Early strategies of elementary school children’s single word reading

According to the Overlapping Waves Model, children’s strategy use in performing academic skills is variable and adaptive and changes gradually with age and experience. In the context of children’s numerical and arithmetical development, several findings confirm the assumptions of the model. In this study, elementary school children in 2nd (n = 30) and 4th (n = 28) grade, with comparable IQ and reading achievement scores were confronted with different single word tasks (common and uncommon words, word-similar and -dissimilar pseudowords) to trigger different reading strategies. Strategy behavior was identified by video analysis and children’s self-report. The analyses of the data confirm the validity of the Overlapping Waves Model in the context of single word reading. Children in both grades showed variable and multiple usage of strategies and reacted adaptively when reading words of the different categories. Moreover, older children used more elaborated strategies and were more efficient in their strategy choice.

► We tested the assumptions of the Overlapping Waves model in single word reading.
► Children in 2nd and 4th grade showed multiple, variable and adaptive strategy usage.
► Older children used more elaborated reading strategies and were more efficient.