Vocabulary and reading comprehension of Primary Education students in Chile

Abstract

Reading comprehension involves different skills that make it a complex cognitive activity. The objective of this research was to know the level Chilean students reached regarding vocabulary and reading comprehension, and to analyze the correlation between these two variables. Through a descriptive, correlational and cross-sectional designed study, a total of 206 2nd and 4th grade students were evaluated using standardized and validated tests for Chilean population. The children were from three schools of different socioeconomic levels. The results reveal the levels of development achieved by these students in reading comprehension and vocabulary, as well as the variables that can be considered predictive for reading performance. The data indicates that the lexicon development, educational level and type of school have a significant impact on reading.