related skills on academic trajectories at the end of elementary school. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 211, 471–490. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
McClelland, M., Cameron, C., Connor, C., Farris, C., Jewkes, A., & Morrison, F. (2007). Links between behavioral regulation and preschoolers literacy, vocabulary, and math skills. Developmental Psychology, 431, 947–959. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
McClelland, M. M., Cameron, C. E., Wanless, S. B., & Murray, A. (2007). Executive function, self-control, and social-emotional competence: Links to school readiness. In O. N. Saracho & B. Spodek (Eds.), Contemporary perspectives on research in social learning in early childhood education. Greenwich, CT: Information Age.Google Scholar
Melby-Lervåg, M., Lyster, S -A. H., & Hulme, C. (2012). Phonological skills and their role in learning to read: A meta-analytic review. Psychological bulletin, 1381, 322–352. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Metcalfe, L. A., Harvey, E. A., & Laws, H. B. (2013). The longitudinal relation between academic/cognitive skills and externalizing behavior problems in preschool children. Journal of Educational Psychology, 1051, 881–894. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Simmons, J. P., Nelson, L. D., & Simonsohn, U. (2011). Fals-positive psychology: Undisclosed flexibility in data collection and analysis allows presenting anything as significant. Psychological Science, 221, 1359–1366. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Perfetti, C. A. (1992). The representation problem in reading acquisition. In P. B. Gough, L. C. Ehri, & R. Treiman (Eds.), Reading Acquisition (pp 145–174). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
(2007). Reading ability: Lexical quality to comprehension. Scientific Studies of Reading, 111, 357–383. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2011). Phonology is critical in reading: But a phonological deficit is not the only source of low reading skill. In S. A. Brady, D. Braze, & C. A. Fowler (Eds.), Explaining individual differences in reading (pp. 153–171). New York: Routledge.Google Scholar
Perfetti, C. A., Landi, N., & Oakhill, J. (2005). The acquisition of reading comprehension skill. In M. J. Snowling & C. Hulme (Eds.), The science of reading: A handbook (pp. 227–247). Oxford: Blackwell. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Rabiner, D., Coie, J. D., & The Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group (2000). Early attention problems and children’s reading achievement: A longitudinal investigation. Journal of American Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 391, 859–867. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Ramscar, M. & Gitcho, N. (2007). Developmental change and the nature of learning in childhood. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 11 (7), 274–279. Rueda, M. R., Posner, M. I., & Rothbart, M. K. (2005). The development of executive attention: Contributions to the emergence of self-regulation. Developmental Neuropsychology, 281, 573–594. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Segers, E., Damhuis, C. M. P., Van de Sande, E., & Verhoeven, L. (2016). Role of executive functioning and home environment in early literacy development. Learning and Individual Differences, 491, 251–259. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Sesma, H. W., Mahone, E. M., Levine, T., Eason, S. H., & Cutting, L. E. (2009). The contribution of executive skills to reading comprehension. Child Neuropsychology, 151, 232–246. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Shing, Y., Lindenberger, U., Diamond, A., Li, S-C., & Davidson, M. (2010). Memory maintenance and inhibitory control differentiate from early childhood to adolescence. Developmental Neuropsychology, 351, 679–697. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Spira, E. G., Bracken, S. S., & Fischel, J. E. (2005). Predicting improvement after first-grade reading difficulties: The effects of oral language, emergent literacy, and behavior skills. Developmental Psychology, 411, 225–234. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Stanovich, K. E. (2000). Progress in understanding reading: Scientific foundations and new frontiers. New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Torgesen, J. K. (2000). Individual responses in response to early interventions in reading: The lingering problem of treatment resisters. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 151, 55–64. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Van de Sande, E., Segers, E., & Verhoeven, L. (2013). How phonological awareness mediates the relation between children’s self-control and word decoding. Learning and Individual Differences, 112–118. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2015). The role of executive control in young children’s serious gaming behavior. Computers & Education, 821, 432–441. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2016). Supporting executive functions during children’s preliteracy learning with the computer. Journal of Computer-Assisted Learning, 321, 468–480. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2017). The Role of Executive Functions for Dyadic Literacy Learning in Kindergarten. Early Education and Development, 1–15.Google Scholar
Verhoeven, L. (1995). Drie Minuten Toets en Toets voor Auditieve Synthese en Grafementoets [Three Minutes Test and Test for Blending and Grapheme Knowledge Test]. Arnhem: Cito.Google Scholar
Verhoeven, L. & van Leeuwe, J. (2009). Modeling the growth of word-decoding skills: evidence from Dutch. Scientific Studies of Reading, 131, 205–223. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Verhoeven, L., Van Leeuwe, J., & Vermeer, A. (2011). Vocabulary Growth and Reading Development across the Elementary School Years. Scientific Studies of Reading, 151, 8–25. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Verhoeven, L., Reitsma, P., & Siegel, L. S. (2011). Cognitive and linguistic factors in reading acquisition. Reading and Writing. 241, 387–394. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Vloedgraven, J., Keuning, J., & Verhoeven, L. (2009). Screeningsinstrument Beginnende Geletterdheid [Diagnostic instrument for emerging literacy]. Arnhem: Cito.Google Scholar
Vloedgraven, J. & Verhoeven, L. (2007). Screening of phonological awareness in the early elementary grades: An IRT approach. Annuals of Dyslexia, 571, 33–50. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2009). The nature of phonological awareness throughout the elementary grades: An item response theory perspective. Learning and Individual Differences, 191, 161–169. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
von Suchodoletz, A., Trommsdorf, G., Heikamp, T., Wieber, F., & Gollowitzer, P. M. (2009). Transition to school: The role of kindergarten children’s behavior regulation. Learning and Individual Differences, 191, 561–566. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Walcott, C. M., Scheemaker, A., & Bielski, K. (2010). A longitudinal investigation of inattention and preliteracy development. Journal of Attention Disorders, 141, 79–85. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Wass, S. V., Scerif, G., & Johnson, M. H. (2012). Training attentional control and working memory – Is younger, better?. Developmental Review, 32(4), 360–387. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Willoughby, M. T., Kupersmidt, J. B., & Voegler-Lee, M. E. (2012). Is preschool executive function causally related to academic achievement? Child Neuropsychology, 181, 79–91. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Cited by (4)

Cited by four other publications

Zhang, Haibo, Rui Chen, Jing Lu, Jiali Wang, Yuanyuan Li & Sha Tao
2024. The unique role of nonverbal reasoning in English word decoding among native Chinese-speaking children. Reading and Writing DOI logo
Vadasy, Patricia F. & Elizabeth A. Sanders
2023. Cognitive Flexibility + Phonics Intervention Effects on Reading Gains. Reading Psychology 44:5 ► pp. 514 ff. DOI logo
Vadasy, Patricia F., Elizabeth A. Sanders & Kelly B. Cartwright
2023. Cognitive flexibility in beginning decoding and encoding. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk (JESPAR) 28:4 ► pp. 412 ff. DOI logo
Ober, Teresa M., Patricia J. Brooks, Bruce D. Homer & David Rindskopf
2020. Executive Functions and Decoding in Children and Adolescents: a Meta-analytic Investigation. Educational Psychology Review 32:3 ► pp. 735 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 13 january 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.