Monica Melby-Lervåg

Melby-Lervåg, M. & Hulme, C. (2010). Serial and Free Recall in children can be improved by training: Evidence for the importance of phonological and semantic representations in immediate memory tasks. Psychological Science, 21(11), 1694- 1700

Melby-Lervåg, M., Lyster, S.A.H., & Hulme, C. (2012). Phonological skills and their role in learning to read: A meta-analytic review.  Psychological Bulletin, 138(2), 322-352

Melby-Lervåg, M. & Hulme, C. (2012). Is working memory training effective? A meta-analytic review. Developmental Psychology, doi: 10.1037/a0028228. Free Download

Melby-Lervåg, M., Lervåg, A., et al. & Hulme, C. (2012). Nonword-Repetition Ability Does Not  Appear to Be a Causal Influence on Children’s Vocabulary Development Psychological Science, doi: 10.1177/0956797612443833

Melby-Lervåg, M. & Lervåg A. (2012). Oral Language Skills Moderate Nonword Repetition Skills in  Children with Dyslexia: A Meta-analysis of the role of Nonword Repetition Skills in Dyslexia. Scientific Studies of Reading, 16(1),  1-34. Free download

Melby-Lervåg, M. & Lervåg, A. (2011). Cross-linguistic transfer of oral language, decoding,  phonological awareness and reading comprehension.  Journal of Research in Reading, 1, 114-   135. Free download

Melby-Lervåg, M. & Lervåg, A. (2013). Reading comprehension and its underlying   components in second language learners: A Meta-analysis of Studies Comparing First and  Second Language Learners. Accepted for revision Psychological Bulletin, online first Free downlaod

Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2011). Effekten av språkstimulering i førskolelader [i.e. førskolealder] på senere leseforståelse : hva kan forskning fortelle oss?. Spesialpedagogikk.  ISSN 0332-8457.  76(2), s 41- 51

Lervåg, Arne Ola & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2009). Muntlig språk, ordavkoding og leseforståelse hos tospråklige: En sammenfatning av empiriske studier. Norsk pedagogisk tidsskrift.  ISSN 0029-2052.  93(4), s 264- 279 . Free Download

Hulme, C. & Melby-Lervåg, M., & (2012). Current Evidence Does not Support the Claims  made for CogMed Working Memory Training. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition. Online first.

Melby-Lervåg, M. & Lervåg, A. (2014). Effects from educational interventions on reading comprehension and its  underlying components. Child Development Perspectives, Volume 8, Issue 2, pages 96–100 DOI: 10.1111/cdep.12068

Hulme, C. & Melby-Lervåg, M. (2016). Effects from Interventions for Psychological Learning and Behavioural Disorders in Children. In 6^th edition of Rutter’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Eds. A. Thapar, D.S. Pine et al. PP. 533-545. UK: Wiley Blackwell.

Snowling, M. & Melby-Lervåg, M. (2016). Oral Language Deficits in Familial Dyslexia: A Meta-analysis and Review. Psychological Bulletin, Vol 142(5), May 2016, 498-545. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/bul0000037  FREE DOWNLOAD

Hjetland, H. Brinchman, E.I. Lyster, S.A.H, & Melby-Lervåg, M. (2014). Preschool Predictors of Later Reading  Comprehension Ability: A Systematic Review. Title proposal published in the library of systematic reviews, Campbell  Collaboration.

Rogde, K. , Hagen, Å.M., Lervåg, A. & Melby-Lervåg, M. (2014). The Effect of Language Comprehension Training on Standardized Tests: A Systematic Review, Title proposal published in the library of systematic reviews, Campbell  Collaboration,

Rogde, K., Melby-Lervåg, M, & Lervåg, A. (2016). Improving the Linguistic Comprehension Skills of Second- Language Learners In Preschool: A Randomised Trial Study. Online first Journal of research in educational  effectiveness, doi 10.1080/19345747.2016.1171935 

• Donolato, Enrica; caviola, sara; masi, alice; Lervåg, Arne & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2026). Attitudes and emotions in the context of mathematical learning: A systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention studies. Educational Research Review. ISSN 1747-938X. doi: https:/www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1747938X26000540. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Nergård-Nilssen, Trude; Furnes, Bjarte Reidar; Caglar-Ryeng, Ømur; Friborg, Oddgeir & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2026). Improving Reading Comprehension Through Language Comprehension and Early Word Reading: A Multisite Randomized Trial. Journal of Educational Psychology. ISSN 0022-0663. 118(4), s. 484–503. doi: 10.1037/edu0001017. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  This randomized controlled trial examined the effectiveness of the UiT-ReadWell program, a reading and language intervention for children aged 7–9 (second and third grades) identified as at risk for reading disorders through national reading assessments. The intervention aimed to improve reading comprehension by targeting both language comprehension and decoding (word reading) skills. A total of 415 students were randomly assigned to either the experimental group, which received four weekly 45-min sessions over 24 weeks (92 sessions in total), or the control group, which continued with standard classroom instruction. Primary outcomes included language comprehension and word reading, whereas reading comprehension was assessed as a secondary outcome. Postintervention results demonstrated that students in the UiT-ReadWell program achieved significantly greater improvements than the control group in decoding (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.26), language comprehension (SMD = 0.20), and reading comprehension (SMD = 0.26). These gains were sustained at a 6-month follow-up (decoding: SMD = 0.22; language comprehension: SMD = 0.16; reading comprehension: SMD = 0.24). Mediation analyses revealed that improvements in reading comprehension were facilitated by improved word reading and language comprehension, accounting for ∼27% and ∼34% of the total effect, respectively. This study highlights the efficacy of a comprehensive intervention that simultaneously addresses word reading and language comprehension, leading to lasting improvements in reading comprehension. The findings have significant theoretical and practical implications, offering valuable insights for future research and educational practices to support children at risk for reading difficulties.

• Dolean, Dacian; Lervåg, Arne & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2026). The Effectiveness of a Language ComprehensionIntervention on the Language, Reading, and Writing Skillsof Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students. Reading Research Quarterly. ISSN 0034-0553. 61(3). doi: 10.1002/rrq.70123. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  This pre-registered randomized controlled trial tests the impact of a language comprehension intervention on the language and literacy of 448 upper elementary Roma and non-Roma students from socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. The students from the intervention group participated in 132 language comprehension intervention sessions (designed by a research team) which focused on Tier 2 vocabulary instruction and development of expressive language skills. The control group received language instruction designed by their classroom teachers. The effects were statistically significant immediately after the intervention and 8 months later on the words taught during the intervention, and on the listening and reading comprehension of stories which included taught words. The effects on the standardized vocabulary were statistically significant immediately after the intervention only for the students with weaker initial standardized vocabulary. There was also a significant main effect on standardized vocabulary 8 months after the intervention. There were no statistically significant effects on standardized tests of word reading, written composition, listening and reading comprehension. When controlling for compliance, results showed the same pattern, but with slightly larger effect sizes. Monolingual Roma and non-Roma students improved at a similar rate on most measures, but the effects were significantly smaller for bilingual Roma students on vocabulary and listening comprehension tests which included taught words. Thus, language comprehension interventions targeting socioeconomically disadvantaged students can have limited positive effects on the language and literacy development. Future studies should examine whether more comprehensive interventions targeting broader aspects of children's lives might have more profound effects.

• Hagen, Åste Mjelve; Rogde, Kristin; Lervåg, Arne; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Norbury, Courtenay Frazier (2026). Long-term prognosis of low language proficiency in children: Report. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
• Yang, Junyi; Furnes, Bjarte Reidar; Morken, Frøydis; Hanssen, Natallia Bahdanovich; Lie, Janaina Hartveit & Melby-Lervåg, Monica [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2026). Screen Use and Children’s Language Development From Ages 5 to 7 Years. JAMA pediatrics. ISSN 2168-6203. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2026.3490. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Importance: Concerns about screen use and early language development are widespread, and prior research has reported mixed findings. Many studies have not distinguished baseline differences from developmental change, leaving uncertainty about whether screen use is associated with actual language development in early childhood. Objective: To examine associations between children’s and parental screen use and children’s language development from ages 5 to 7 years. Design, Setting, and Participants: This population-based prospective cohort study included children recruited through municipalities across Norway in 2023. Children were followed up annually for 3 waves. Data were analyzed from September 2025 to March 2026. Exposures: Parent-reported child daily screen time (weekday and weekend weighted average), child digital device ownership, maternal and paternal daily social media use, and primary parent smartphone screen time at the onset of the study. Main Outcomes and Measures: Receptive vocabulary and receptive grammar were assessed annually using the British Picture Vocabulary Scale and the Test for Reception of Grammar. Latent growth modeling was used to estimate baseline language levels and developmental trajectories from ages 5 to 7 years, adjusting for parental education and household income. Results: A total of 747 children (mean [SD] age, 4.9 [0.3] years; 360 of 718 female [50.1%]) were included in this study. Most screen use indicators were not associated with children’s language growth. However, primary parent smartphone screen time was associated with slower growth in receptive vocabulary; each additional 1 hour per day was associated with 0.42 slower annual growth in receptive vocabulary raw score (95% CI, −0.66 to −0.18). Children who owned a digital device at age 4 to 5 years scored lower at baseline as follows: 5.13 points lower in receptive vocabulary (95% CI, −7.43 to −2.82) and 4.56 points lower in receptive grammar (95% CI, −7.56 to −1.55) compared with children who did not own a device. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, primary parent smartphone screen time was associated with slower growth in children’s receptive vocabulary, whereas children’s digital device ownership was associated with lower concurrent language performance. These findings highlight the importance of considering screen use within the broader family context when evaluating children’s language development and are potentially informative for parents and clinicians.

