Contributions of Individual Differences and Contextual Variables to Reading Achievement of English Language Learners: An Empirical Investigation Using Hierarchical Linear Modeling

• Published in: TESOL quarterly Vol. 47; no. 2; pp. 323 - 351
• Main Authors: Ardasheva, Yuliya, Tretter, Thomas R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley-Blackwell 01.06.2013
• Subjects: Age Differences; Cognitive Processes; Disadvantaged Youth; Educational Attainment; Elementary School Students; English Language Learners; Hierarchical Linear Modeling; High School Students; Individual Differences; Institutional Characteristics; Kentucky; Language Assessment Scales (De Avila and Duncan); Language Proficiency; Literacy; Metacognition; Middle School Students; Mothers; Native Language; Parent Influence; Reading Achievement; Strategy Inventory for Language Learning; Urban Schools; Kentucky
• ISSN: 0039-8322
• DOI: 10.1002/tesq.72

This nonexperimental study explored the relationships among individual differences, contextual variables, and reading achievement of English language learners (ELLs) in one large urban school district in the United States. The sample comprised 840 students in Grades 3-8 and 10 nested within 37 schools. Hierarchical linear modeling results indicate that English proficiency, metacognitive strategies, native language literacy, and school-quality indicators--four variables potentially under the control of the educational system--positively contributed to student reading achievement. The final model explained 36% of the within-school and 79% of the between-school variance in reading achievement. Controlling for other variables, ELLs with disadvantaged educational backgrounds appeared to perform on par with their more educationally advantaged counterparts. These results suggest that schools may play a greater role in supporting ELLs with disadvantaged educational backgrounds. (Contains 2 tables and 7 footnotes.)