What Explains the Relations Between Reading Comprehension and Written Composition? Findings from a Longitudinal Study

Purpose This study investigated the relation between reading comprehension and written composition in Grade 2, as well as how language and literacy skills explain this connection. Additionally, it explored how kindergarten language, cognitive, and literacy skills relate to Grade 2 reading comprehension and written composition through Grade 2 language and literacy skills.Method The study followed 261 English-speaking students (55% boys) from kindergarten through grade 2 in the US. The sample’s racial composition in kindergarten was 53% white, 33% African American, 3% Hispanic, and 5% mixed race. Grade 2 skills included reading comprehension, written composition, oral discourse skills, lexical literacy skills, and handwriting fluency. Kindergarten assessments covered a broader range of language, cognitive, and literacy skills.Results Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a strong correlation (.82) between reading comprehension and written composition. Structural equation modeling showed that grade 2 oral discourse language and lexical literacy skills were related to both reading comprehension and writing quality, and accounted for their relation. Handwriting fluency was uniquely related to written composition but not to reading comprehension. Kindergarten skills made substantial indirect contributions to grade 2 reading comprehension and writing quality through grade 2 language and literacy skills.Conclusion The results indicate that reading comprehension and written composition are strongly related for beginning readers and writers, and support the shared skills hypothesis for their relation. Findings also reveal the nature of the influence of kindergarten skills on grade 2 skills.