• Hagen, Åste Marie Mjelve; Rogde, Kristin; Lervåg, Arne Ola; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Norbury, Courtenay Frazier (2026). Long-term prognosis of low language proficiency in children. The Cochrane library. doi: 10.1002/14651858.cd015268.pub2. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background Low language proficiency (LLP) affects up to 10% of children, depending on how it is defined, and is a known risk factor for academic and social difficulties. Despite growing awareness, there is limited consensus on the long‐term consequences of LLP across quality of life domains. This review synthesises evidence from longitudinal cohort studies to evaluate long‐term risks associated with LLP identified between ages four and eight, with follow‐up from age 12 onwards. Objectives To examine the long‐term outcomes of children aged four to eight years with low language proficiency (LLP), in terms of language, literacy, and quality of life across five WHO domains (physical, psychological, independence, social relationships, and environment). Search methods CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, ERIC, and 17 other databases were searched without language or date restrictions. In addition, reference lists were checked, citation searching was conducted, and study authors were contacted to identify additional studies. The most recent search was completed in March 2025. Selection criteria We included prospective or retrospective longitudinal cohort studies that identified children with LLP between ages four and eight years and assessed outcomes at age 12 or older. Studies could include comparison groups or single‐cohort designs. LLP was defined either using standardised diagnostic criteria (≤ –1 SD on normed language measures, encompassing ~10–15% of the population) or clinical judgement by qualified professionals. Data collection and analysis We extracted data on language, literacy, and World Health Organization (WHO) quality of life domains and used robust variance estimation (RVE) meta‐analysis models, including hierarchical and correlated effects models. Effect sizes were reported as Hedges' g or risk ratios (RR), with Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) applied to each outcome domain. We conducted sensitivity and moderator analyses and assessed small‐study effects. Main results We included 80 studies; 72 contributed to meta‐analyses across 15 independent cohorts (≈ 28,828 participants). Studies were published between 1982 and 2024 and conducted in Europe and North America. Risk of bias, assessed across study participation, attrition, and outcome measurement, varied; only three studies were at low risk across all assessed domains, with study attrition most frequently rated as moderate or high. Language outcomes showed large adverse associations in long‐term follow‐up (145 effect sizes; 11 cohorts; Hedges’ g = –1.36, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) –1.80 to –0.92; moderate certainty). Literacy outcomes were similarly affected (86 effect sizes; 7 cohorts; g = –1.12, 95% CI –1.28 to –0.96; high certainty). Physical outcomes were reported in only one study and could not be meta‐analysed; evidence was insufficient to draw conclusions. Psychological outcomes showed moderate adverse associations (91 effect sizes; 7 cohorts; g = –0.50, 95% CI –0.80 to –0.19; moderate certainty), with risk ratio analyses indicating lower probability of favourable psychological outcomes (RR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.42 to 0.67). Independence outcomes showed smaller and more uncertain associations (17 effect sizes; 2 cohorts; g = –0.59, 95% CI –1.35 to 0.18; low certainty). Social relationship outcomes showed moderate adverse associations (35 effect sizes; 6 cohorts; g = –0.64, 95% CI –1.35 to 0.07; moderate certainty). Environmental outcomes showed large but imprecise adverse associations (23 effect sizes; 5 cohorts; g = –1.10, 95% CI –1.47 to –0.73; moderate certainty). Across domains, sensitivity analyses supported the robustness of findings, although degrees of freedom were often low due to the limited number of independent cohorts. Where binary outcome data were available, risk ratio estimates were directionally consistent with continuous outcomes but frequently imprecise. Authors' conclusions Early low language proficiency (LLP) is consistently associated with substantial long‐term language and literacy difficulties. LLP is also associated with poorer psychological well‐being and social relationship outcomes later in life, with moderate certainty of evidence. Associations with independence outcomes are smaller and more uncertain, reflecting limited data and low certainty. Environmental outcomes, including education, employment, and societal participation, show large adverse associations, although estimates are imprecise due to the small number of contributing cohorts. Physical health outcomes remain under‐researched. Taken together, these findings indicate that childhood LLP is not a transient delay but a marker of enduring developmental vulnerability, underscoring the need for sustained identification and support across developmental stages. Further high‐quality longitudinal studies are needed, particularly in under‐represented outcome domains.

• Oxman, Matthew Prescott; Cusack, Leila; Verdugo-Paiva, Francisca; Ávila, Camila; Peña, Javiera & Novillo, Francisco [Vis alle 10 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2026). Do studies of interventions to improve laypeople's critical thinking about health choices assess potential harms? A systematic review. BMJ Open. 16, s. 1–14. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-108268. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Objectives To make informed health choices, and avoid waste and unnecessary suffering, people need critical thinking skills. However, like health interventions, educational interventions can have adverse effects. In this systematic review, the objective was to assess the extent to which researchers have included potential adverse effects in studies of interventions intended to improve the critical thinking of laypeople about health choices. Design This study was a systematic review, in which we updated the search for an earlier systematic review of intended effects of relevant interventions. The earlier review did not address potential adverse effects. We did not update the analysis of intended effects. Data sources We searched Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Embase, Epistemonikos, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) and Web of Science up to March 2025. In addition to studies from the original review and updated search, we included any additional studies included in a similar, even earlier review. Our unit of analysis was study report (eg, journal article). Eligibility criteria We included all studies from the original review. We applied the same inclusion criteria to the results of the updated search: the study included a comparison, the population was laypeople and the intervention was intended to improve understanding of ≥1 key concept for informed health choices. Data extraction and synthesis We extracted data about study design (randomised trial or other), participants (children, adolescents or adults), study setting (countries), main intervention (resources delivered to participants) and comparator (usual/no intervention or other). For the analysis, we extracted verbatim text describing any assessment of a potential adverse effect of the intervention. We conducted a narrative synthesis of the extracted data. Results We included 35 reports of quantitative studies (including multi-method and mixed-methods studies). Most often, the study was a randomised trial, the setting was a high-income country, the population included adults (including university students) and the intervention was school-based (including university). In one of the 35 reports, authors described assessing a potential adverse effect. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review assessing the extent to which researchers have assessed adverse effects of any category of educational interventions. Our review shows that researchers generally have not assessed potential adverse effects of interventions to improve critical thinking about health choices. Researchers should pay more attention to such effects, while policymakers and educators making decisions about implementing relevant interventions should consider the lack of evidence. The findings of this study suggest a need for research that facilitates assessing potential adverse effects of interventions to improve critical thinking about health choices.

• Høgetveit, Anne Mari; Canrinus, Esther Tamara; Donolato, Enrica & Melby‐Lervåg, Monica (2026). Research Review: Mathematical skills in children with developmental language disorder – a systematic review and meta‐analysis. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. ISSN 0021-9630. 67(8), s. 1442–14453. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.70138. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background: Language is an essential skill for learning and academic achievement; therefore, children with developmental language disorder ( DLD ) are at risk for learning difficulties. Previous research has indicated a higher prevalence of mathematical difficulties in children with DLD compared to control children without such difficulties. However, the extent to which DLD and mathematical difficulties co‐occur, as well as the nature of the difficulties, remains unclear. Methods: We performed a meta‐analysis of 30 studies examining the mathematical skills of children with DLD compared to controls and examined moderators related to children's age, cognitive abilities, mathematical domains, diagnostic status, and publication type. Results: Children with DLD performed approximately 1 SD (Hedges' g  = −1.03) below age‐matched controls in mathematics. Group differences were moderated by the type of mathematical task, with children with DLD being more impaired in arithmetic, counting, word problems, and composite math skills than in tasks evaluating Arabic number knowledge and magnitude judgment. There was a small‐study effect, but publication bias was not confirmed. Conclusions: Children with DLD perform considerably more poorly than controls in mathematics and are at a high risk of mathematical difficulties. This supports the notion that these children have a complex profile of difficulties.

• Walquist-Sørli, Line; Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Friborg, Oddgeir & Nergård-Nilssen, Trude (2025). Speech sound skills, language comprehension, and early reading development in poor readers. Journal of Child Language. ISSN 0305-0009. doi: 10.1017/S0305000925100329. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Speech sound skills, language comprehension, and early reading development in poor readers

• Oxman, Matthew Prescott; Chesire, Faith; Mugisha, Michael; Ssenyonga, Ronald; Nsangi, Allen & Oxman, Andrew David [Vis alle 12 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2025). Participants’ experiences of potential adverse effects of an intervention to improve critical thinking about health choices: a qualitative cross-trial process evaluation in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. BMJ Open. 15(10). doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-104236. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Objectives To explore participants’ experiences of potential adverse effects of the Informed Health Choices secondary school intervention across three trial sites and to revise a framework of potential adverse effects of interventions to improve critical thinking about health choices. Design This was a qualitative study. We extracted and analysed relevant data from separate process evaluations in each country. Data came from surveying teachers, observing lessons and group and individual interviews with students, teachers and other stakeholders. We modified and applied framework analysis, including five stages: (1) development of an initial framework of potential adverse effects, (2) familiarisation with the data, (3) indexing, (4) abstraction and synthesis and (5) revising the framework. We applied reflexive strategies individually and as a team. Setting Lower secondary school in five randomly sampled subcounties of Kisumu County in Kenya, districts representing all five provinces in Rwanda, and six districts in the central region of Uganda, between 2022 and 2024. Participants Students and teachers in the intervention arms of the trials, parents of students in the intervention arms and administrators at intervention schools, as well as curriculum developers and policy-makers. Intervention The intervention involved providing teachers with a 2–3-day training workshop, and digital classroom resources, including lesson plans for 10 lessons to be delivered over the course of one semester. Results We generated findings about potential increases in adverse misunderstandings, anxiety related to transfer of learning, adversely experienced cognitive dissonance, work or schoolwork-related stress, inequity, conflicts and waste. The revised framework includes the same categories of potential adverse effects as our initial framework: decision-making harms, psychological harms, equity harms, group and social harms, waste and other harms. We revised other elements of the framework, including definitions of the categories and its structure. Conclusions This study provides insight into the potential adverse effects of interventions to improve critical thinking about health choices. The findings complement those of the trials and country-level process evaluations.

• Hagen, Åste Mjelve; Rogde, Kristin; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2025). Do the Effects of a Preschool Language Intervention Last in the Long Run? A 4-Year Follow-Up Study. Psychological Science. ISSN 0956-7976. 36(12), s. 887–898. doi: 10.1177/09567976251392219. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Childhood language interventions appear promising for improving children’s lives and yielding economic returns. However, few studies have evaluated long-term effects of these interventions. Our study did this using a large, cluster-randomized trial of a preschool intervention for Norwegian children aged 4 to 5 years whose vocabulary was more limited than that of their peers. Results showed that effects on expressive language were maintained at the 7-month follow-up when the children were in first grade and that those with the weakest language skills initially had the largest and most persistent effects. However, 4 years after the intervention, the differences between the intervention and control groups were negligible. Thus, although effects from the preschool language intervention lasted into the first year of elementary school, effects eventually faded and were completely absent in fourth grade. Our findings suggest the need for a sustained approach to language and literacy support, focusing on persistent interventions and high-quality adapted instruction.

