Relationship between vocabulary and reading comprehension: A transversal study in primary education

Abstract

Currently, reading is perceived as a complex cognitive activity. Hence reading becomes relatively often a real challenge for students and teachers. In this sense, the objective of this research was to determine the level of vocabulary development and reading comprehension of Chilean elementary school students, to analyze the correlation between vocabulary and reading comprehension, and their behavior according to gender, cognitive ability, school level (school year they were attending), stage (from 1st to 4th and 5th to 8th grade) and kind of school. For this study, we worked with a sample of 404 Chilean students enrolled in three urban schools in the same town, but different ownership: public (municipal), concerted (particularly subsidized) and private, who belonged to different socioeconomic levels (medium-low, medium and high, respectively). Through a descriptive and correlational study the level of reading comprehension and vocabulary was unveiled, as well as the differences between students and the existing correlations, according to the different variables. It was concluded that vocabulary, school level, school type and cognitive ability of the students are correlated significantly with reading comprehension, without the gender variable being decisive in any case.