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- Byrne, Brian, et al.
(författare)
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A behaviour-genetic analysis of orthographic learning, spelling and decoding
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of research in reading (Print). - : Wiley. - 0141-0423 .- 1467-9817. ; 31:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- As part of a longitudinal twin study of literacy and language, we conducted a behaviour-genetic analysis of orthographic learning, spelling and decoding in Grade 2 children (225 identical and 214 fraternal twin pairs) in the United States and Australia. Each variable showed significant genetic and unique environment influences. Multivariate analyses revealed very high genetic correlations among the variables, indicating that the same genes are involved in their aetiology. These genes are partly independent of those contributing to intelligence. A further analysis indicated that the covariation between decoding and orthographic learning is mediated by shared genes rather than by a direct causal path. The authors argue that a learning parameter, most directly assessed by orthographic learning in this study, underlies all three literacy variables. The results are also discussed in relation to Share's self-teaching hypothesis, which may require modification. © United Kingdom Literacy Association 2008.
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| 2. |
- Byrne, Brian, et al.
(författare)
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Genetic and environmental influences on aspects of literacy and language in early childhood : Continuity and change from preschool to Grade 2
- 2009
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Ingår i: JOURNAL OF NEUROLINGUISTICS. - : Elsevier BV. - 0911-6044. ; 22:3, s. 219-236
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Early literacy and language skills of twin children in the USA, Australia, and Scandinavia were explored in a genetically sensitive design (maximum N = 615 pairs). For this article, we report aspects of preschool and Grade 2 data. In Grade 2, there were strong genetic influences on word reading, reading comprehension, and spelling. Vocabulary was about equally affected by genes and shared environment. Multivariate analyses indicated substantial genetic overlap among the Grade 2 literacy variables. Longitudinal analyses showed that genetic factors evident at the preschool stage continued to affect literacy and vocabulary three years later in Grade 2, but there was also evidence of new genetic factors coming into play over the time interval, at least for literacy. Suggestions are made about the search for underlying biological and cognitive processes, and educational implications are explored.
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| 3. |
- Byrne, Brian, et al.
(författare)
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Genetic and environmental influences on early literacy
- 2006
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Ingår i: Journal of research in reading (Print). - : Wiley. - 0141-0423 .- 1467-9817. ; 29:1, s. 33-49
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Prereading and early reading skills of preschool twin children in Australia, Scandinavia and the United States were explored in a genetically sensitive design (max. N = 627 preschool pairs and 422 kindergarten pairs). Analyses indicated a strong genetic influence on preschool phonological awareness, rapid naming and verbal memory. Print awareness, vocabulary and grammar/morphology were subject primarily to shared environment effects. There were significant genetic and shared environment correlations among the preschool traits. Kindergarten reading, phonological awareness and rapid naming were primarily affected by genes, and spelling was equally affected by genes and shared environment. Multivariate analyses revealed genetic and environmental overlap and independence among kindergarten variables. Longitudinal analyses showed genetic continuity as well as change in phonological awareness and rapid naming across the 2 years. Relations among the preschool variables of print awareness, phonological awareness and rapid naming and kindergarten reading were also explored in longitudinal analyses. Educational implications are discussed. © United Kingdom Literacy Association 2006.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Byrne, Brian, et al.