• Keles, Serap; Braak, Dieuwer ten; Hagen, Åste Mjelve & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2025). Validity of Early-Grade Screening Tools in the Three Tier (RTI/MTSS) Model: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Literacy, Language, and Mathematics. Educational Psychology Review. ISSN 1040-726X. 37(4). doi: 10.1007/s10648-025-10077-5. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Abstract The validity of the screening tools used as a part of assigning students to tiers within the Three Tier framework is essential for its quality and success. Although the Three Tier model has been widely implemented, there remains a lack of comprehensive synthesis regarding the accuracy of screening methods used as part of tier assignment procedures. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined empirical studies on the validity of screening and progress monitoring tools in the domains of literacy, language, and mathematics. A comprehensive search of seven databases and search engines yielded 127 eligible studies. The majority of tools identified were used in the literacy domain, with the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) being the most frequently employed. Of the included studies, 18 studies provided data on convergent validity, including concurrent or predictive correlations, and sensitivity and specificity metrics. Using a correlated-hierarchical effects robust variance estimation (CHE-RVE) model, results indicated a moderate overall pooled effect size for correlations ( r  = .51, 95% CI [.35, .64], p  = .001). However, this estimate should be interpreted cautiously, as heterogeneity was very high. Sensitivity and specificity estimates also varied widely across different tools. Findings highlight the limited number of studies assessing the validity of screening tools. Given the central role of screening in identifying students with learning difficulties, further research is needed to improve the precision and reliability of these instruments.

• Wang, Lei; Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Lekhal, Ratib & Wang, Mari Vaage (2025). How are Difficulty Types Related to the Allocation of Special Needs Assistance in Early Childhood Education and Care. Early Childhood Research Quarterly. ISSN 0885-2006. 74, s. 211–220. doi: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.10.002. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Early intervention for children with difficulties is crucial for their academic and life outcomes. However, we know little about how special needs assistance (SNA) is allocated to early childhood education and care (ECEC). This study is based on the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) and examines whether children’s difficulty types predict SNA allocation and its hours, with ECEC and demographic variables controlled. We used the maternal questionnaire when children were 5 years old (n = 41,452; 2,340 received SNA). The outcomes were whether the children received SNA and its weekly hours. Children’s difficulties were measured through single questions and rating scales; ECEC factors included a parental satisfaction scale and the caretakers–children ratio. Demographic variables included children’s sex and age, and parental education. We used a zero-inflated Poisson regression for the data analysis. Among the children receiving SNA, 35% had language difficulties, but they received few assisted hours. These children had more severe difficulties compared to those with language difficulties but without SNA. Children with comorbid language and developmental difficulties were most likely to receive SNA (89%) and had the highest number of hours. Children with behavioral problems were least likely to receive SNA. Higher ECEC satisfaction predicted more hours. A higher caretakers–children ratio predicted an increased likelihood of receiving SNA and more hours. In conclusion, children with language difficulties constitute the largest SNA group, yet they receive few hours. ECEC factors are related to detecting and supporting children in need.

• Wang, Louie Lei; Wang, Mari Vaage; Sandsør, Astrid Marie Jorde; Lekhal, Ratib & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2025). Parental and child factors in children with special education. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. ISSN 0031-3831. doi: 10.1080/00313831.2025.2550278. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Around 10% of school children receive special education (SE), however, we know little about what characterizes these children. This study examined the relationships between parental and child factors in children with SE. It is based on the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). The sample included 1,424 SE children and 35,161 typically developing 8-year-old children. A network analysis was constructed for SE children and non-SE children. Compared to non-SE children, the SE group exhibited lower communication skills, higher language difficulties and more ADHD symptoms. Communication skills and ADHD symptoms were the two most related factors in the SE network. Language abilities in SE children were less influenced by their behavioral and parental factors. Language skills were related to ADHD symptoms in both groups. The selection of assigning children to SE is not biased by gender. SE assessment and instruction should address children’s difficulties in multiple domains.

• Hulme, Charles; Donolato, Enrica & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2025). Effects of educational interventions. I Thapar, Anita; Pine, Daniel; Cortese, Samuele; Creswell, Cathy; Ford, Tasmin; Leckman, James & Stringaris, Argyris (Red.), Rutter's Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology. Wiley-Blackwell. ISSN 9781119906063. s. 477–489. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Both interdisciplinary and international in scope, Rutter's Child and Adolescent Psychiatry delivers an expansive overview of the current state of the field, covering the latest research, advancements and technological developments. This Seventh Edition has undergone an extensive revision process, including a comprehensive review of chapter outlines and two stages of critical review for each full chapter by the editorial team.

• Oxman, Matthew Prescott; Chesire, Faith; Mugisha, Michael; Ssenyonga, Ronald; Ngatia, Benson & Nsangi, Allen [Vis alle 14 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2025). Development of a framework of potential adverse effects of interventions to improve critical thinking about health choices: A mixed methods study. F1000 Research. 13. doi: https:/f1000research.com/articles/13-1303/v2. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background People need critical thinking skills to make well-informed health choices and avoid waste and unnecessary suffering. However, educational interventions can have adverse effects, which is often overlooked. We created a framework of potential harms of interventions to improve critical thinking about health choices. The objective was to identify potential effects and articulate potential mechanisms. We intended to use the framework to inform the development and evaluation of an intervention in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. Methods We created an initial framework drawing on two earlier frameworks. We surveyed external experts using Likert-scale and open-ended items, including researchers, educators, and others, in a variety of relevant fields. We emailed the survey to an international advisory network, and all other experts recommended by respondents. We analyzed the quantitative data using descriptive statistics. We conducted a thematic analysis of the qualitative data. We revised the framework based on those results. To identify any effects missing from the revised framework, we individually interviewed a convenience sample of one teacher from each of Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. Results We received responses from 38 of 70 external experts (54%). The quantitative survey data suggested respondents agreed with the initial framework overall. However, the qualitative data led to substantial revisions. The revised framework consists of categories of adverse outcomes; outcomes within each category; sub-outcomes; individuals, groups, and populations that might experience each adverse outcome; beneficial outcomes corresponding with adverse outcomes; and potential mechanisms of adverse effects. There are six categories: decision-making harms, psychological harms, equity harms, group and social harms, waste, and other harms. In the interviews with teachers, we did not identify any effects missing from the revised framework. Conclusions As far as we know, the framework is the first tool of its kind for education research. It can be improved upon and adapted

• Wahl, Hedda Novang; Donolato, Enrica; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2025). The psychometric properties of two math anxiety scales in a sample of Norwegian primary school children. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. ISSN 0031-3831. 70(1), s. 147–163. doi: 10.1080/00313831.2025.2459906. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS) and the Achievement Emotion Questionnaire – Math Anxiety (AEQ-MA) in a sample of Norwegian primary school students invited to participate during preschool. A total of 222 children completed both scales, and math tasks in Grade 3 and they followed up on the same questionnaires and math tests in Grade 4. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that a two-factor solution best suited the data for both self-report tools, with the AMAS defined by learning anxiety and testing anxiety dimensions and the AEQ-MA defined by the test-related and the class-and-learning math anxiety factors. Both questionnaires showed good internal consistency, measurement invariance across grade levels and genders, and concurrent validity with math tasks. In conclusion, the AMAS and the AEQ-MA present good psychometric properties and are suitable measures for assessing math anxiety in the first grades of formal education among Norwegian children.

• Grande, German; Amland, Tonje; Bergen, Elsje van; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2025). The intergenerational impact of mothers and fathers on children’s word reading development. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. ISSN 0021-9630. 66(7), s. 946–955. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.14107. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background Numerous studies have investigated the associations between the home literacy environment (HLE) and children's word reading skills. However, these associations may partly reflect shared genetic factors since parents provide both the reading environment and their child's genetic predisposition to reading. Hence, the relationship between the HLE and children's reading is genetically confounded. To address this, parents' reading abilities have been suggested as a covariate, serving as a proxy for genetic transmission. The few studies that have incorporated this covariate control have made no distinction between the HLE reported by each parent or controlled for different skills in parents and children. We predicted children's reading development over time by the reading abilities of both parents as covariates and both parents' self-reported HLE as predictors. Methods We analyzed data from 242 unrelated children, 193 mothers, and 144 fathers. Children's word reading was assessed in Grades 1 and 3, and parents' word reading was assessed on a single occasion. Predictors of children's reading development included literacy resources and shared reading activities. Results Children's reading in Grade 3 was predicted by mothers' engagement in reading activities and by literacy resources at home, even after controlling for the genetic proxy of parental reading abilities. The longitudinal rate of change from Grades 1 to 3 was not associated with the HLE or parental reading. Conclusions Our finding that parental reading skills predicted children's word reading beyond children's initial word reading underscores the importance of considering genetic confounding in research on the home environment. Beyond parental reading abilities, children's skills were predicted by literacy resources in the home and by how often mothers engage in reading activities with their children. This suggests true environmental effects.

• Nag, Sonali; Vagh, Shaher Banu; Dulay, Katrina May; Snowling, Margaret; Donolato, Enrica & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2024). Home Learning Environments and Children’s Language and Literacy Skills: A Meta-Analytic Review of Studies Conducted in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Psychological bulletin. ISSN 0033-2909. 150(2), s. 132–153. doi: 10.1037/bul0000417. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  A robust finding from research in high-income countries is that children living in resource-poor homes are vulnerable to difficulties with language and literacy but less is known about this association in low- and middle-income (LMI) countries. We present a meta-analysis of 6,678 correlations from studies in 43 LMI countries. Overall, the results indicate a small but significant association (r = .08) between home language and literacy environment and children’s language and literacy skills. After examining a range of moderators, adult literacy practices and books-at-home had a significantly larger association with children’s language and literacy skills than did home tutoring. Studies using customized measures demonstrated a more marked association between home attributes and children’s outcomes (r = .14) than studies using a common measure across multiple sites (r = .06). Published studies showed significantly larger associations than unpublished studies, and countries with greater income inequality showed a larger association than relatively egalitarian societies. We conclude that the small overall association should not be taken as support for the absence of, or a vanishingly small relationship between the home learning environment and children’s language and literacy skills in LMI countries. Rather, an important factor in detecting this relationship is that assessments must better reflect the nature of homes in different cultures to capture true variation in the population. Such contextually situated measurement would lead to an inclusive conceptualization of home learning environments and can better inform intervention programs to enhance children’s educational success, a critical target for many LMI countries.

