First graders performed very differently on texts assigned the same grade level but varying in vocabulary difficulty. Vocabulary complexity significantly affected students’ accuracy, fluency, and comprehension, with the strongest effects on students who were still developing automatic word recognition.
Download full text of article (PDF): The Role of Text Vocabulary in Word Recognition, Reading Rate, and Comprehension of First-Grade Students
Citation:
Bruner, L., Hiebert, E. H., & Tortorelli, L. S. (2026). The role of text vocabulary in word recognition, reading rate, and comprehension of first-grade students. Reading and Writing, 1-24.