Decoding Reading Comprehension in Bilingual Adolescents

Abstract

This study examines reading comprehension in dominant bilingual (Greek-Turkish,Greek-Albanian) adolescents, considering vocabulary knowledge and contextual factors. Bilinguals showed lower breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge than monolinguals. In reading comprehension skills, the Greek-Turkish bilinguals scored lower than the other two groups, while no differences were found between the Greek-Albanian bilinguals and monolinguals. However, when controlling for vocabulary knowledge, the picture changed, with both bilingual groups outperforming their monolingual counterparts. This suggests that despite limited vocabulary, bilinguals adeptly use context for comprehension, consistent with prior findings on their strong decoding skills. The results also revealed that early and current print exposure predict reading comprehension. Nevertheless, different variables emerged as a predictive variable for reading skills for both groups. This study underscores the crucial impact of (early) print exposure and supportive environments on the cultivation of reading comprehension skills.