• Sørli, Line Walquist; Caglar-Ryeng, Ømur; Furnes, Bjarte Reidar; Nilssen, Trude Nergård; Donolato, Enrica & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2024). Are Speech Sound Difficulties Risk Factors for Difficulties in Language and Reading Skills? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research. ISSN 1092-4388. 68(1), s. 164–177. doi: 10.1044/2024_JSLHR-24-00170. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background: Children with speech sound difficulties often require educational psychology services, yet systematic reviews examining the association between these difficulties and language or reading problems are lacking. This meta-analysis examines whether these children are at higher risk of language and reading difficulties compared to their peers. Method: The study analyzed 290 effect sizes from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies that compared language and reading skills between children with speech sound difficulties and controls. Additionally, we evaluated 37 effect sizes from correlational studies in general populations to examine the relationship between speech sound skills and language or reading skills. Results: Children with speech sound difficulties showed significant concurrent language (Hedges' g = −0.60) and reading (Hedges' g = −0.58) problems. Correlational studies also demonstrated a relationship between speech sound skills and language (r = .23) and reading (r = .23) skills. Phonological awareness and study quality were significant moderators. Longitudinal studies showed persistent or increasing group differences over time in language (Hedges' g = −0.85) and reading (Hedges' g = −0.50). These findings were consistent regardless of the severity or types of speech sound difficulties, nonverbal IQ, country, age, and publication year. However, a precision-effect test and the precision-effect estimate with standard errors analysis suggested a potential decrease in effect size due to publication bias from small sample sizes in primary studies. Conclusion: Children with speech sound difficulties are at an increased risk of language and reading difficulties, emphasizing the need for broader language assessments and early interventions to mitigate future academic difficulties.

• Diamanti, Vassiliki; Grande, German Garcia; Protopapas, Athanassios; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2024). Preschool Morphological Awareness and Developmental Change in Early Reading Ability. Scientific Studies of Reading. ISSN 1088-8438. doi: 10.1080/10888438.2024.2370843. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Purpose This longitudinal study examined the contribution of preschool morphological awareness to word reading skills and reading comprehension, as well as to the developmental change of reading ability beyond other well-established oral language and cognitive predictors. A distinction was made between the domains of inflectional and derivational morphology. Method Two hundred and fifty-nine Norwegian-speaking children (46% female) with a mean age of 5.5 years were assessed in preschool on language measures and again in Grades 1 and 3 on measures of word reading accuracy and fluency and in Grades 3 and 4 on reading comprehension. We fit latent change score models with preschool predictors using parceling to control for measurement error. Results We found a unique contribution of preschool morphological awareness to reading comprehension in Grade 3, but no unique contribution to Grade 1 decoding. Neither awareness of inflections nor awareness of derivations predicted developmental change in word reading fluency between Grades 1 and 3 or change in reading comprehension between Grades 3 and 4 beyond the effect of control variables. Conclusion Our findings confirm the relevance of morphological awareness only for early attainment in reading comprehension and highlight the importance of accounting for measurement error in studying associations among variables aiming to discover specific contributions.

• Amland, Tonje; Grande, German; Scherer, Ronny; Lervåg, Arne & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2024). Cognitive Factors Underlying Mathematical Skills: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Psychological bulletin. ISSN 0033-2909. doi: 10.1037/bul0000457. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  In understanding the nature of mathematical skills, the most influential theories suggest that mathematical cognition draws on different systems: numerical, linguistic, spatial, and general cognitive skills. Studies show that skills in these areas are highly predictive of outcomes in mathematics. Nonetheless, the strength of these relations with mathematical achievement varies, and little is known about the moderators or relative importance of each predictor. Based on 269 concurrent and 174 longitudinal studies comprising 2,696 correlations, this meta-analysis summarizes the evidence on cognitive predictors of mathematical skills in children and adolescents. The results showed that nonsymbolic number skills (often labeled approximate number sense) correlate significantly less with mathematical achievement than symbolic number skills and that various aspects of language relate differently to mathematical outcomes. We observed differential predictive patterns for arithmetic and word problems, and these patterns only partly supported the theory of three pathways—quantitative, linguistic, and spatial—for mathematical skills. Concurrently, nonsymbolic number and phonological skills were weak but exclusive predictors of arithmetic skills, whereas nonverbal intelligence quotient (IQ) predicted word problems only. Only symbolic number skills predicted both arithmetic and word problems concurrently. Longitudinally, symbolic number skills, spatial ability, and nonverbal IQ predicted both arithmetic and word problems, whereas language comprehension was important for word problem solving only. As in the concurrent data, nonsymbolic number skill was a weak longitudinal predictor of arithmetic skills. We conclude that the candidates to target in intervention studies are symbolic number skills and language comprehension. It is uncertain whether the two other important predictors, nonverbal IQ and spatial skills, are actually malleable.

• Grande, German; Diamanti, Vassiliki; Protopapas, Athanassios; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2024). The development of morphological awareness and vocabulary: What influences what? Applied Psycholinguistics. ISSN 0142-7164. doi: 10.1017/S0142716424000213. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The awareness of words’ morphological structure has been thought to allow generalizing meaning to other, similarly constructed words. Conversely, a large vocabulary is thought to facilitate the recognition of words’ morphological regularities, thereby contributing to morphological awareness. For this reason, morphological awareness and vocabulary have been suggested to be reciprocally associated across development. We followed 242 (girls = 119) Norwegian preschoolers (Mage = 5.5 years) from preschool through Grade 2 and examined the cross-lagged relations between morphological awareness (inflections and derivations) and vocabulary (receptive and expressive). Our results confirm that the traditional cross-lagged panel model shows significant cross-lagged relations between morphological awareness and vocabulary, as previous studies have shown. However, no cross-lagged relations were found when we accounted for longitudinal measured stability through a cross-lagged panel model with lag-2 paths or unmeasured stability through the random intercept cross-lagged panel model. We found that approximately 50% of the variation in morphology and vocabulary was due to highly stable and invariant factors across grades. We discuss how the significant cross-lagged relations found in previous studies could have been due to their not accounting for the right type of stability when using longitudinal panel data.

• Hoff, David Armas; Amland, Tonje; Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Lervåg, Arne & Protopapas, Athanassios (2023). Early rapid naming longitudinally predicts shared variance in reading and arithmetic fluency. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. ISSN 0022-0965. 231. doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105656. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  A number of cognitive factors have been suggested to underlie development in reading and arithmetic skills. Although the two domains are strongly linked, only a few studies have investigated the processes that are shared between them during the early school years. Rapid automatized naming (RAN) has been identified as a strong predictor of a common fluency factor in reading and arithmetic. In the current study with 232 Norwegian children, we examined how RAN in preschool and Grade 1 relates to the shared and nonshared variance in arithmetic fluency and reading fluency in Grade 3. Furthermore, we examined whether related processing skills (phoneme awareness, working memory, speed of processing, and symbol knowledge) can account for the relationship between RAN and shared fluency—or if they predict variance that is unique to each domain. Our results show that RAN in both preschool and Grade 1 is a strong predictor of shared variance between reading fluency and arithmetic fluency measured several years later, whereas other predictors mainly relate to the nonshared parts of variance in the fluency outcomes. That is, control variables with the theoretical potential to explain some of RAN’s relation to the overlap between reading and arithmetic fluency do not in fact account for this relationship. Our findings provide a starting point for future investigations of the mechanisms of rapid naming.

• Hagen, Åste Mjelve; Rogde, Kristin; Lervåg, Arne; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Norbury, Courtenay (2023). Long-term prognosis of low language proficiency in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2023(1). doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD015268. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Donolato, Enrica; Toffalini, Enrico; Rogde, Kristin; Nordahl-Hansen, Anders; Lervåg, Arne & Norbury, Courtenay Frazier [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2023). Oral language interventions can improve language outcomes in children with neurodevelopmental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Campbell Systematic Reviews. 19(4), s. 1–48. doi: 10.1002/cl2.1368. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background Young people who fail to develop language as expected face significant challenges in all aspects of life. Unfortunately, language disorders are common, either as a distinct condition (e.g., Developmental Language Disorder) or as a part of another neurodevelopmental condition (e.g., autism). Finding ways to attenuate language problems through intervention has the potential to yield great benefits not only for the individual but also for society as a whole. Objectives This meta-analytic review examined the effect of oral language interventions for children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Search Methods The last electronic search was conducted in April 2022. Selection Criteria Intervention studies had to target language skills for children from 2 to 18 years of age with Developmental Language Disorder, autism, intellectual disability, Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, and Williams syndrome in randomised controlled trials or quasi-experimental designs. Control groups had to include business-as-usual, waiting list, passive or active conditions. However, we excluded studies in which the active control group received a different type, delivery, or dosage of another language intervention. Eligible interventions implemented explicit and structured activities (i.e., explicit instruction of vocabulary, narrative structure or grammatical rules) and/or implicit and broad activities (i.e., shared book reading, general language stimulation). The intervention studies had to assess language skills in receptive and/or expressive modalities. Data Collection and Analysis The search provided 8195 records after deduplication. Records were screened by title and abstract, leading to full-text examinations of 448 records. We performed Correlated and Hierarchical Effects models and ran a retrospective power analysis via simulation. Publication bias was assessed via p-curve and precision-effect estimate. Main Results We examined 38 studies, with 46 group comparisons and 108 effects comparing pre-/post-tests and eight studies, with 12 group comparisons and 21 effects at follow-up. The results showed a mean effect size of d = 0.27 at the post-test and d = 0.18 at follow-up. However, there was evidence of publication bias and overestimation of the mean effects. Effects from the meta-analysis were significantly related to these elements: (1) receptive vocabulary and omnibus receptive measures showed smaller effect sizes relative to expressive vocabulary, grammar, expressive and receptive discourse, and omnibus expressive tests; and (2) the length of the intervention, where longer sessions conducted over a longer period of time were more beneficial than brief sessions and short-term interventions. Neither moderators concerning participants’ characteristics (children's diagnosis, diagnostic status, age, sex, and non-verbal cognitive ability and severity of language impairment), nor those regarding of the treatment components and implementation of the language interventions (intervention content, setting, delivery agent, session structure of the intervention or total number of sessions) reached significance. The same occurred to indicators of study quality. The risk of bias assessment showed that reporting quality for the studies examined in the review was poor. Authors’ Conclusions In sum, the current evidence base is promising but inconclusive. Pre-registration and replication of more robust and adequately powered trials, which include a wider range of diagnostic conditions, together with more long-term follow-up comparisons, are needed to drive evidence-based practice and policy.

