Reading rate in spanish-speaking students: A meta-analysis // Velocidad lectora en alumnado hispanohablante: un metaanálisis

Abstract

Reading rate is a measure related to reading comprehension, especially in languages with a transparent orthography such as Spanish. In spite of its potential for the follow-up of student reading learning or for the detection of dyslexia, there are few references that indicate the reading speed in Spanish in the different grades. In this work a meta-analysis is carried out to synthesize the available information and to detect which variables influence the reading speed. In this meta-analysis 45 publications are located that offer 113 measures of reading aloud and 54 of silent reading. The grade accounts for around 70% of the variance of reading rate results. The results are very heterogeneous and none of the variables chosen as moderators can explain this heterogeneity. However, moderator analysis show results that indicate a lower reading speed in Spanish American students than in Spanish students, lower speed in correct word per minute measurements than in word per minute measurements, and differences, at least in the early Elementary courses, according to the term in which the measurement is made. The meta-analysis offers the combined reading rate data aloud and silently from the first Elementary Education course to High School Juniors. In a few cases, these references can be broken down by terms. In comparison with other sources, it is surprising that those obtained here indicate slower speeds than those estimated in English.