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This study investigated the relationship between reading readiness and academic performance by assessing the reading readiness status of Grade IV-VI learners at Salvador Elementary School during the 2023-2024 school year. The research utilized the results of the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil IRI) to develop a reading enhancement program. The study aimed to profile learner demographics--including age, gender, parental educational attainment, socioeconomic status, availability of reading materials at home and school and allocated reading time. Additionally, it sought to evaluate learner readiness in decoding, word recognition, fluency, and comprehension, determine the overall reading readiness level based on Phil IRI results, and investigate the relationship between reading competencies and Phil IRI outcomes. Findings revealed a diverse learner demographic, predominantly aged 10 years, with a balanced gender distribution. Parental educational attainment was mostly high school level, reflecting a mixed socioeconomic background. While homes generally provided conducive reading materials, allocated reading time varied. Learners demonstrated proficiency in decoding, word recognition, fluency, and comprehension, with Phil IRI assessments indicating similar readiness levels but with varying competency strengths. The study identified a positive relationship between reading competencies and Phil IRI outcomes, emphasizing the role of oral reading skills in performance. Despite findings not reaching statistical significance, the study highlighted the complex factors influencing reading readiness and recommended targeted interventions to enhance literacy outcomes, increase parental involvement, ensure equitable access to reading materials, and tailor instructional strategies to individual learner needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Perceptual and speech production abilities of children with cochlear implants (CIs) are usually tested by word and sentence repetition or naming tests. However, these tests are quite far apart from daily life linguistic contexts. Aim: Here, we describe a way of investigating the link between language comprehension and anticipatory verbal behaviour promoting the use of more complex listening situations. Methods and Procedure: The setup consists in watching the audio‐visual dialogue of two actors. Children's gaze switches from one speaker to the other serve as a proxy of their prediction abilities. Moreover, to better understand the basis and the impact of anticipatory behaviour, we also measured children's ability to understand the dialogue content, their speech perception and memory skills as well as their rhythmic skills, that also require temporal predictions. Importantly, we compared children with CI performances with those of an age‐matched group of children with normal hearing (NH). Outcomes and Results: While children with CI revealed poorer speech perception and verbal working memory abilities than NH children, there was no difference in gaze anticipatory behaviour. Interestingly, in children with CI only, we found a significant correlation between dialogue comprehension, perceptual skills and gaze anticipatory behaviour. Conclusion: Our results extend to a dialogue context of previous findings showing an absence of predictive deficits in children with CI. The current design seems an interesting avenue to provide an accurate and objective estimate of anticipatory language behaviour in a more ecological linguistic context also with young children. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: Children with cochlear implants seem to have difficulties extracting structure from and learning sequential input patterns, possibly due to signal degradation and auditory deprivation in the first years of life. They also seem to have a reduced use of contextual information and slow language processing among children with hearing loss. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: Here we show that when adopting a rather complex linguistic context such as watching a dialogue of two individuals, children with cochlear implants are able to use the speech and language structure to anticipate gaze switches to the upcoming speaker. What are the clinical implications of this work?: The present design seems an interesting avenue to provide an accurate and objective estimate of anticipatory behaviour in a more ecological and dynamic linguistic context. Importantly, this measure is implicit and it has been previously used with very young (normal‐hearing) children, showing that they spontaneously make anticipatory gaze switches by age two. Thus, this approach may be of interest to refine the speech comprehension assessment at a rather early age after cochlear implantation where explicit behavioural tests are not always reliable and sensitive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Djoussour El-maarefa is the property of Association of Arab Universities and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Vocational high schools in "3T" area on Bawean Island have limitations in human resources quality, equipment, production or practice tools, and industrial partnership, which differed from the vocational high schools located in advanced and developed areas. This research objective is to discover the description of employability to the vocational high school students in "3T" area in Bawean island. The research method applied was the qualitative method using the phenomenology approach. The data collection was obtained through semi-structured interviews. This research participant was eight students at vocational high school "X," "Y," "Z," and "W" schools in Bawean Island, which is one of the "3T" area. The analysis method in this research was content analysis. This research result shows that students in the "3T" area were showing their effort to prepare themselves in facing the job market by enhancing their employability in learning activities within the class or practice in the laboratory. The students' employability includes skills, knowledge, comprehension, personality, career identity, social and human relations, and personal adaptability. Students realize that they are in the "3T" area and must work harder to improve their work skills so as not to lose their jobs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although most prevalent in childhood, the acquisition of new words in oral vocabulary takes place right across the lifespan. Of the many factors that influence oral vocabulary learning, one extrinsic factor is the listening environment. The current study aimed to examine whether the presence of noise impacts oral vocabulary learning in adult native speakers of English and, if so, whether this can be alleviated by the incidental presence of orthography when introducing new words. Methods: Sixty 18–35‐year‐old native speakers of English were divided into two groups: orthography present and orthography absent and were taught novel picture–word pairs either in quiet or in noise. Word learning was assessed using picture naming and picture–word‐matching tasks. Results: The results revealed that the presence of orthography during training reduced the negative impact of noise and supported word learning and retention in adults. Conclusion: These results are promising for vocabulary instruction practices in less‐than‐ideal listening environments where structural modifications are not a feasible option. Highlights: What is already known about the topic: Noise interferes with the ability to perform complex linguistic tasks and impacts learning.Many studies have shown that the presence of orthography improves spoken word learning in different populations. What this paper adds: Orthography supports spoken word learning in adults.Orthographic facilitation can be used to reduce the detrimental effects of noise on word learning. Implications for theory, policy or practice: Bimodal presentation of information may be beneficial for spoken word learning in adults.In learning, less‐than‐ideal learning environments, such as those with high ambient noise, providing spellings when introducing new words can improve word learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To better understand the intricate science of reading development, both cognitive and affective factors must be taken into consideration. This developmental study aims to enrich the literature by exploring