• Bratlie, Siri Steffensen; Brinchmann, Ellen Irén; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Torkildsen, Janne von Koss (2022). Morphology—A Gateway to Advanced Language: Meta-Analysis of Morphological Knowledge in Language-Minority Children. Review of Educational Research. ISSN 0034-6543. doi: 10.3102/00346543211073186. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Knowledge about the smallest meaningful units of language, morphemes, is crucial for vocabulary and reading comprehension. This meta-analysis of 43 studies examined differences in morphological knowledge in the societal language between language-minority and language-majority children. There was a moderate to large mean group difference in morphological knowledge in favor of the language-majority children. Studies that examined inflectional knowledge (walk–walked, rose–roses) reported larger differences than studies that examined knowledge of derivations (coexist, serious) and compounds (bluebird, highlight). Studies that used oral tests and tests of expressive language reported larger differences than studies that used written tests and tests of receptive language. These findings show that morphology is an area of weakness in language-minority children. Paired with the evidence that morphological instruction improves general language ability and reading comprehension, the results suggest that morphology could be an essential component in language interventions for language-minority children.

• Lopez-Pedersen, Anita; Mononen, Riikka; Aunio, Pirjo Annika; Scherer, Ronny & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2022). Improving Numeracy Skills in First Graders with low performance in early numeracy: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Remedial and special education. ISSN 0741-9325. doi: 10.1177/07419325221102537. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Children with low performance in early numeracy are at risk of facing learning difficulties in mathematics, but few trials have examined how this can be ameliorated. A total of 120 first-grade children (Mage = 6.4 years) were randomly assigned to an intervention or a control condition. The 14-week intervention targeted early numeracy skills and was delivered in small groups three times a week. Immediately after the initial 8-week intervention phase, moderate and positive effects were found on early numeracy (d = 0.19), word problem solving (d = 0.41), and approximate number sense (d = 0.35). However, only the effects on word problems were significant, and all effects disappeared after the children undertook a second 6-week intervention phase. Overall, results indicate that (a) early numeracy skills are malleable in low-performing children, but (b) frequent and long-term interventions are needed for the positive effects to last.

• Lervåg, Arne & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2022). Modeling the Development of Reading Comprehension. I Snowling, Margaret J.; Hulme, Charles & Nation, Kate (Red.), The Science of Reading: A Handbook (Wiley Blackwell Handbooks of Developmental Psychology) 2nd Edition. Wiley-Blackwell. ISSN 9781119705093. s. 280–297. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  A skilled reader can derive the meaning from a printed text rapidly and effortlessly. Becoming a skilled reader takes time and practice and is one of the main goals of primary school education. Since the previous edition of this book in 2005, research in this area has flourished and there are now many longitudinal studies examining how reading comprehension develops. This chapter will focus on what we know about the development of reading comprehension in the early school years, with a particular emphasis on understanding causal processes.

• Lervåg, Arne & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2022). Early prediction of learning outcomes in reading. I Skeide, Michael A. (Red.), he Cambridge Handbook of Dyslexia and Dyscalculia (Cambridge Handbooks in Psychology). Cambridge University Press. ISSN 9781108973595. s. 305–317. doi: 10.1017/9781108973595.024. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  This chapter focuses on the processes involved in the development of children’s decoding skills: the ability to translate printed words into a speech code, typically assessed by the accuracy and speed of reading aloud. If children struggle in developing this ability, they are often characterized as having dyslexia, but since decoding skills are normally distributed in the population, the cut-off for this diagnosis is somewhat arbitrary (Melby-Lervåg et al. 2012). During the first two years of school, the main aim for children is to develop accurate and fluent early reading abilities that will lay the foundation for the main goal of reading – to be able to extract meaning from text. Thus, though insufficient by itself, efficient word reading is, in turn, a necessary condition for the development of reading comprehension. Research on the foundations of learning to read has burgeoned in the last twenty-five years, with important theoretical and practical consequences.

• Gunnerud, Hilde Lowell; Foldnes, Njål & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2022). Levels of skills and predictive patterns of reading comprehension in bilingual children with an early age of acquisition. Reading and writing. ISSN 0922-4777. doi: 10.1007/s11145-022-10286-2. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Bilingualism appears to be related to poor language and reading comprehension in the instructional language (L2). However, in the long term, an early age of second language acquisition (AoA) may produce higher levels of second language skills than a later onset of L2 exposure. Most studies on school-aged second language learners (L2 learners) include children with 3–7 years of second language (L2) exposure. We compared 91 early bilingual (Norwegian and a variety of different native languages) 5th graders with 196 monolingual peers on a range of linguistic skills and their relationships with reading comprehension. All bilingual learners in the sample had been exposed to the instructional language by at least the age of 2. The results, using structural equation modelling and latent variables, show that early bilingual learners’ vocabulary, listening comprehension, and reading comprehension are significantly lower than those of monolingual learners. Nevertheless, they have similar levels of knowledge of conjunctions and decoding skills and corresponding predictive patterns from linguistic skills to reading comprehension. We discuss the implications of the findings.

• Thurmann-Moe, Anne C; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2021). Single case design i evaluering av spesialpedagogiske tiltak. En gjennomgang av aktuelle analysemetoder for vurdering av effekt. Spesialpedagogikk. ISSN 0332-8457. 86(1), s. 53–72. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Artikkelen drøfter hvordan single case design (SCD) kan brukes i vurdering av spesialpedagogiske tiltak, og diskuterer spørsmål knyttet til validitet og alternative innfallsvinkler for vurdering av effekt. Det presenteres også et konkret eksempel fra en gjennomført studie. Det argumenteres for at SCD er spesielt egnet til vurdering av effekt av spesialpedagogiske tiltak for elever med lavfrekvente og/eller sammensatte vansker. I skolen kan SCD bidra til å øke kvaliteten på spesialundervisningen gjennom mer nøyaktige vurderinger av hva som virker for den enkelte elev, og også bidra til utvikling av forskningsbasert kunnskap for praksis.

• Karlsen, Jannicke; Hjetland, Hanne Næss; Hagtvet, Bente Eriksen; Braeken, Johan & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2021). The concurrent and longitudinal relationship between narrative skills and other language skills in children. First language. ISSN 0142-7237. doi: 10.1177/0142723721995688. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  We examined the concurrent relationship between narrative skills (the Renfrew Bus Story Test) and core language measures (vocabulary, grammar and verbal memory) at age 4 and the longitudinal relationship between core language and listening comprehension skills at age 7 in a sample of 215 children using latent variables and structural equation modelling. Our main purpose was to investigate to what extent narrative retell constitutes a unique influence on later language and listening comprehension skills. The results support a two-factor model of narrative retelling and core language representing different but related constructs at age 4. Narrative retell explained unique variance in later language skills but did not explain additional variance beyond the 58% explained by the age 4 language construct. Similarly, narrative retell predicted unique variance in later listening comprehension, but not beyond what was explained by core language skills at age 4. The strength of the relationship between narrative retelling at age 4 and the age 7 measures was not related to the level of narrative skills. The results indicate that age 4 traditional core language measures capture more of the skills that are important for later language and listening comprehension than narrative skills at the same age.

• Dolean, Dacian; Lervåg, Arne; Visu-Petra, Laura & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2021). Language skills, and not executive functions, predict the development of reading comprehension of early readers: evidence from an orthographically transparent language. Reading and writing. ISSN 0922-4777. doi: 10.1007/s11145-020-10107-4. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Abstract The simple view of reading proposes that the development of reading comprehension in early elementary school is best predicted by children’s fluent decoding and oral language skills. Recent studies challenge this view and suggest that executive functions should also be included in this theoretical model; however, the empirical evidence is not strong enough to clearly support or refute this hypothesis. In this short-term longitudinal study, we used latent variables to test whether executive functions have direct effects on the development of reading comprehension in 184 Romanian second graders, beyond fluent decoding and oral language skills. The results indicated that the initial stages of reading comprehension were associated with executive functions, but only the language skills could independently predict the development of reading comprehension. Our findings show that executive functions do not have a significant direct effect on the development of reading comprehension in early readers beyond fluent decoding and oral language skills in languages with transparent orthography. The results also suggest that once children learn to decode well, their language skills (and not their executive functions) have a strong effect on the development of reading comprehension. Therefore, reading interventions in elementary school should stress on the development of oral language skills.

• Thurmann-Moe, Anne C; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2021). The impact of articulatory consciousness training on reading and spelling literacy in students with severe dyslexia: an experimental single case study. Annals of Dyslexia. ISSN 0736-9387. doi: 10.1007/s11881-021-00225-1. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Abstract This study evaluates the effect of an intervention whose aim is to make articulatory consciousness a tool in decoding and spelling. The sample comprises 11 students with severe dyslexia (2 SD below the mean pseudoword scores), and the intervention programme consists of 32 individual sessions over 8 weeks. The study applies a multiple baseline/probe design with five baseline tests that correspond to a control condition, eight tests during the intervention and five post-intervention tests. On average, the results show significant improvement in all reading and spelling outcomes. However, there were also significant effects on an irrelevant control task (the pegboard test), perhaps indicating testing effects on the dependent variables, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions from the study. Consequently, testing the intervention in randomised trials of children with severe dyslexia is recommended to draw more firm conclusions about its efficacy for this group.

• West, Gillian; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Hulme, Charles (2021). Is a procedural learning deficit a causal risk factor for developmental language disorder or dyslexia? A meta-analytic review. Developmental Science. ISSN 1363-755X. 57(5), s. 749–770. doi: 10.1037/dev0001172. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Impaired procedural learning has been suggested as a possible cause of developmental dyslexia (DD) and developmental language disorder (DLD). We evaluate this theory by performing a series of meta-analyses on evidence from the six procedural learning tasks that have most commonly been used to test this theory: the serial reaction time, Hebb learning, artificial grammar and statistical learning, weather prediction, and contextual cuing tasks. Studies using serial reaction time and Hebb learning tasks yielded small group deficits in comparisons between language impaired and typically developing controls (g = −.30 and −.32, respectively). However, a meta-analysis of correlational studies showed that the serial reaction time task was not a reliable correlate of language-related ability in unselected samples (r = .03). Larger group deficits were, however, found in studies using artificial grammar and statistical learning tasks (g = −.48) and the weather prediction task (g = −.63). Possible reasons for the discrepancy in results from different tasks that all purportedly measure procedural learning are highlighted. We conclude that current data do not provide an adequate test of the theory that a generalized procedural learning deficit is a causal risk factor for developmental dyslexia or developmental language disorder.

