Can reading accuracy and comprehension be separated in the Neale Analysis of Reading Ability?
BACKGROUND
The Neale Analysis of Reading Ability (NARA) (Neale, 1997) is widely used in education and research. It provides measures of reading accuracy (decoding) and comprehension, which are frequently interpreted separately.


OBJECTIVE
Three studies were conducted to investigate the degree to which the NARA measures could be separated.


METHODS
British 7- and 8-year-olds participated in Study 1 (N=114) and Study 2 (N=212). In Study 3, 16 skilled and less-skilled comprehenders were identified from the Study 2 sample.


METHODS
Study 1: By investigating their contribution to silent reading comprehension, the independence of NARA decoding and comprehension scores was determined. Study 2: Decoding groups matched for listening comprehension were compared on the NARA comprehension measure, and population performance was compared across listening comprehension and NARA reading comprehension. Study 3: Comprehension groups were compared on ability to answer open-ended and forced-choice questions.


RESULTS
Firstly, NARA comprehension performance depended on decoding, to the extent that children with high listening comprehension ability but low decoding ability attained low NARA comprehension scores. Secondly, 32% of children who attained low NARA comprehension scores exhibited high listening comprehension. Thirdly, comprehension groups differed when assessed with open-ended questions but not when assessed with forced-choice questions.


CONCLUSIONS
The NARA can underestimate the comprehension ability of children with weak decoding skills and children who have some difficulty with open-ended questions. The decoding and comprehension measures of the NARA cannot be separated. These findings have important implications for the interpretation of the measures provided by the NARA, in education and research.
Spooner
Alice L R
AL
Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, UK. a.spooner@uclan.ac.uk
Baddeley
Alan D
AD
Gathercole
Susan E
SE
D001076:Aptitude; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007807:Language Tests; D008297:Male; D011932:Reading; D013067:Speech Perception