how reading motivation – an affective factor – contributes to reading comprehension in Chinese elementary schoolers, beyond well‐accepted cognitive‐based reading skills, such as decoding and vocabulary. Methods: We used a cross‐sectional design with 420 native Mandarin‐Chinese‐speaking students (Grade 2: N = 95; Grade 3: N = 216; Grade 4: N = 109), with age‐appropriate materials to measure their decoding skills, vocabulary knowledge, reading motivation, and reading comprehension. Three sets of hierarchical regression analyses were run for the three grade samples to examine the unique contributions of reading motivation to reading comprehension while controlling children's demographic profiles, such as age and gender, and two cognitive‐based reading skills. Results: We replicated previous findings: children's decoding and vocabulary are robust predictors of reading achievement across Grades 2 to 4. Importantly, reading motivation contributed uniquely to reading comprehension in all three grades and explained an increasing amount of the variances in reading comprehension from Grades 2 to 4. Intrinsic reading motivation was critical in Grade 3, while extrinsic reading motivation became important in Grade 4. Conclusions: Taken together, our findings reveal the complexity of reading development and advance the existing cognitive‐based reading theories by including affective dimensions. Highlights: What is already known about this topic Reading motivation may explain primary schoolers' reading outcomes across languages, including Chinese.The link between reading motivation and reading outcomes may vary across different grades.The roles of intrinsic versus extrinsic reading motivation in reading outcomes may differ. What this paper adds Reading motivation uniquely contributed to reading comprehension beyond decoding and vocabulary skills.The unique variances in reading comprehension explained by reading motivation increased from Grades 2 to 4.Intrinsic reading motivation was critical in Grade 3, whereas extrinsic reading motivation became important in Grade 4. Implications for theory, policy or practice It is crucial to consider reading motivation in supporting children's reading development.Children's reading motivation and its contribution to reading development may vary across grades.There appears to be a shift from intrinsic to extrinsic reading motivation in explaining Chinese reading comprehension from Grades 3 to 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study explored the impact of different cut‐off points used to identify children with reading difficulties on the distribution of these children across the three poor reader groups predicted by the simple view of reading (dyslexia, specific comprehension difficulty and mixed difficulty). Additionally, the study investigated whether the cognitive profiles of these poor reader groups remained consistent across varying levels of reading impairment. Methods: This study included 209 primary school children from New Zealand, in Years 4–6 and aged 8–10 years, who experienced reading comprehension difficulties. Using a two‐step cluster analysis, participants were assigned to one of three poor reader groups: dyslexia, specific comprehension difficulty (SCD) and mixed difficulty. We examined the distribution of children across these groups at eight levels of reading comprehension difficulty and conducted strengths and weaknesses profiles at four levels of reading ability across 14 tests that assessed a range of reading‐related skills. Additionally, we compared the performance of children in these groups who performed above and below the 10th percentile on a reading comprehension assessment across these tests. Results: The results showed that the proportion of children assigned to each group varied across the reading levels, with children at the lower end of the reading comprehension continuum more likely to exhibit the mixed difficulty profile than the SCD and dyslexia profiles. Overall, the research found that dyslexia, SCD and mixed difficulty profiles could be identified at all levels of reading comprehension difficulty, though weaknesses in their reading‐related skills increased as reading comprehension difficulties also increased. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that struggling readers demonstrate distinct cognitive profiles across all levels of reading ability. These results have important implications for identifying and supporting struggling readers, as well as enhancing our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of reading difficulties. The possible relationship between the results obtained in this study and tiered models of reading support is discussed. Highlights: What is already known about this topicChildren with reading comprehension difficulties can be classified into three groups based on their decoding and language comprehension proficiency: dyslexia, specific comprehension difficulty (SCD) and mixed difficulty.Several factors influence the proportion of children assigned to these three groups. What this paper addsThe dyslexia, SCD and mixed difficulty profiles are identifiable at all levels of reading comprehension difficulty.Children with the most pronounced reading comprehension difficulties are likely to exhibit decoding and language comprehension difficulties. Implications for theory, policy or practiceThe findings suggest that children with the most pronounced reading comprehension difficulties may require the most intensive support focusing on decoding and language comprehension skills.Children with less pronounced reading comprehension difficulties may require programmes that emphasise either decoding or language comprehension to a greater extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repeated viewing of the same video is a common strategy among autonomous language learners as well as a much used pedagogical strategy among foreign language (FL) teachers. Learners may watch the same video more than once, to increase global comprehension of the target language or to focus their attention on linguistic aspects, such as new vocabulary or pronunciation. This study sought to examine to what extent repetition is more efficient for vocabulary learning if the second viewing follows the first immediately, or a week later. Participants were upper intermediate-level college learners who were distributed into three groups, one watched a TV series episode twice in the same session, one also watched the same episode twice but one week apart, and the last (control) group did not watch the video. Tests of word meaning recognition and word meaning recall were administered before and after viewing (pretest-immediate posttest-delayed posttest). The pretest and posttests contained 23 target items and 17 distracters (single words and multi-word expressions). In addition, the study explored the influence of two learner factors, each related to one of two verbal input channels: sound recognition for the audio and reading efficacy (reading speed and comprehension) for the onscreen text. The results indicated significant vocabulary learning from viewing and slightly higher benefits for the spaced repetition group at immediate posttest. The results also showed a significant influence of previous target vocabulary knowledge and of aptitude, as measured by the LLAMA D test, but not of reading efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More U.S. community college students are enrolling without the requisite reading skills to be successful. Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students are following a similar pattern with a little less than half requiring remedial instruction when entering college. College-age readers were the first population that we studied to learn about reading and reading instruction. The present study revisits this notion with DHH students at the forefront. We wanted to know what skills DHH readers have when they enroll in community college and what skills secondary teachers could focus on to prepare them. Based on the Degrees of Reading Power assessment given to DHH first year students prior entering community college (N = 409 participants), DHH readers would benefit from instruction in three important areas of reading comprehension: key ideas and details, craft and structure, and integration of knowledge and ideas. We discuss instructional ideas and future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid innovations in media technologies have ushered in diverse entertainment avenues, including politically oriented content, presenting both novel opportunities and societal challenges. This study delves into the implications of the burgeoning deepfake phenomenon, particularly focusing on audience interpretation and engagement with deepfake parodies, a quintessential example of "misinfotainment." Additionally, it examines the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) disclaimers on audience understanding and related consequences. To probe this, two experiments (N  =   2,808) were executed featuring parodied politicians adopting opposing viewpoints on the issue of climate change. U.S. participants were either exposed to deepfake videos prefaced with AI disclaimers or without. Results indicate that the inclusion of an AI disclaimer significantly influenced audience comprehension and their ability to recognize the parody. These factors were subsequently associated with enjoyment, discounting, and counterarguing, which in turn showed different relationships with policy support and sharing intentions. This article culminates with insights into the theoretical underpinnings and practical ramifications of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Afak of Science Journal / Āfāq li-l-ՙulūm is the property of Association of Arab Universities and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In contrast to language production, there are few comprehension models of the representation and use of grammatical gender in long-term memory. To bridge this gap, we conducted a systematic review of empirical studies on the role of gender-form regularities in the recognition of nouns in isolation and within sentences. The results of a final sample of 40 studies suggest that there are two routes for the retrieval of gender during real-time comprehension: a form-based route and a lexical-based route. Our review indicates that the use of these routes depends on the degree of gender transparency of the language and the degree of overtness of the experimental paradigm. To accommodate these findings, we incorporate a dual-route mechanism within a general model of lexical access in comprehension, the AUSTRAL (Activation Using Structurally Tiered Representations and Lemmas) model, and identify directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on student perceptions of their experiences in an ungraded classroom that uses engagement‐based grading contracts (EBGCs). The assessment ecology is described in detail, and then the author shares student reflections on their experiences with EBGCs, which were collected in the form of an end‐of‐semester memo assignment. Comprehensively, students find EBGC use to be a positive and worthwhile assessment experience. While there is a learning curve involved, students appreciate the real‐life approach to both labor and engagement on writing tasks, the amount of agency and choice built into the contract, and the ecology's incorporation of extensive written feedback in lieu of scores or points. Another key takeaway is its positive impact on student affect — especially in instances of students self‐disclosing diagnoses of anxiety. Student‐reported challenges to EBGC use are also discussed, including their own wrestling with ideas about past experiences with traditional grading, personal levels of motivation, and accountability. Overall, an engagement‐based grading contract approach appears to be a pleasurable and accessible assessment option for teachers looking to pursue an ungraded approach in their writing classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives: The study investigates the extent to which offline and online comprehension of reflexive possessive pronouns in L3 and L4 is modulated by previously acquired native and non-native grammars. Design/Methodology/Approach: Thirty-one intermediate to advanced L1 Polish learners of Swedish, who have also acquired German and English (L4 Swedish learners) or only English (L3 Swedish learners), completed a self-paced reading task and a grammaticality judgement task. The tasks targeted learners' sensitivity to possessor and possessee agreement violations. Data and Analysis: Reading times and judgement accuracy were collected and analysed using generalised linear models. Findings/Conclusions: In online comprehension, L3/L4 Swedish learners showed sensitivity to possessor and possessee agreement, which was affected neither by their proficiency, nor by their prior native and non-native grammars. In offline comprehension, however, they had difficulty deploying possessor and possessee agreement. Performance on possessee but not possessor agreement increased with advancing proficiency, indicating the persistent influence of L1 Polish grammar. Furthermore, L4 Swedish learners achieved an overall higher judgement accuracy than L3 Swedish learners. At the same time, L4 Swedish learners read the relevant regions longer than L3 Swedish learners, suggesting a speed–accuracy trade-off for L4 Swedish learners. Originality: The study investigates cross-linguistic influence in the comprehension of reflexive possessive pronouns in multilingual learners, which has not been explored before. It is also the first to provide evidence for a multilingual advantage in the accuracy of reflexive possessive agreement, albeit at the cost of reading speed. Significance/Implications: The study demonstrates that native and non-native grammars differently affect the offline comprehension of reflexive possessive pronouns in L3 and L4. The native language seems to have a more direct effect that consists in the employment of agreement mechanisms, while the non-native language has a more indirect effect, as it can increase learners' sensitivity to morphosyntactic violations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of having a highly qualified teacher in every classroom is an educational necessity. Determining which teacher characteristics define teacher quality and measuring their impact on student outcomes has offered mixed results. This study explored the effect of teachers' knowledge of language and literacy on their students' reading outcomes in foundational skills and reading comprehension. Data from 9,640 students and 512 classroom teachers in 112 schools were analyzed using multi-level mixed effects modeling to account for the nested data. After controlling for student and teacher-level variables, results showed that teachers' knowledge of language and literacy reliably predicted students' spring foundational skills scores, but not reading comprehension scores. These findings support the idea that more knowledgeable teachers generate students with more favorable reading outcomes. Implications are discussed in addition to directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Online content can inform the personal risk of developing an eating disorder, and it can influence the time and motivation to seek treatment. Patients routinely seek information online, and access to information is crucial for both prevention and treatment. The primary aim of the current study was to quantify the readability scores of online content on eating disorders using natural language processing algorithms, across two languages: English and Italian. Methods: Unique terms related to single diagnoses were searched using Google®. The content available on Wikipedia was also assessed. Readability was defined according to the Flesch Readability Ease (FRE) and the Rate Readability Index (RIX). The scientific support of retrieved content and the authoritativeness of sources were measured through standardized variables. Results: In Italian, online content was more likely published by private psychotherapy institutes or by websites that promote diet-advice or weight-loss. In both languages, the most readable content was on Anorexia Nervosa (RIX 4.18, FRE-en 59.6, FRE-it 41.69), Bulimia Nervosa (RIX 3.99, FRE-en 66.27, FRE-it 39.66) or Binge Eating (RIX 4.01, FRE-en 68.10, FRE-it 38.62). English sources consistently had more references than Italian pages (range 35–182, vs 1–163, respectively). and had a higher percentage of citations available in the target language. The content of these references was mainly reflective of peer-reviewed or clinical manuals. Conclusion: Attention should be given to developing online content for Muscle Dysmorphia and Orthorexia Nervosa, as well as improving the overall readability of online content on eating disorders, especially for languages other than English. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reading is fundamental to academic success, but international reading surveys indicate current pedagogy fails a fifth of adolescents, disproportionately from lower-socioeconomic groups. This UK, mixed-method study evaluated the impact of two whole-text reading approaches on comprehension, using standardised tests. Twenty teachers of English and 413 students (12–13 years) participated, 44% defined as 'struggling readers', in parallel classes per school, matched for reading ability. Both groups read two 'challenging' novels consecutively over 12 weeks. Ten teachers received no further treatment; ten teachers received training on reading-comprehension pedagogies. The mean comprehension for all students increased by 8.5 months with no significant differential effect of training condition. However, there was a significant differential effect between 'struggling' and 'average+' readers in both conditions: struggling readers' mean comprehension improved by 16 months. Required to read whole texts, teachers in both groups altered practice, increasing print exposure, comprehension-strategies and supportive discourse-strategies, benefiting 'struggling' over 'average+' readers. This pilot study reframes understandings of 'independent' reading for struggling readers, indicating that the teaching of whole texts and extended reading must happen in classrooms, not outside. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to examine the effectiveness of facial anthropomorphism of learning material design in improving learning and other relevant outcomes. We searched Web of Science, PsycInfo, and PsycArticle for studies published before February 2023. Learning outcomes included transfer, retention, and comprehension. Other relevant outcomes included affective-motivational, effort, and experience outcomes. Outcomes that were reported in at least five independent experiments were meta-analyzed; otherwise, a narrative synthesis was performed. Subgroup analysis by participants' age and material type was employed for learning outcomes. A total of 33 independent experiments from 13 research articles were identified and analyzed. For learning outcomes, facial anthropomorphism yielded significant improvements in transfer (standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.28, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.40, p < 0.001), retention (SMD 0.31, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.48, p < 0.001), and comprehension (SMD 0.46, 95% CI 0.27 to 0.64, p < 0.001). Anthropomorphism yielded stronger effect in retention among juvenile students and for static learning materials. Additionally, anthropomorphism design achieved significantly positive effects in positive affect, intrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation change, perceived difficulty, intrinsic cognitive load, germane cognitive load, perceived learning outcome, aesthetics, and enjoyment. Nineteen outcomes were narratively analyzed and mixed results were found. Facial anthropomorphism design of multimedia learning materials can induce positive emotions in learners and improve their intrinsic motivation that in turn facilitates learners' transfer, retention, and comprehension performance. The study provides valuable insights that can guide educators and multimedia designers in applying facial anthropomorphism with learning materials to facilitate learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research focused on evaluating the readability and understanding levels of Biology textbooks frequently utilized in upper secondary schools across Kwara, Nigeria. The population consisted of all biology textbooks used by senior secondary school students and all students who study biology in Kwara State, Nigeria. A purposive sampling technique was utilized to select a sample of 3 textbooks from those recommended by the Kwara State Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development. Additionally, a total of 252 students (84 from senior secondary school one, 84 from senior secondary school two, and 84 from senior secondary school three) were selected using stratified sampling. Two instruments were employed: the Biology Textbook Readability Test (BTRT), an online readability calculator, and the Cloze Test of Readability for Biology Textbooks. The findings revealed that most of the textbooks were difficult and above the grade level for which they were designed. Furthermore, the textbooks were found to be confusing for the designated users. Based on these findings, it is recommended that biology textbooks be structured in a manner that aligns with the characteristics of the designated users. This entails writing textbooks with simpler words, reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past studies reveal the prevalence of anxiety, coupled with low motivation and disengagement among students in English-medium instruction (EMI) programs. Given the detrimental impact these negative emotions can have on learning outcomes, it is imperative that teachers establish positive emotional rapport with their students. This study explores how experienced and highly rated EMI lecturers at a Chinese university's overseas campus use communication strategies to build rapport with their students during interactive academic activities. It identifies the strategies used by these lecturers and examines how the strategies facilitate the teaching-learning process. The data, consisting of 10 hours of tutorials and 10 hours of supervisor-student supervision meetings, is analyzed using an adapted Conversation Analysis (CA) approach. The analysis reveals three types of communication strategies (CSs) frequently used by lecturers: back-channeling, code-switching, and co-creation of messages. By employing these strategies, the lecturers established a strong rapport with the students, which created an encouraging and supportive learning environment. Consequently, this positive atmosphere facilitated students' learning of content knowledge through English. The findings of this study have implications for the training of lecturers who encounter difficulties in establishing rapport with multilingual students in the EMI setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experimental study investigated how text difficulty and different working memory capacity (WMC) affected Chinese EFL learners' reading comprehension and their tendency to engage in task-unrelated thoughts, that is, mind wandering (MW), in the course of reading. Sixty first-year university non-English majors participated in the study. A two-factor mixed experimental design of 2 (text difficulty: difficult and simple) × 2 (WMC: high/large and low/small) was employed. Results revealed that 1) the main and interaction effects of WMC and text difficulty on voluntary MW were significant, whereas those on involuntary MW were not; 2) while reading the easy texts, the involuntary MW of high-WMC individuals was less frequent than that of low-WMC ones, whereas while reading the difficult ones, the direct relationship between WMC and involuntary MW was not found; and that 3) high-WMC individuals had a lower overall rate of MW and better reading performance than low-WMC individuals did, but with increasing text difficulty, their rates of overall MW and voluntary MW were getting higher and higher, and the reading performance was getting lower and lower. These results lend support to WM theory and have pedagogical implications for the instruction of L2 reading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about how the assessment modality, i. e., computer-based (CB) and paper-based (PB) tests, affects language teachers' scorings, perceptions, and preferences and, therefore, the validity and fairness of classroom writing assessments. The present mixed-methods study used Shaw and Weir's (2007) sociocognitive writing test validation framework to examine the scoring and consequential validity evidence of CB and PB writing tests in EFL classroom assessment in higher education. Original handwritten and word-processed texts of 38 EFL university students were transcribed to their opposite format and assessed by three language lecturers (N = 456 texts, 152 per teacher) to examine the scoring validity of CB and PB tests. The teachers' perceptions of text quality and preferences for assessment modality accounted for the consequential validity evidence of both tests. Findings revealed that the assessment modality