• Rogde, Kristin; Hagen, Åste Mjelve; Lervåg, Arne & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2021). Improvement in oral language interventions: Differences and relation between effects on treatment-inherent measures and effects on standardized tests. Nordic Journal of Literacy Research. 7(2), s. 1–18. doi: 10.23865/njlr.v7.2814. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Whether the effects of an oral-language intervention is tested with measures of trained vocabulary (treatment-inherent tests) or standardized measures (treatment-independent tests) can have consequences for the mean effect size in meta-analyses. Moreover, based on a theory of transfer effects, effects on the trained words could serve as an index of how much benefit is gained by children from the intervention. We present a meta-analysis that assesses the differences and relation between the intervention effects of these two types of outcomes, trained vocabulary and standardized vocabulary tests. The results show large effects on trained vocabulary, limited effects on standardized measures, and no clear relation between the two. The moderator analysis indicates that less instruction time is associated with larger effect sizes on trained vocabulary but that trained vocabulary is not a predictor of either standardized expressive or receptive vocabulary. Thus, in interventions and meta-analyses, it is important to distinguish between effects on trained vocabulary and standardized tests, and trained vocabulary effects does not necessarily transfer to standardized measures. This indicates that effects on trained vocabulary outcomes provide limited information when evaluating language interventions.

• Thurmann-Moe, Anne C; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2021). Effects of Articulatory Consciousness Training in First Graders with a Reading Delay: A Randomised Control Trial. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. ISSN 0031-3831. s. 1–18. doi: 10.1080/00313831.2020.1869823. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  This paper describes a randomised control trial (RCT) of a small group intervention targeting articulatory consciousness in first graders with a reading delay (control condition: n = 57, intervention condition: n = 64). The programme in the intervention condition consisted of basic decoding and spelling tasks using articulatory cards to symbolise speech sounds. Training took place four times per week for five weeks. The control condition received “business as usual”. The results show that the children in the intervention condition learned to use the articulatory symbols, but there were no effects of the intervention on reading and phonological awareness measures. Also, there was no relationship shown between initial phonological awareness skills and gains, or lack thereof, from the intervention.

• Amland, Tonje; Lervåg, Arne & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2021). Comorbidity Between Math and Reading Problems: Is Phonological Processing a Mutual Factor? Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 14. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.577304. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  There is a relationship between reading and math skills, as well as comorbidity between reading and math disorders. A mutual foundation for this comorbidity could be that the quality of phonological representations is important for both early reading and arithmetic. In this study, we examine this hypothesis in a sample traced longitudinally from preschool to first grade ( N = 259). The results show that phonological awareness does not explain development in arithmetic, but that there is an indirect effect between phoneme awareness in preschool and arithmetic in first grade via phoneme awareness in first grade. This effect is, however, weak and restricted to verbal arithmetic and not arithmetic fluency. This finding is only partly in line with other studies, and a reason could be that this study more strongly controls for confounders and previous skills than other studies.

• Donolato, Enrica; Cardillo, Ramona; Mammarella, Irene C. & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2021). Research Review: Language and specific learning disorders in children and their co-occurrence with internalizing and externalizing problems: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. ISSN 0021-9630. 63(5), s. 507–518. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13536. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background Some studies suggest that children with language and learning disorders (LLDs) show more internalizing and externalizing problems than their peers. However, the available evidence remains inconsistent, especially regarding the conditions under which these psychological problems occur. Methods We performed a meta-analysis of studies comparing children with LLDs and controls on internalizing (53 independent samples, 135 effect sizes) and externalizing problems (37 independent samples, 61 effect sizes) separately. Results Children with LLDs showed higher internalizing (Hedges’ g = 0.36) and externalizing problems (Hedges’ g = 0.42) than controls did. The group standardized difference in internalizing problems was moderated by the primary disorder, with children with language disorders showing more internalizing problems than those with reading disorders. The severity of the primary disorder, IQ, and age did not moderate Hedge’s g between children with LLDs and controls in internalizing and externalizing outcomes. The same pattern was found for gender as a moderator of Hedge’s g in internalizing problems, while findings for externalizing problems were inconclusive. The results were consistent when methodological variables were assessed, also for informant, sample size, and geographical area. Clinical samples with LLDs reported higher internalizing problems respect to those with difficulties, but findings on externalizing outcomes were limited. Similarly, results on the presence of additional symptoms in learning and language, self-concept, and socioeconomic status were inconclusive, as few studies reported this information. Results were robust when publication bias, publication year, and study quality were assessed. Conclusions There is evidence that children with LLDs report higher internalizing and externalizing problems than controls do. Children with language disorders seemed more vulnerable to report more internalizing problems, and clinical samples reported higher problems than those with difficulties. For clinical practice, assessment and interventions should target socioemotional skills to support the psychological well-being of children with LLDs.

• Hagen, Åste Mjelve; Knoph, Rebecca; Hjetland, Hanne Næss; Rogde, Kristin; Lawrence, Joshua & Lervåg, Arne [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2021). Measuring Listening Comprehension and Predicting Language Development in At-Risk Preschoolers. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. ISSN 0031-3831. doi: 10.1080/00313831.2021.1939136. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Listening comprehension involves the ability to understand and extract meaning from spoken sentences, stories, and instruction. This skill is vital for young children and has long-term effects on school achievement, employability, income, and participation in society. There is a lack of measures of young children’s listening comprehension skills. We report on a new measure of listening comprehension (LURI) that we tested in a group of at-risk preschoolers. Using IRT (Item Response Theory) analysis, we examined the psychometric properties of the instrument. Moreover, in a series of regressions, we found that the LURI measure predicted a range of other language skills better than standardized measures. Thus, the LURI test is a reliable and valid measure of listening comprehension. Assessing listening comprehension is a time-effective way of measuring a skill critically important to language development and represents the product of a range of different oral language processes.

• Gunnerud, Hilde Lowell; Braak, Dieuwer ten; Reikerås, Elin Kirsti Lie; Donolato, Enrica & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2020). Is bilingualism related to a cognitive advantage in children? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological bulletin. ISSN 0033-2909. 146(12), s. 1059–1083. doi: 10.1037/bul0000301. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hulme, Charles; Snowling, Margaret J.; West, Gillian; Lervåg, Arne & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2020). Children’s Language Skills Can Be Improved: Lessons From Psychological Science for Educational Policy. Current Directions in Psychological Science. ISSN 0963-7214. 29(4), s. 372–377. doi: 10.1177/0963721420923684. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Oral language is crucial for social interaction and for learning in the classroom; it also provides the foundation for reading comprehension. It follows that children with language difficulties are at high risk of educational failure. Recently, a number of studies have demonstrated that it is possible to produce small but significant improvements in children’s oral language through targeted language interventions ( d = 0.16) and, furthermore, that studies with high-quality implementation show larger effects ( d = 0.24). There is also evidence that effects of language intervention can generalize to produce improvements in reading comprehension. Although further research examining the long-term effects of language interventions are needed, current findings have important implications for educational policy and practice.

• Helland, Siri Saugestad; Røysamb, Espen; Brandlistuen, Ragnhild Eek; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Gustavson, Kristin (2020). A Common Family Factor Underlying Language Difficulties and Internalizing Problems: Findings From a Population-Based Sibling Study. Journal of Learning Disabilities. ISSN 0022-2194. 53(5), s. 399–409. doi: 10.1177/0022219420911634. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Studies have identified concurrent, longitudinal, and bidirectional associations between language difficulties and internalizing problems. This is commonly explained by social exclusion or withdrawal from peers, but underlying mechanisms are not well understood. This study uses sibling data to investigate if the comorbidity between language difficulties and internalizing problems is best explained by familial factors shared by siblings, such as genes or family environment, or nonfamilial factors specific to each child, such as peer environment. Data include 5,568 siblings at 5 years and 3,654 siblings at 8 years participating in the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). We constructed a latent factor model at 5 and 8 years, including a family comorbidity factor capturing correlations between language and internalizing problems that were equally strong between as within siblings. Results showed that the correlation between one sibling’s internalizing problems and the other sibling’s language problems was mostly accounted for by a family comorbidity factor. The best-fitting longitudinal model included stability of the family comorbidity factor and stability of language and internalizing problems within each sibling and no cross-sibling or cross-trait longitudinal associations. This suggests that the association between language and internalizing problems may be best explained by family factors.

• Hjetland, Hanne Næss; Brinchmann, Ellen Iren; Scherer, Ronny; Hulme, Charles & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2020). Preschool pathways to reading comprehension: A systematic meta-analytic review. Educational Research Review. ISSN 1747-938X. 30:100323, s. 1–23. doi: 10.1016/j.edurev.2020.100323. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The ability to construct meaning from texts is the core of reading. We report a meta-analysis and a systematic review of 64 longitudinal studies tracing the development of reading comprehension from preschool. Previous research showed that linguistic comprehension and code-related abilities in preschool correlate moderately with reading comprehension, but the results across studies are inconsistent. Meta-analytic structural equation modelling showed two distinct but related pathways from preschool linguistic comprehension abilities to reading comprehension in school. One pathway consists of code-related skills (letter knowledge and phonological awareness), and it affects reading comprehension through word recognition. A second pathway consists of linguistic comprehension skills (vocabulary and grammar), and it has a direct influence on reading comprehension. Early interventions to facilitate language development appear to provide a promising approach to facilitate the later development of reading comprehension skills.

