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A Meta-Analysis of the Relation between Syntactic Skills and Reading Comprehension: A Cross-Linguistic and Developmental Investigation

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Title: A Meta-Analysis of the Relation between Syntactic Skills and Reading Comprehension: A Cross-Linguistic and Developmental Investigation
Language: English
Authors: Xiuhong Tong (ORCID 0000-0002-2934-5278), Liyan Yu, S. Hélène Deacon
Source: Review of Educational Research. 2025 95(3):385-426.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 42
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Information Analyses
Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Elementary Education
Kindergarten
Primary Education
Elementary Secondary Education
Descriptors: Meta Analysis, Reading Comprehension, Kindergarten, Elementary Secondary Education, Contrastive Linguistics, Language Classification, Chinese, Syntax, Language Skills, Native Language, Instructional Program Divisions, Task Analysis, Prediction
DOI: 10.3102/00346543241228185
ISSN: 0034-6543
1935-1046
Abstract: Theories of reading comprehension have widely predicted a role for syntactic skills, or the ability to understand and manipulate the structure of a sentence. Yet, these theories are based primarily on English, leaving open the question of whether this remains true across typologically different languages such as English versus Chinese. There are substantial differences in the sentence structures of Chinese versus English, making the comparison of the two particularly interesting. We conducted a meta-analysis contrasting the relation between syntactic skills and reading comprehension in first language readers of English versus Chinese. We test the influence of languages as well as the influence of the grade and the metrics on the magnitude of this relation. We identified 59 studies published between 1986 and 2021, generating 234 effect sizes involving 15,212 participants from kindergarten to high school and above. The magnitude of effects was remarkably similar for studies of English (r = 0.54) and Chinese (r = 0.54) readers, with similarities at key developmental points and syntactic tasks. There was also some evidence of modulation by grade levels and the nature of syntactic tasks. These findings confirm theory-based predictions of the importance of syntactic skills to reading comprehension. Extending these predictions, demonstrating these effects for both English and Chinese suggests a universal influence of syntactic skills on reading comprehension.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1471311
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: A Meta-Analysis of the Relation between Syntactic Skills and Reading Comprehension: A Cross-Linguistic and Developmental Investigation
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Xiuhong+Tong%22">Xiuhong Tong</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2934-5278">0000-0002-2934-5278</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Liyan+Yu%22">Liyan Yu</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22S%2E+Hélène+Deacon%22">S. Hélène Deacon</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Review+of+Educational+Research%22"><i>Review of Educational Research</i></searchLink>. 2025 95(3):385-426.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 42
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Information Analyses<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Kindergarten%22">Kindergarten</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Primary+Education%22">Primary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.3102/00346543241228185
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  Data: 0034-6543<br />1935-1046
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  Data: Theories of reading comprehension have widely predicted a role for syntactic skills, or the ability to understand and manipulate the structure of a sentence. Yet, these theories are based primarily on English, leaving open the question of whether this remains true across typologically different languages such as English versus Chinese. There are substantial differences in the sentence structures of Chinese versus English, making the comparison of the two particularly interesting. We conducted a meta-analysis contrasting the relation between syntactic skills and reading comprehension in first language readers of English versus Chinese. We test the influence of languages as well as the influence of the grade and the metrics on the magnitude of this relation. We identified 59 studies published between 1986 and 2021, generating 234 effect sizes involving 15,212 participants from kindergarten to high school and above. The magnitude of effects was remarkably similar for studies of English (r = 0.54) and Chinese (r = 0.54) readers, with similarities at key developmental points and syntactic tasks. There was also some evidence of modulation by grade levels and the nature of syntactic tasks. These findings confirm theory-based predictions of the importance of syntactic skills to reading comprehension. Extending these predictions, demonstrating these effects for both English and Chinese suggests a universal influence of syntactic skills on reading comprehension.
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: EJ1471311
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        Value: 10.3102/00346543241228185
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        StartPage: 385
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      – SubjectFull: Meta Analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Comprehension
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Kindergarten
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary Secondary Education
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      – SubjectFull: Syntax
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      – SubjectFull: Language Skills
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      – SubjectFull: Prediction
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      – TitleFull: A Meta-Analysis of the Relation between Syntactic Skills and Reading Comprehension: A Cross-Linguistic and Developmental Investigation
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