impacted teachers' scorings, perceptions, and preferences. The teachers awarded higher scores to original and transcribed handwritten texts, particularly text organization and language use. The teachers' perceptions of text quality differed from their ratings, and physical, psychological, and experiential characteristics influenced their preferences for assessment modality. The results have implications for the validity and fairness of CB and PB writing tests and teachers' assessment practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the modern age, we often consume content at faster than its normal speed. Prior research suggests that watching lecture videos at speeds up to 2x does not significantly affect performance, but the mechanisms by which comprehension is preserved at faster playback speeds are not fully understood. Therefore, we sought to investigate whether there is an effect of speed when the content is audio only, varies in modality (audio-only, audio-visual) and content (textual, pictorial), or is accompanied by distractions. In four experiments, we found that: (1) increasing playback speed to 2.5x speed did not impair test performance (though we still do not advise exceeding 2x speed); (2) having a visual aspect (i.e., presentation slides, instructor images) to learning can be advantageous, especially when processing information at faster speeds; (3) there was a small benefit of receiving textual over pictorial presentations, and the effect did not vary by speed; (4) computer-based distractions (i.e., phone calls, text messages, email notifications) did not impact performance at 1x or 2x speed. Hence, students are more adept at learning at faster speeds than conventional wisdom would suggest, even with distractions present, demonstrating intact comprehension at double the natural speed of to-be-learned material. Furthermore, multimedia presentations can help mitigate the negative costs of accelerated speeds, especially when information is processed by separate working memory components (i.e., narration in the auditory channel, text or pictures in the visual channel), which reduces cognitive load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Healthcare outcomes are influenced by both the effectiveness of healthcare delivery and the health literacy of patients. Patient education materials (PEMs) play a crucial role in disseminating health information to the patients. PEMs need to be at the level of grade six for optimal comprehension across diverse populations. However, that has not been the case in prior studies in healthcare-related fields. We aimed to evaluate the readability status of online PEMs of active adult and pediatric liver transplant institutions. Methods: We used standardized tools to calculate indices, namely Flesch Reading Ease (FRE), Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Gunning–Fog Score (GFS), Coleman–Liau Index (CLI), and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook for readability assessment. These indices use various measures, like average sentence length, average syllable per word, polysyllable count, and/or average number of letters per 100 words, to determine grade level. Results: The mean reading level of the PEMs was grade 10.73 ± 3.07, corresponding to grade 7 to 14. One-way ANOVA showed no statistically significant difference between these indices (p-value < 0.05). Conclusions: The readability of liver transplant centers' PEMs exceeded the recommended level, hindering their generalizability to the broader population. This highlights the importance of optimizing the readability of PEMs to improve outcomes for equitable healthcare services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed an alarming chasm between traditional higher education pedagogies and the lived experiences of students, posing new challenges to educators worldwide. Addressing this, our study proposes a curricular paradigm shift that foregrounds sensory and embodied learning. Influenced by a Critical Pedagogy of Place framework, we conceptualize the delivery of an urban studies module as an experience-centred encounter with the campus. Our research examines the implications of incorporating course activities and teaching styles that promote sensory-embodied forms of learning and their potential to break free from the confines of the physical classrooms. Empirical evidence from our study demonstrates a remarkable 87% increase in student theoretical comprehension, heralding the transformative potential of turning university campuses into sensorial and embodied critical spaces. Such a transformative pedagogical approach critically questions the outmoded banking education model and encourages students to interrogate deep-seated social and cultural norms and practices. In pushing the boundaries of traditional pedagogy, our study suggests the need to revamp higher education learning experiences to resonate more closely with contemporary students' lived experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has imposed strict requirements for data sharing, one of which is informed consent. A common way to request consent online is via cookies. However, commonly, users accept online cookies being unaware of the meaning of the given consent and the following implications. Once consent is given, the cookie "disappears", and one forgets that consent was given in the first place. Retrieving cookies and consent logs becomes challenging, as most information is stored in the specific Internet browser's logs. To make users aware of the data sharing implied by cookie consent and to support transparency and traceability within systems, we present a knowledge graph (KG) based tool for personalised cookie consent information visualisation. The KG is based on the OntoCookie ontology, which models cookies in a machine-readable format and supports data interpretability across domains. Evaluation results confirm that the users' comprehension of the data shared through cookies is vague and insufficient. Furthermore, our work has resulted in an increase of 47.5% in the users' willingness to be cautious when viewing cookie banners before giving consent. These and other evaluation results confirm that our cookie data visualisation approach and tool help to increase users' awareness of cookies and data sharing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Analytical Psychology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Success for All (SfA) is a comprehensive school reform program designed to support schools serving many students of disadvantaged backgrounds to increase students' achievement. SfA includes daily 90-min reading lessons with extensive use of cooperative learning, tutoring for struggling readers, and an emphasis on parental involvement. School teams receive coaching and training, and each school has a facilitator appointed who supports program implementation. SfA has shown positive results in the US, and has been translated to the Dutch context. Effects on students' reading achievement were evaluated with a total sample size of 1,011 students from three cohorts. We found a significant positive effect on reading fluency of first-grade students (Cohen's d = +0.40). The effect for the subgroup of low-socioeconomic-status students was even somewhat higher (Cohen's d = +0.63). We did not find significant effects in Grade 2 and Grade 3. We also found no effects of SfA on reading comprehension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are few measures of teacher professional knowledge of reading comprehension, therefore little is known about the levels of teacher professional knowledge, their motivation and attitudes to teaching reading comprehension. The Knowledge, Behaviour and Attitudes Test for Reading Comprehension (KBAT-RC) was developed from a systematic literature review, in collaboration with researchers and practitioners. Findings from the first sample suggest that teachers prefer more tangible practices when teaching reading comprehension (teaching vocabulary, prediction and asking questions), in contrast to developing the inference skills and self-monitoring for meaning strategies of the children they teach. Implications for the development of teacher professional knowledge in reading comprehension are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an era of evolving literacy challenges, an Italian based project 'Leggere: Forte!' (Reading Strong) is promoting shared reading aloud to spark youth interest in reading