• Lopez-Pedersen, Anita; Mononen, Riikka; Korhonen, Johan; Aunio, Pirjo & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2020). Validation of an Early Numeracy Screener for First Graders. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. ISSN 0031-3831. doi: 10.1080/00313831.2019.1705901. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Early Numeracy Screener. The Early Numeracy Screener is a teacher-administered, paper-and-pencil test measuring counting skills, numerical relational skills, and basic arithmetic skills. Three hundred and sixty-six first graders took the Early Numeracy Screener at the beginning of the school year. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted in order to examine whether the screening tool was identified as a one-factor model or a three-factor model. The confirmatory factor analysis found evidence for the three-factor model, establishing construct validity. Evidence for criterion-related validity was found in crosstabulation and correlation with the national test measuring overall mathematics performance taken towards the end of the school year. The Early Numeracy Screener may serve as an indicator of young children’s performance in early numeracy. The brevity and ease of use of the Early Numeracy Screener make it suitable for classroom instructional settings.

• Dolean, Dacian; Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Tincas, Ioana; Damsa, Crina I. & Lervåg, Arne (2019). Achievement gap: Socioeconomic status affects reading development beyond language and cognition in children facing poverty. Learning and Instruction. ISSN 0959-4752. 63. doi: 10.1016/j.learninstruc.2019.101218. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Learning to read efficiently is one of the main skills that children has to learn in school and is important in order to functioning well in modern society. Even if children's reading skills seem to be related to their socioeconomic status, only a few studies have examined how SES is related to the development of reading skills in children facing severe poverty. This study traced 322 Roma children facing severe poverty from 7 through 9 years and compared them with an unselected sample of 178 Romanian non-Roma children. The Roma children had both poorer initial reading and a slower growth of their reading skills. In contrast to previous studies, SES did explain growth in reading skills after controlling for other well-known cognitive and linguistic predictors of reading. Among the Roma children, the effects of SES on reading growth were partly mediated by school absence. Thus, interventions directed at Roma children facing severe poverty need to target both the quality of reading instruction and broader aspects of these children's lives.

• Rogde, Kristin; Hagen, Åste Mjelve; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2019). The effect of linguistic comprehension instruction on generalized language and reading comprehension skills: A systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews. 15:e1059(4), s. 1–37. doi: 10.1002/cl2.1059. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The linguistic comprehension programs included in this review display a small positive immediate effect on generalized outcomes of linguistic comprehension. The effect of the programs on generalized measures of reading comprehension is negligible. Few studies report follow‐up assessment of their participants. Children who begin school with proficient language skills are more likely to develop adequate reading comprehension abilities and achieve academic success than children who struggle with poor language skills in their early years. Individual language difficulties, environmental factors related to socioeconomic status (SES), and having the educational language as a second language are all considered risk factors for language and literacy failure. Intervention programs have been designed with the aim of supporting at‐risk children's language skills. In these programs, the instructional methods typically include a strong focus on vocabulary instruction within the context of storytelling or text reading. Elements that directly activate narrative and grammatical development are often included.

• Lervåg, Arne; Dolean, Dacian; Tincas, Ioana & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2019). Socioeconomic background, nonverbal IQ and school absence affects the development of vocabulary and reading comprehension in children living in severe poverty. Developmental Science. ISSN 1363-755X. 22(5). doi: 10.1111/desc.12858. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Few studies have examined how socioeconomic status (SES) affects two essential parts of human development, namely vocabulary and reading comprehension, in children facing severe poverty. The Roma population is the largest minority group in Europe, the majority of whom live in severe poverty. This study compared the development of 322 Roma children with the development of 178 non‐Roma children, between the ages of 7 and 10 years, living in Romania. The Roma children had poorer initial vocabulary and reading comprehension skills as well as slower growth rates for both compared to the non‐Roma children. Importantly, SES had a direct influence on growth in both reading comprehension and vocabulary. The effect of SES was partly mediated by school absence and nonverbal IQ. This is a powerful finding since it suggests that poverty may have detrimental effects not only on reading but also on the development of verbal abilities.

• Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Hagen, Åste Mjelve & Lervåg, Arne (2019). Disentangling the far transfer of language comprehension gains using latent mediation models. Developmental Science. ISSN 1363-755X. doi: 10.1111/desc.12929. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  While we know that interventions targeting oral language can be effective, little is known about what drives these effects. In this study, we examine whether gains in transfer measures are mediated through the specific words that are trained in a language intervention. Based on a large‐scale randomized controlled trial of language intervention in 4‐ to 5‐year‐old children, latent mediation models were used to disentangle oral language gains in transfer measures. The results first showed that the effects of the language intervention and the transfer effects are generated through expressive rather than receptive measures of language. Second, we found that the effects of the intervention on intermediate transfer measures of language were mediated through the ability to define the trained words. Third, and critically, for far transfer measures that did not contain any of the trained words, the effects were mediated through the trained words. The findings relate to theories of transfer and support the idea that far transfer is possible, at least within the same domain. In addition, it seems that effects on receptive language skills are difficult to obtain and that what is improved is instead the children's ability to express themselves and use procedures to explain words. Thus, to optimize intervention effects, future studies should focus on expressive language.

• Nordahl-Hansen, Anders; Donolato, Enrica; Lervåg, Arne; Norbury, Courtenay Frazier & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2019). PROTOCOL: Language interventions for improving oral language outcomes in children with neurodevelopmental disorders: A systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews. 15:e1062(4), s. 1–21. doi: 10.1002/cl2.1062. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  This protocol presents the plan for a systematic review that will investigate the effect of oral language interventions for children with intellectual disability (ID), language disorder (LD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Down syndrome (DS), Williams syndrome (WS), and fragile X syndrome (FXS). Language development is a highly frequent area of difficulty for children within these diagnostic groups, and oral language interventions are therefore important. However, to provide better evidence‐informed practice, we need to investigate what oral language interventions are effective and for whom. The systematic review will not only investigate the effect of oral language interventions targeted at specific disorders but also identify interventions that may be yield similar improvements in different neurodevelopmental disorders.

• Hjetland, Hanne Næss; Lervåg, Arne; Lyster, Solveig-Alma Halaas; Hagtvet, Bente Eriksen; Hulme, Charles & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2019). Pathways to Reading Comprehension: A Longitudinal Study From 4 to 9 Years of Age. Journal of Educational Psychology. ISSN 0022-0663. 111(5), s. 751–763. doi: 10.1037/edu0000321. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The two major determinants of reading comprehension are language comprehension and decoding, but prior studies of the development of reading comprehension from an early age show inconsistent results. To clarify these inconsistencies we report a 6-year longitudinal study (starting at Age 4 years) where we control for measurement error and track the development and interrelationships between a range of predictors of reading comprehension (language, decoding, and cognitive skills). We found two main pathways to reading comprehension: a highly stable language comprehension pathway (reflecting variations in vocabulary, listening comprehension, grammar, and verbal working memory) and a less stable code-related pathway (reflecting variations in phoneme awareness, letter knowledge, and rapid automatized naming). Early language comprehension at Age 4 years is strongly related to code-related predictors (phoneme awareness, letter knowledge, and rapid naming), and influences decoding indirectly through these constructs. Early oral language skills predicted initial levels of reading comprehension and its growth between the ages of 7 and 9 years. Strikingly, language comprehension and decoding, together with their interaction and curvilinear effects, explain almost all (99.7%) of the variance in reading comprehension skills at 7 years of age. Our study adds to prior knowledge in several important ways and provides strong support for an elaborated version of the simple view of reading (Gough & Tunmer, 1986).

• Lervåg, Arne; Hulme, Charles & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2018). Unpicking the Developmental Relationship Between Oral Language Skills and Reading Comprehension: It's Simple, But Complex. Child Development. ISSN 0009-3920. 89(5), s. 1821–1838. doi: 10.1111/cdev.12861. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Listening comprehension and word decoding are the two major determinants of the development of reading comprehension. The relative importance of different language skills for the development of listening and reading comprehension remains unclear. In this 5‐year longitudinal study, starting at age 7.5 years (n = 198), it was found that the shared variance between vocabulary, grammar, verbal working memory, and inference skills was a powerful longitudinal predictor of variations in both listening and reading comprehension. In line with the simple view of reading, listening comprehension, and word decoding, together with their interaction and curvilinear effects, explains almost all (96%) variation in early reading comprehension skills. Additionally, listening comprehension was a predictor of both the early and later growth of reading comprehension skills.

• Arnesen, Anne; Braeken, Johan; Ogden, Terje & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2018). Assessing Children’s Social Functioning and Reading Proficiency: A Systematic Review of the Quality of Educational Assessment Instruments Used in Norwegian Elementary Schools. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. ISSN 0031-3831. s. 1–26. doi: 10.1080/00313831.2017.1420685. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Social functioning and reading proficiency are critical for success in school and society. Therefore, identifying children with such problems is important. This study had 2 parts: first, a random sample of 234 elementary schools was surveyed about which instruments they use to assess reading proficiency and social functioning. Second, a systematic review of the quality of these instruments was conducted using international standards for examining the quality of assessment instruments. The survey showed that schools more often assessed and had more instruments available for reading than for social functioning. The systematic review of the assessment instruments used revealed that the psychometric qualities of many was weak or undocumented, while the dimensions of test material quality were generally good. The findings demonstrate a need for a more thorough examination of the psychometric properties of assessment instruments to be used in school.

• Arnesen, Anne; Smolkowski, Keith; Ogden, Terje & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2018). Validation of the Elementary Social Behaviour Assessment: Teacher Ratings of Students' Social Skills Adapted to Norwegian, Grades 1-6. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. ISSN 1363-2752. 23(1), s. 39–54. doi: 10.1080/13632752.2017.1316473. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Elementary Social Behaviour Assessment (ESBA), a teacher-report measure of students’ social skills and academic engagement adapted for use in Norwegian schools. At two times, 8 weeks apart, 151 teachers rated 793 students in Grades 1–6 on the ESBA and the Social Skills Rating System Teacher’s form (SSRS-T). Exploratory factor analysis with the first assessment suggested one or possibly two factors. Confirmatory factor analysis with the second assessment confirmed the one- or two-factor models but did not offer strong evidence for one over the other. The ESBA demonstrated good to excellent reliability. Strong concurrent and predictive correlations with the SSRS-T established criterion validity. The school and teacher levels explained only a limited amount of the total variance in ESBA scores, suggesting that teachers rate students quite similarly. The Norwegian-adapted ESBA paralleled the reliability and validity evidence from US samples. The final version of this research has been published in Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

• Hagen, Åste Mjelve; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2017). Improving Language Comprehension in Preschool Children with Language Difficulties: A Cluster Randomized Trial. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. ISSN 0021-9630. 58(10), s. 1132–1140. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.12762. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background: Children with language comprehension difficulties are at risk of educational and social problems, which in turn impede employment prospects in adulthood. However, few randomized trials have examined how such problems can be ameliorated during the preschool years. Methods: We conducted a cluster randomized trial in 148 preschool classrooms. Our intervention targeted language comprehension skills and lasted 1 year and 1 month, with five blocks of 6 weeks and intervention three times per week (about 75 min per week). Effects were assessed on a range of measures of language performance. Results: Immediately after the intervention, there were moderate effects on both near, intermediate and distal measures of language performance. At delayed follow-up (7 months after the intervention), these reliable effects remained for the distal measures. Conclusions: It is possible to intervene in classroom settings to improve the language comprehension skills of children with language difficulties. However, it appears that such interventions need to be intensive and prolonged.