(författare)
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Longitudinal twin study of early literacy development : Preschool and kindergarten phases
- 2005
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Ingår i: Scientific Studies of Reading. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1088-8438 .- 1532-799X. ; 9:3, s. 219-235
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We conducted behavior-genetic analyses of kindergarten reading, spelling, phonological awareness, rapid naming, and spoken sentence processing in 172 pairs of monozygotic and 153 pairs of same-sex dizygotic twin kindergarten children sampled in the United States and Australia. We also modeled progress from preschool to kindergarten in literacy-related variables, with larger numbers of twins contributing to the preschool phase. Reading, phonological awareness, and rapid naming at kindergarten showed substantial effects of genes and modest effects of shared environment, spelling was influenced by genes and environment equally, and sentence processing was affected primarily by shared environment. Longitudinal analyses indicated that the same genes affect phonological awareness in preschool and kinder garten but that a new genetic factor comes into play in rapid naming as letters and digits are introduced in kindergarten. At preschool, print knowledge and phonological awareness share one source of genetic influence, which in turn affects reading and spelling in kindergarten. Phonological awareness is subject to a second genetic factor, but only the one it shares with print also influences kindergarten reading and spelling. In contrast to the genetic effects, a single source of shared environment affects preschool print knowledge and phonological awareness and kindergarten reading. The results are discussed in the context of theoretical and practical issues in literacy development. Copyright © 2005, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
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| 6. |
- Byrne, Brian, et al.
(författare)
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Longitudinal twin study of early literacy development : Preschool through Grade 1
- 2007
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Ingår i: Reading and writing. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0922-4777 .- 1573-0905. ; 20:1-2, s. 77-102
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Grade 1 literacy skills of twin children in Australia (New South Wales) and the United States (Colorado) were explored in a genetically sensitive design (N = 319 pairs). Analyses indicated strong genetic influence on word and nonword identification, reading comprehension, and spelling. Rapid naming showed more modest, though reliable, genetic influence. Phonological awareness was subject to high nonshared environment and no reliable genetic effects, and individual measures of memory and learning were also less affected by genes than nonshared environment. Multivariate analyses showed that the same genes affected word identification, reading comprehension, and spelling. Country comparisons indicated that the patterns of genetic influence on reading and spelling in Grade 1 were similar, though for the U.S. but not the Australian children new genes came on stream in the move from kindergarten to Grade 1. We suggest that this is because the more intensive kindergarten literacy curriculum in New South Wales compared with Colorado, consistent with the mean differences between the two countries, means that more of the genes are "online" sooner in Australia because of accelerated overall reading development. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2007.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Byrne, Brian, et al.
(författare)
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Multivariate genetic analysis of learning and early reading development
- 2013
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Ingår i: Scientific Studies of Reading. - : Routledge. - 1088-8438 .- 1532-799X. ; 17:3, s. 224-242
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The genetic factor structure of a range of learning measures was explored in twin children, recruited in preschool and followed to Grade 2 (N = 2,084). Measures of orthographic learning and word reading were included in the analyses to determine how these patterned with the learning processes. An exploratory factor analysis of the genetic correlations among the variables indicated a three-factor model. Vocabulary tests loaded on the first factor, the Grade 2 measures of word reading and orthographic learning, plus preschool letter knowledge, loaded on the second, and the third was characterized by tests of verbal short-term memory. The three genetic factors correlated, with the second (print) factor showing the most specificity. We conclude that genetically influenced learning processes underlying print–speech integration, foreshadowed by preschool letter knowledge, have a degree of independence from genetic factors affecting spoken language. We also argue that the psychology and genetics of associative learning be afforded a more central place in studies of reading (dis)ability and suggest some links to molecular studies of the genetics of learning.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Byrne, Brian, et al.
(författare)
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Teacher Effects in Early Literacy Development: Evidence From a Study of Twins
- 2010
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Ingår i: Journal of Educational Psychology. - : Apa American Psychological Association. - 0022-0663 .- 1939-2176. ; 102:1, s. 32-42
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- It is often assumed that differences in teacher characteristics area major source of variability in childrens educational achievements. We examine this assumption for early literacy achievement by calculating the correlations between pairs of twin children who either shared or did not share a teacher in kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2. Teacher effects-or, more strictly, classroom effects-would show up as higher correlations for same-class than for different-class twin pairs. Same-class correlations were generally higher than different-class correlations.. though not significantly so on most occasions. On the basis of the results, we estimate that the maximum variance accounted for by being assigned to the same or different classrooms is 8%. This is an upper-bound figure for a teacher effect because factors other than teachers may contribute to variation attributable to classroom assignment. We discuss the limitations of the study and draw out some of its educational implications.
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