Ep. 167: The Relationship Between Phonics and Language Comprehension with Tiffany Hogan
Nov 3, 2023
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Researcher Tiffany Hogan discusses the relationship between phonics and language comprehension, emphasizing systematic instruction. They explore components of language, word recognition, assessment challenges, and strategies for teaching. The discussion includes mispronunciations, dyslexia, developmental language disorder, and the importance of supporting neurodivergent individuals.
The Simple View of Reading explores the link between phonics and language comprehension.
Improving language comprehension requires explicit instruction in vocabulary and grammar.
Assessing language comprehension is challenging but crucial for effective curriculum alignment.
Deep dives
Understanding Language Comprehension
Language comprehension involves understanding spoken and written language in various contexts. It encompasses grasping verbal and signed communication, developing from birth and even in utero, showcasing its complexity. Language components include phonology, morphology, and pragmatics. Research on language and listening comprehension indicates a shared ability and the importance of executive function and morphological awareness in bridging word reading and comprehension.
Enhancing Students' Language Comprehension
Improving language comprehension in students requires a systematic and explicit instructional approach. Curricula must address vocabulary, grammar, story grammar, comprehension monitoring, and inferencing. The focus should be on building language skills alongside word reading skills, with an emphasis on providing child-friendly definitions, multiple exposures, and teaching language systematically at an early age.
Assessing and Integrating Language Comprehension Measures
Frequent assessment of language comprehension is essential, but creating reliable measures presents challenges due to the infinite nature of language. Resources like the cubed measure language knowledge effectively. Integrating language measures into the curriculum and aligning assessment with the complexity of language for different grade levels is crucial. Language comprehension differs from reading comprehension by incorporating word decoding and listening, highlighting the need for comprehensive assessment methods.
Language Comprehension Beyond Reading
Language comprehension serves as a dual-purpose skill, aiding in reading comprehension and everyday social interactions. While word reading skills lead to automatic convergence between reading and listening comprehension, those struggling with word reading, like children with dyslexia, may rely more on listening comprehension. In contrast, individuals facing language comprehension challenges may prefer reading to allow time for processing and understanding.
Developmental Language Disorder Awareness
Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is a brain-based difficulty hindering language understanding and use. Often overshadowed by dyslexia, DLD affects individuals' long-term outcomes, highlighting the need for recognition and support. The recent acceptance of DLD by the Department of Education signifies progress in addressing the social justice issue surrounding DLD identification and advocacy for comprehensive support.
Today talk to researcher Tiffany Hogan about language comprehension. We’ll start with the Simple View of Reading, exploring the relationship between phonics and language comprehension. Then we’ll discuss knowledge as the result of systematic and explicit language comprehension instruction and share approaches that work in the classroom - like read-alouds and discourse.
Tiffany P. Hogan, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston, Director of the Speech and Language (SAiL) Literacy Lab and the center for translational research, implementation science, and dissemination for equity in CSD, (cTIDE), Research Associate at Harvard University, and inaugural research affiliate for the Boston University Center for Anti-Racist Research.