What Strategies Do Less-Skilled Adult Readers Use to Read Words, and How Aware Are They of These Strategies?

Abstract

Less-skilled adult readers have been found to be limited in their awareness and use of effective reading strategies. In this study, we aimed to (a) identify the strategies used by less-skilled adult readers that best predict word reading performance on standardized reading tests and (b) identify the word reading strategies that less-skilled adult readers reported using, as well as the extent to which these reports correlated with direct observations of reading behaviors. Results indicated that readers relied on six main strategies to read unknown words, but only two significantly contributed to prediction of actual word reading performance. These were also the two strategies that were most poorly understood by the readers. The findings emphasize the need for programs to incorporate methods to increase metacognitive awareness and strategy use in adults with reading difficulties.