Executive Functioning and Reading Comprehension
Presentation Type
Oral/Paper Presentation
Abstract
As a newer area of reading research, executive functioning skills have been proposed to account for individual variation in reading comprehension beyond the contribution of decoding and language skills. Several studies ranging from the United States to Great Britain show reading comprehension is both directly and indirectly related to working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibition. Therefore, these skills are believed to be an integrated component for reading comprehension. As students enter into the classroom with varying levels of decoding and linguistic comprehension, educators, interventionists, and key stakeholders may also be tasked with considering the role of the child’s executive functioning development in his or her literacy growth. This session will provide an overview of recent research on reading and executive functioning as well as implications for educators and reading professionals as they support students with these key skills.
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Sarah Duncan
Recommended Citation
Gatewood, Kenda, "Executive Functioning and Reading Comprehension" (2025). Student Scholar Symposium. 17.
https://digitalcollections.lipscomb.edu/student_scholars_symposium/2025/Full_schedule/17
Executive Functioning and Reading Comprehension
As a newer area of reading research, executive functioning skills have been proposed to account for individual variation in reading comprehension beyond the contribution of decoding and language skills. Several studies ranging from the United States to Great Britain show reading comprehension is both directly and indirectly related to working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibition. Therefore, these skills are believed to be an integrated component for reading comprehension. As students enter into the classroom with varying levels of decoding and linguistic comprehension, educators, interventionists, and key stakeholders may also be tasked with considering the role of the child’s executive functioning development in his or her literacy growth. This session will provide an overview of recent research on reading and executive functioning as well as implications for educators and reading professionals as they support students with these key skills.