and improve language skills. Now in its third year, the project team have analysed the impact of daily shared reading on 1829 children aged 3-10. The results show significant benefits in language, comprehension, and literacy, and highlight disparities between the experimental and the control groups. Teacher feedback underscores the positive effects of this version of shared reading. The initiative demonstrates the educational value of shared reading and calls for its integration into modern education, suggesting it as a foundation for further research and the development of rich, diverse learning environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) classroom, speaking is a relatively marginalised learning activity, often employed merely to facilitate transition between activities which prioritise communication skills deemed more important. A significant consequence of this privation is limited practice in situated discourse. This paper presents a theorised account of an instance of situated discourse: Quality Talk in a reading circle within an EAP classroom. With reference to a single dialogic spell unfolding around a specific issue, I examine participants' verbal transactions and the ways in which these enhance high-level comprehension of text. Overall, this account seeks to highlight the efficacy and affordances of situated discourse as a social mode of cognition in EAP instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Making inferences is essential to comprehending text. Teachers can ask inferential questions, model their thinking, and teach specific strategies to support upper elementary students in making inferences while reading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The certificate of right to use on state land is a legal instrument that gives the holder the right to use state land for a certain period of time in accordance with the provisions of the applicable laws. This study examines the case of State Land intended for pangonan, which is located in Dukupace Block, Geyongan Village, Cirebon Regency, where the villagers use the abandoned Pangonan land, then they control it for various purposes such as agriculture and housing. Even though they have controlled the land for many years, the community does not have its ownership status. This will cause problems in the future if the status of the land is not yet owned by the people who occupy the land. The research method used is empirical juridical, with reference to various previous studies on state land ownership and land distribution justice. The results of the study show that there is a lack of public understanding of procedures and ownership conflicts. To overcome these obstacles, it is necessary to simplify the mechanism regarding rules and increase socialization. This study provides fair and inclusive policy recommendations, as well as concrete steps to improve the process of issuing use rights certificates and recognition of land rights based on long-standing physical tenure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reading comprehension is one of the most valuable academic skills taught in school. Selecting the appropriate assessment instrument to ensure early identification and intervention is important as there is an amalgam of cognitive abilities and academic skills involved in reading comprehension. The GORT-5 is the most recent edition of a test that measures reading rate, accuracy, fluency, and comprehension among school-age children and young adults. The current study evaluated the concurrent validity of the GORT-5 with the WJ-IV ACH for a group of referred students. Findings indicate that Pearson correlation coefficients for all GORT-5 and WJ-IV ACH score comparisons were very large (0.70-0.89). Generally, GORT-5 scores were 2-3 points higher than WJ-IV ACH cluster scores. The diagnostic accuracy of the GORT-5 is excellent, with very few students' scores yielding a false negative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extent to which L2 television is viewed by foreign language learners will depend on the degree to which it is understood. The addition of captions has been shown to support comprehension (e.g., Birulés-Muntané & Soto-Faraco, 2016; Montero-Perez, Peters, & Desmet, 2014), especially when proficiency is low (e.g., Lavaur & Bairstow, 2011). Yet, little is known about the extent to which captions benefit comprehension as L2 proficiency increases. This study seeks to investigate the effect of captions at different proficiency levels, and to identify the level at which captions cease to enhance comprehension. A total of 250 Catalan/Spanish university students, who had L2 English proficiency ranging from A1 to C2, viewed nine episodes of an English TV series with and without captions. Results showed that captioned viewing had a significant advantage over uncaptioned viewing in comprehension tests with multiple-choice and true-false items, and that learners with higher L2 proficiency and larger vocabulary performed better. While having access to captions increased the odds of a correct response independently of learners' L2 proficiency and vocabulary knowledge, the additive benefits of captions were no longer significant at the C2 level, suggesting a threshold beyond which uncaptioned viewing does not negatively impact comprehension. Pedagogical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reading comprehension is the ultimate goal of learning to read, as the understanding of text is at the root of the purpose for reading, whether reading for pleasure or reading to learn. At-home reading practices can vary widely family to family – some families have the knowledge and resources to read effectively with their children, while others have not been afforded the opportunity or knowledge to read with their children. The Advancing Comprehension and Engagement (ACE) Literacy Project is a free reading comprehension resource bringing the evidence-based Knowledge Acquisition & Transformation (KAT) Framework to families via podcast and video episodes in English and Spanish. The aim of the ACE Project is to help ameliorate access barriers to high-quality literacy resources for families by providing engaging, interactive episodes available on major platforms and accessible via cell phones, tablets, or computers. The present article describes the theoretical foundations underlying the ACE Project, details the methods used to develop ACE, describes the format followed in each episode, and discusses the pilot year of the project. Usage statistics are presented. Implications for the future of the ACE Project are discussed in light of initial data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed the comprehension strategies and visuals in two science textbook series for grades 6, 7, and 8 as means of better understanding a core element of the ecological component of science literacy. The iScience [Biggs et al. in iScience (Grade 6), McGraw-Hill, 2015a, iScience (Grade 7), McGraw-Hill, 2015b, iScience (Grade 7), McGraw-Hill, 2015c)] and Interactive Science [Buckley et al. in Interactive Science (Grade 6), vol 1, Pearson, 2015a, Interactive Science (Grade 6), vol 2, Pearson, 2015b, Interactive Science (Grade 7), vol 1, Pearson, 2015c, Interactive Science (Grade 7), vol 2, Pearson, 2015d, Interactive Science (Grade 8), vol 1, Pearson, 2015e, Interactive Science (Grade 8), vol 2, Pearson, 2015f] textbook series were analyzed for the frequency of comprehension strategies used in during-reading activities as well as the explicit references of visuals and the level of visual captions. Analysis revealed comprehension monitoring, graphic organizers, and question answering were the most frequently used comprehension strategies. Although the numbers, do not highlight the lack of instruction in those strategies. Further, most visuals were explicitly referenced and had descriptive captions. Findings from this study point to the need for science educators to critically examine how comprehension and visuals instruction are included in the textbooks they use in their classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has documented that socio-economically disadvantaged students (SEDSs) lag behind in reading when compared with their counterparts from privileged backgrounds. Although well-designed instructional interventions could improve students' reading achievement, what is still unknown is which pedagogical approach could improve the reading of SEDSs especially in the context