Objectives

Many researches indicate that a core predictor of reading competency after early adolescence appears to be the previous reading performance (Entwisle, Alexander & Olson, 2004; Stanovich 1986). However, this may not apply for children and adolescents from underprivileged families because these may underperform when entering school, and therefore, have high potential to improve over the years.

We focus on students from disadvantaged neighborhoods in a large German city (Bremen). Because the reproduction of disparities in European societies should be overcome, policy makers are interested in research findings which may be helpful to design interventions for disadvantaged families. In this population we analyze influential factors for the fifth and seventh grade students’ actual and future reading competency.

Theoretical framework

In general, the development of advanced reading competency is determined by family, school, and individual factors. The reading socialization in families has an important effect on children’s reading competency from early childhood on (Bus, van Ijzendoorn, & Pellegrini, 1995; Sénéchal & LeFevre, 2002; Snow, 1987). Several supporting family practices like reading books or conversations between family members are highly associated with parents’ higher education. As a consequence, children from socioeconomic disadvantaged families have less supporting family practices and unfavorable prerequisites for the development of reading competencies when they enter school. Also, parents have an important function in their children´s academic lives in general. For instance, it may be assumed that parenting styles influence the child development (Baumrind, 1991).

The meaning of school as a place for reading socialization may be greater for disadvantaged children and adolescents, because these get less parental support as children from privileged families (Entwisle, Alexander & Olson, 2004). This disparity induces school to take a more considerable role in reading socialization. Although, other positive factors like teachers support or good student-teacher relationship should be supportive for the competency development of all students (Sweet & Snow, 2003).

The development of advanced reading competency also depends on motivational factors. In general, girls have more interest in reading and do also read more. This may end up in differential development of reading competencies of boys and girls.

Research Questions

Our objective is to predict the increase of students’ reading competency in the 5^th and 7^th grade in a sample of disadvantaged students. Specifically, we will follow the next three key issues.

1) Family and school are important for reading socialization of children. Therefore, we investigate:   Will family and school factors have a positive effect on increase of students’ reading competency when the individual motivation is considered?

2) The development of reading competency may be delayed in disadvantaged children, because they may not get the support from their parents as privileged students do. Therefore, we investigate:
Are the effects of family and school factors the same in the 5^th and in the 7^th grade?

3) The development of reading competency may differ between boys and girls. Therefore, we investigate: Are the effects of family and school factors equal for boys and girls?

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