Text Readability Level and Developmental Differences in Context Effects

Abstract

Vocalization latency of target words which were either congruous or incongruous with a story context was measured. The readability level of the story contexts was varied. Third and sixth grade children each read stories which were of grade-appropriate level as well as stories with readability levels which were above their present grade level. The effect of story context on mean vocalization latency was greater for the third as compared to the sixth graders when grade-appropriate level stories were presented. However, these developmental differences in context effects were reduced when more difficult readability level stories were presented.