of a developing nation. We compared the effects of two different approaches that contain metacognitive reading strategies with the conventional teaching method on the reading achievement (comprehension and vocabulary) of students with low socio-economic status. We adopted a non-randomized pretest–posttest control group design. One hundred and twenty-eight students from three community secondary schools participated in the study. Data were collected with a teacher-made reading achievement test. Using the mixed repeated-measures ANOVA, findings indicated no significant differences in their reading achievement across groups, though similar significant improvements were observed within groups. Gender also showed a significant main effect only on the comprehension achievement of the students showing that female students did better than their male counterparts in comprehension achievement. Results did not show a significant interaction effect between gender and method. It was concluded that the students' reading achievement could be improved in the three approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores if, and to what extent, shifting instruction modality influenced student learning outcome success in a writing intensive undergraduate course when COVID-19 shifted the method of the course's delivery. With consistency in the instructor of record and writing prompt, the present study isolated and evaluated variability across student performance as assessed by final research project grades produced by the instructor, and assessment scores by two independent evaluators. Results show that instruction modality is associated with student performance. Students enrolled during the transitioning 2020 period earned lower grades on their final project as assessed by the instructor of record than students did in other course modalities. Additionally, these students performed lower in the areas of comprehension and citation. Students enrolled in 2021 hybrid class performed objectively lower, with lower scores on their final project and in the domains of clarity, comprehension, courtesy, cleverness, and citation in comparison to their pre-COVID-19 2019 face-to-face peers. Writing intensive capstone courses require faculty to work closely with students; students are more focused and attentive to improving the quality of their research papers and perfect their writing when faculty provide individualized attention to students in a face-to-face teaching modality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a comprehensive carbon footprint analysis of polypropylene production within an Iranian petrochemical facility, employing a broad scope that encompasses all relevant processes across the entire factory, rather than focusing solely on the polypropylene production unit. Utilizing a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach aligned with ISO standards, the research quantifies greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from each production stage, including raw material processing, energy generation, and waste management, to provide a holistic view of environmental impacts. Key findings reveal that energy-intensive units, particularly power generation and steam production, are the primary contributors, accounting for over 90% of total emissions. The study's broadened scope offers a more accurate depiction of the facility's environmental burden and highlights significant areas for emission reductions. By identifying these critical areas, the research not only advances our understanding of polypropylene's environmental profile but also suggests targeted interventions such as the adoption of renewable energy sources and efficiency improvements. This analysis not only sets a benchmark for future environmental assessments within the industry but also serves as a crucial tool for policymakers and industry leaders aiming to implement more sustainable manufacturing practices. The findings underscore the importance of expanding the system boundaries in carbon footprint assessments to include all associated processes for a more accurate and actionable environmental impact evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digital transformation of education is greatly accelerating in various computer-supported applications. As a particularly prominent application of the human-machine interactive system, intelligent learning systems aim to capture users' current intentions and provide recommendations through real-time feedback. However, we have a limited understanding on what is the reality of user feedback for computer-supported adaptive quizzing. This present study proposes formalization for user feedback including engagement and interactions to understand and improve intelligent adaptive quizzing. This work starts by taking individual system's action transition patterns as a temporally evolving action graph and derives patterns in terms of informing future user engagement. Furthermore, considering the student knowledge preference for a certain moment is closely related to personal experience of past learning,a novel framework EICQ (Engagement and Interaction-based Computer-Supported Adaptive Quizzing) is proposed for learning and adapting to students' current preference based on engagement trends and interaction by collecting feedback data in real-time during a learning session. This established framework captures question characters, student dynamic interactions and engagement trends, which yield a better learning experience with adaptive practice question (PQ) recommendations. Finally, much more endeavors have been made to integrate the proposed EICQ into XXXU intelligent learning systems that are co-developed with the YYY Company. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to enhance the reading comprehension level of Grade 10 students using the 4R Strategy. Framed after Richard Sagor's Four -Stage Model, this action research is designed to determine if there is an improvement in students' reading comprehension after implementing the 4R Strategy. Through purposive sampling method, a total of forty students who belonged to frustration level readers participated in the study. They were then randomly assigned into control group and experimental group. 4R Strategy (Read, Retell, React & Reflect) was employed, and a reading instrument from PHIL-IRI was used to collect the data. There was a Pre Test done before implementing the intervention and a Post Test was conducted after the 15-day session. Mean and Standard Deviation were used to determine the students' comprehension level during Pre-Test and Post Test and to determine how dispersed the scores were. Paired T-Test was also employed to determine the significant difference between the Pre-Test and Post Test Scores. Findings revealed that the 4R Strategy helped improve the reading comprehension level of students as proven by the results of their pre-test and post test scores. This study found out that the 4R strategy was an effective approach in enhancing students' comprehension. Thus, this study recommends adopting 4R Strategy to improve the reading comprehension skills of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to evaluate the reading strategies used by teachers and their effect on the reading performance of Grade 4 learners of Ubaldo D. Laya Memorial Central School, Division of Iligan City for School Year 2023-2024. The study employed descriptive-correlational research design to describe and test the significant relationship exists between teachers' reading strategies and the reading performance of learners and the relationship between teachers' reading strategies used and the reading performance of learners. The result revealed that the teachers primarily utilized remediation strategies with a mean of 3.78 and the intervention strategies with a mean of 2.80. In terms of learners reading performance, the data indicated that a significant portion of learners scored within the highest range (7-8) for reading comprehension while vocabulary acquisition exhibited even stronger performance, with the highest frequency (40) of students scoring in the top range (9-12). Further, the study found out that the learners' reading performance in terms of reading comprehension had a highly significant association with the teachers' reading strategies in terms of remediation. Furthermore, the variables that best predict learners' reading performance in terms of vocabulary acquisition, the findings revealed that the