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Measuring knowledge of multiple word meanings in children with English as a first and an additional language and the relationship to reading comprehension

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 March 2021

Sophie A BOOTON Open the ORCID record for Sophie A BOOTON [Opens in a new window] ,
Alex HODGKISS ,
Sandra MATHERS Open the ORCID record for Sandra MATHERS [Opens in a new window]  and
Victoria A MURPHY
Sophie A BOOTON*
Affiliation:
Department of Education, University of Oxford, UK
Alex HODGKISS
Affiliation:
Department of Education, University of Oxford, UK
Sandra MATHERS
Affiliation:
Department of Education, University of Oxford, UK
Victoria A MURPHY
Affiliation:
Department of Education, University of Oxford, UK
*
Corresponding author: Department of Education, University of Oxford, 15 Norham Gardens, Oxford, OX2 6PY, UK. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Polysemy, or the property of words having multiple meanings, is a prevalent feature of vocabulary. In this study we validated a new measure of polysemy knowledge for children with English as an additional language (EAL) and a first language (EL1) and examined the relationship between polysemy knowledge and age, language status, and reading comprehension. Participants were 112 British children aged 5 to 6 (n = 61) or 8 to 9 years (n = 51), 37% of whom had EAL (n = 41). Participants completed the new measure of knowledge of polysemes, along with other measures of language, literacy and cognitive ability. The new measure was reliable and valid with EAL and EL1 children. Age and language status predicted children's polyseme knowledge. Polyseme knowledge uniquely contributed to reading comprehension after controlling for age, language status, non-verbal intelligence, time reading in English, and breadth of vocabulary. This research underscores the importance of polysemy for children's linguistic development.

Keywords

polysemysecond languagevocabulary
Type
Article
Information
Journal of Child Language , Volume 49 , Issue 1 , January 2022 , pp. 164 - 196
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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