Working Memory and Reading

The Journal of Early Childhood Research published research on executive function skills and reading comprehension. The researchers wanted to explore how children’s executive function predicted their reading comprehension performance. The results indicated that working memory and reading skills were associated along with other executive functioning skills.

Executive function skills include planning, organization, working memory, initiation, task monitoring, self-monitoring, inhibition, emotional control, and shifting/flexibility. These skills can be categorized into three major components: (1) cognitive flexibility, (2) working memory, and (3) inhibitory control.

Methodology of the Study on Working Memory and Reading

This large study included 18,000 kindergartners class of 2010–2011. The researchers used language screeners, direct assessments, and teacher questionnaires to gather executive functioning and reading comprehension information for the longitudinal study.

Results of the Study

Using descriptive statistics and bi-variate correlations the results of the study on executive function skills (ie working memory) and reading indicated the following:

differences in reading comprehension were influenced by variations in executive function.
Cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, and working memory all accounted for unique variance in reading comprehension.
Language comprehension and fluency mediated the relations between children’s executive function and their reading comprehension.
Working memory accounted for the highest total effect among the three core aspects of executive function.
Children’s first-grade language comprehension contributed the most indirect effect, while fluency had the reading comprehension.

Suggestions to Help With Executive Function Skills and Reading

The researchers offer tips for teachers and parents to help develop executive function skills (ie working memory) and reading comprehension:

reading at a slower speed
ask questions when reading such as “what do you think will happen next”
practice fluency with repeated reading and other strategies to free up working memory space

Reference: Chang, I. (2020). Influences of Executive Function, Language Comprehension, and Fluency on Young Children’s Reading Comprehension. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 18(1), 44-57.