respondents' learners' reading ability in terms of vocabulary acquisition was unaffected by teachers' reading strategies. Therefore, the null hypothesis stating that "there is no variable singly or in combination that best predicts respondents' learners' reading performance in terms of vocabulary acquisition" was not rejected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tracheostomy is a surgical procedure to create an opening in the neck to insert a tube into the trachea to help a person breathe. Proper cleaning and care of the tracheostomy tube is vital to prevent infections. Patients frequently use the internet to learn about tracheostomy tube care before and after the procedure. To assess the readability and reliability of 50 websites providing patient information on tracheostomy tube care. The websites were evaluated using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Gunning Fog score (GF), DISCERN score, and JAMA benchmark criteria. The mean FKGL was 6.2, FRES was 61.9 and GF score was 7.2, indicating moderate overall readability. The reliability scores were average, too, with mean DISCERN and JAMA scores being 3.2 and 1.8, respectively. There is immense scope for improvement in the readability and reliability of online resources on tracheostomy tube care for patients to comprehend the information quickly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing literature lacks a precise understanding of how online facilitation and dialogic discussions can positively impact students' comprehension of the Nature of Science (NoS). This study delves into the experiences of students and facilitators engaged in synchronous and asynchronous online dialogic discussions and e-facilitation to enhance our understanding of NoS. An innovative experiment employed a digital dialogue game to engage postgraduate students in a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) secondary science course. The participants included sixty-five PGCE science students and three lecturers specializing in different science disciplines (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology). Qualitative data collection methods and analysis, including transcripts of online discussions about NoS topics, were followed by critical event recall interviews to identify specific online dialogue events that significantly contributed to the comprehension of NoS. The findings contribute significantly to comprehending students' processes in grasping complex and debatable topics such as Nature of Science (NoS) within online dialogic discussions supported by e-facilitation. They emphasize the importance of establishing an open and expansive dialogic space, with a focus on the crucial roles of e-facilitators. The results also highlight a tension between active and passive roles in both synchronous and asynchronous online discussions. Additionally, the study sheds light on the influence of space, time, and texts in understanding NoS through e-facilitated online dialogic discussions. Notably, the research emphasizes the live chat room's significance within Interloc, accentuating its role as a social space fostering a sense of community and a safe environment for inquiry in online dialogue which supported understanding NoS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In some academic topics, like physics, students are required to comprehend tough books and acquire the knowledge contained in them. The majority of content-specific teachers typically feel awkward employing explicit tactics to boost student comprehension, despite the fact that they are adept at teaching the subjects covered in their areas. As a result, many learners lack the skills necessary to read and understand informational texts across the internet. This study looked at how high school students' comprehension of a digital science text was affected by employing the digital verbal technique while reading the text. The researcher investigated how well each student could read and understand a digital science text by comparing how well they did on a reading test before and after the class. The majority of the study's participants have made progress. The verbal method can be taught to students in one lesson with great effectiveness. Qualitative evidence shows that students who had two lessons on the approach reported using it more frequently when reading digital science texts, despite quantitative findings that demonstrate there is no benefit to training in using a verbal technique more frequently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online reading has become an essential part of our life. Online reading has emerged as an active interdisciplinary field of scientific study in the past two decades. In order to develop a global view of the area, we conducted a bibliometric study on 7486 articles retrieved from WoS and Scopus databases published from 2004 to 2023. We analyzed the development trends in publications and citations, revealed the current major research themes, identified future research topics and most productive authors, affiliations, journals and countries. First, the publications and citations have been growing constantly in the past 20 years. Second, internet, e-book and comprehension have been the most frequently discussed topics. Third, three major themes have been revealed. The first theme emphasized the unique feature of online reading, which included the sub-themes of text features of hypertext, utilization of e-books, online health resources, and social interaction on line. The second theme had to do with education and learning. The third theme was related to health literacy. Fourth, education and medicine would attract researchers' attention in future research. Finally, the USA leads the total publications in the area of online reading. Our study contributed to the theory building by providing a detailed understanding of online reading research from an international perspective. We used two databases, WoS and Scopus, and improved the development of search terms, data filtering and data analysis. Implications for researchers, scientists and educators were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The specific role that Broca's area plays in speech and language has been hotly debated in the literature. Some research has pointed to a specific role in particular aspects of speech production, while other findings have suggested additional roles in aspects of language comprehension. In the current study, we had the opportunity to take a broad approach by analyzing lesion and behavioral data from a large cohort of left hemisphere stroke patients. In this brief report, our objective was to identify which speech-language measures show a significant association with Broca's area, specifically pars opercularis and pars triangularis. Methods: Lesion site and neuropsychological data from 173 chronic left hemisphere stroke patients were analyzed in the current study. Univariate lesion-symptom mapping (LSM) with rigorous correction was used to identify brain regions associated with individual test performance on a large battery of speech and language tasks. Multivariate LSM analyses were conducted in subsequent runs to confirm findings. Results: The LSM results identified many predictable left hemisphere gray and whitematter regions significantly associated with the speech-language data, but Broca's area was not implicated in performance on any speech or language measure. Regions adjacent to Broca's area, however, in left central opercular, precentral, and insular cortices were associated with speech production and motor speech performance. Discussion: The current study failed to identify a single speech or language measure in our comprehensive test battery that was dependent on Broca's area. This finding could not be attributed to a lack of power, as Broca's area had among the highest power values and substantial lesion coverage. Interrogation of data at the individual patient level revealed the likely source of this null finding: Patients with lesions involving Broca's area varied widely in their speech-language performance, with profiles ranging from non-aphasic to Broca's to global aphasia. Given previous studies in acute stroke patients and healthy participants implicating Broca's area in speech-language, the current findings suggest that Broca's area plays a more supplementary than critical role and can be compensated by surrounding brain regions in chronic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]