Correlation between basic reading skills and reading comprehension

The aim of this study was to verify the correlation between basic reading skills (time, speed, accuracy) and reading comprehension of 80 schoolchildren from 2nd to 5th grade of the Municipal Public Education system, divided into eight groups according to grade (four groups without learning disability and four with learning disability). The procedure used was oral reading of texts related to the school grade followed by open questions to check reading comprehension. In all groups there was statistically significant correlation between reading time and speed. In Group VI, correlation was observed between words read incorrectly and reading speed. Whereas group VII presented correlation between words read incorrectly, speed and reading comprehension. These data suggested that reading comprehension skill requires high-level cognitive capacity that goes beyond basic skills, and it is fundamental for the reader to develop a mental representation of propositional content in order to obtain the overall meaning of the written message.

Learning; Reading comprehension; Reading