Development of Text-Processing Skills in High-, Average-, and Low-Achieving Primary School Children

Abstract

This longitudinal study is focused on the development of learning strategies in low-, average-, and high-achieving children from third to fifth grade (i.e., from age 9–10 to age 11–12). Children's comprehension and learning of expository texts were examined on micro-, local-, and global-level processing skills. The aims were to provide a characterization of individual differences in learning strategies, and to depict the development of text learning skills over a critical 2-year period, when children are expected to master basic reading skills and to develop text comprehension skills. The results supported the prediction of gradual increase in higher level processing skills with age. Even though this development was evident also in micro-level processes, the most critical development from age 9 onward took place in local- and global-level processing. However, developmental patterns were dependent on the initial skill and achievement level of a child. Clear progression could be found in average- and high-achieving students' local- and global-level coherence processes and learning strategies. This development was most striking in the extreme group of top-achievers, whereas low-achieving children's skills evidenced slow progression and, compared to others, even relative regression. The same developmental patterns were found in students' grade-point-averages.

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