• Arnesen, Anne; Braeken, Johan; Baker, Scott; Meek-Hansen, Wilhelm; Ogden, Terje & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2017). Growth in Oral Reading Fluency in a Semitransparent Orthography: Concurrent and Predictive Relations With Reading Proficiency in Norwegian, Grades 2–5. Reading Research Quarterly. ISSN 0034-0553. 52(2), s. 177–201. doi: 10.1002/rrq.159. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  This study investigated an adaptation of the Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) measure of the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills into a European context for the Norwegian language, which has a more transparent orthography than English. Second-order latent growth curve modeling was used to examine the longitudinal measurement invariance of the ORF measure, the growth in oral reading fluency within and across grades 2–5, the relative stability of the ORF measure, and the relationship between the ORF measure and high-stakes national tests of reading proficiency. Results showed that the ORF passages measured the same underlying construct, but some passages stood out regarding the invariance pattern. The oral reading fluency growth curve models demonstrated a linear growth in grades 2 and 3 and a nonlinear growth in grades 4 and 5. Initial individual differences varied more than growth rates, which for all were positive but largest in grades 3 and 4. High relative stability in the ORF measure was found across grades. The concurrent and predictive relations of the ORF measure on the Norwegian national reading tests were moderate to strong (range = .44–.75). Findings indicated that the ORF is a reliable and valid measure of reading in Norwegian grades 2–5 and easy and fast to administer. The ORF measure might contribute to early identification of students at risk for reading difficulties in an orthography more transparent than English. Implications for school practice and future research are discussed.

• Hjetland, Hanne Næss; Brinchmann, Ellen Iren; Scherer, Ronny & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2017). Preschool predictors of later reading comprehension ability: a systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews. 14. doi: 10.4073/csr.2017.14. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background Knowledge about preschool predictors of later reading comprehension is valuable for several reasons. On a general level, longitudinal studies can aid in generating understanding and causal hypotheses about language and literacy development, both of which are crucial processes in child development. A better understanding of these developmental processes may guide the establishment of effective instruction and interventions to teach reading comprehension that can later be tested in randomized controlled trials. Knowledge about preschool precursors for reading comprehension skills can also aid in developing tools to identify children at risk of reading difficulties. Objectives The primary objective for this systematic review is to summarize the available research on the correlation between reading-related preschool predictors and later reading comprehension skills. Search methods We developed a comprehensive search strategy in collaboration with a search information retrieval specialist at the university library. The electronic search was based on seven different databases. We also manually searched the table of contents of three key journals to find additional references. Finally, we checked the studies included in two previous systematic reviews. Selection criteria The included studies had to employ a longitudinal non-experimental/observational design. To avoid the overrepresentation of participants with special group affiliation (e.g., participants with learning disabilities or second language learner status), we chose studies that included either a sample of typically developing children or an unselected cohort. Data collection and analysis The search resulted in 3285 references. After the duplicates were removed, all remaining references were screened for inclusion and exclusion. A total of 64 studies met the eligibility criteria. The analysis was conducted in two steps. First, the predictive relation between the abilities assessed in preschool and later reading comprehension skills was analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-analysis (CMA) software. Second, we used the correlation matrices in the included studies to further explore these relations by means of meta-analytic structural equation modeling. Results First, analyses of bivariate correlations showed that all the included predictors, except for non-word repetition, were moderately to strongly correlated with later reading comprehension in the bivariate analyses. Non-word repetition had only a weak to moderate contribution to later reading comprehension ability. To explain the between-study variation, we conducted a series of meta-regression analyses. Age at time of reading assessment could predict variations between studies in correlations related to the code-related predictors. Second, meta-analytic structural equation modeling showed a significant indirect effect of code-related skills on reading comprehension via consecutive word recognition. Third, there was a strong relationship in preschool between language comprehension and code-related skills. Language comprehension had a moderate direct impact on reading comprehension. As hypothesized, this impact increased with age, and linguistic comprehension becomes more important for reading comprehension when children master decoding. Moreover, the overall individual variance in reading comprehension explained by the model was 59.5%; that of consecutive word recognition was 47.6%. Authors’ conclusions Overall, our findings show that the foundation for reading comprehension is established in the preschool years through the development of language comprehension and code-related skills. Code-related skills and decoding are most important for reading comprehension in beginning readers, but linguistic comprehension gradually takes over as children become older. Taken together, these results suggest a need for a broad focus on language in preschool-age children.

• Rogde, Kristin; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2016). Improving the linguistic comprehension skills of second-language learners in preschool: A randomized trial study. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness. ISSN 1934-5747. doi: 10.1080/19345747.2016.1171935. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Rogde, Kristin; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2016). Improving the General Language Skills of Second-Language Learners in Kindergarten: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness. ISSN 1934-5747. 9, s. 150–170. doi: 10.1080/19345747.2016.1171935. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Hulme, Charles (2016). There is no convincing evidence that working memory training is effective: A reply to Au et al. (2014) and Karbach and Verhaeghen (2014). Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. ISSN 1069-9384. 23(1), s. 324–330. doi: 10.3758/s13423-015-0862-z. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Snowling, Margaret J. & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2016). Oral language deficits in familial dyslexia: A meta-analysis and review. Psychological bulletin. ISSN 0033-2909. 142(5), s. 498–545. doi: 10.1037/bul0000037. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Redick, Thomas S. & Hulme, Charles (2016). Working Memory Training Does Not Improve Performance on Measures of Intelligence or Other Measures of “Far Transfer”: Evidence From a Meta-Analytic Review. Perspectives on Psychological Science. ISSN 1745-6916. 11(4), s. 512–534. doi: 10.1177/1745691616635612. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Klem, Marianne; Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Hagtvet, Bente Eriksen; Lyster, Solveig-Alma Halaas; Gustafsson, Jan-Eric & Hulme, Charles (2015). Sentence repetition is a measure of children's language skills rather than working memory limitations. Developmental Science. ISSN 1363-755X. 18(1), s. 146–154. doi: 10.1111/desc.12202. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Sentence repetition tasks are widely used in the diagnosis and assessment of children with language difficulties. This paper seeks to clarify the nature of sentence repetition tasks and their relationship to other language skills. We present the results from a 2-year longitudinal study of 216 children. Children were assessed on measures of sentence repetition, vocabulary knowledge and grammatical skills three times at approximately yearly intervals starting at age 4. Sentence repetition was not a unique longitudinal predictor of the growth of language skills. A unidimensional language latent factor (defined by sentence repetition, vocabulary knowledge and grammatical skills) provided an excellent fit to the data, and language abilities showed a high degree of longitudinal stability. Sentence repetition is best seen as a reflection of an underlying language ability factor rather than as a measure of a separate construct with a specific role in language processing. Sentence repetition appears to be a valuable tool for language assessment because it draws upon a wide range of language processing skills.

• Redick, Thomas S.; Shipstead, Zach; Wiemers, Elizabeth A.; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Hulme, Charles (2015). What’s Working in Working Memory Training? An Educational Perspective. Educational Psychology Review. ISSN 1040-726X. doi: 10.1007/s10648-015-9314-6. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hjetland, Hanne Næss; Brinchmann, Ellen Iren; Lyster, Solveig-Alma Halaas; Hagtvet, Bente Eriksen & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2015). PROTOCOL: Preschool Predictors of Later Reading Comprehension Ability: A Systematic Review. Campbell Systematic Reviews. 11(1), s. 1–40. doi: 10.1002/CL2.139. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Lervåg, Arne & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2014). Utvikling av språk og leseferdigheter hos minoritetsspråklige. I Wittek, Line & Stray, Janicke Heldal (Red.), Pedagogikk - en grunnbok. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 9788202414245. s. 437–453. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hagen, Åste Marie Mjelve; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2014). Barn som strever med språk og leseferdigheter: Hvilke tiltak virker? Norsk tidsskrift for logopedi. ISSN 0332-7256. 60(4), s. 6–13. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2014). Språklig utvikling hos barn fra null til fem år. I Utvikling, lek og læring i barnehagen: – forskning og praksis. I Glaser, Vibeke; Størksen, Ingunn & Drugli, May Britt (Red.), Utvikling, lek og læring i barnehagen. Forskning og praksis. Fagbokforlaget. ISSN 9788232101603. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2014). Effects of educational interventions targeting reading comprehension and underlying components. Child Development Perspectives (CDP). ISSN 1750-8592. 8(2), s. 96–100. doi: 10.1111/cdep.12068. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2014). Reading Comprehension and its Underlying Components in Second Language Learners: A Meta-analysis of Studies Comparing First and Second Language Learners. Psychological bulletin. ISSN 0033-2909. 140(2), s. 409–433. doi: 10.1037/a0033890. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  We report a systematic meta-analytic review of studies comparing reading comprehension and its underlying components (language comprehension, decoding, and phonological awareness) in first- and second-language learners. The review included 82 studies, and 576 effect sizes were calculated for reading comprehension and underlying components. Key findings were that, compared to first-language learners, second-language learners display a medium-sized deficit in reading comprehension (pooled effect size d = -0.62), a large deficit in language comprehension (pooled effect size d = -1.12), but only small differences in phonological awareness (pooled effect size d = –0.08) and decoding (pooled effect size d = –0.12). A moderator analysis showed that characteristics related to the type of reading comprehension test reliably explained the variation in the differences in reading comprehension between first- and second-language learners. For language comprehension, studies of samples from low socioeconomic backgrounds and samples where only the first language was used at home generated the largest group differences in favor of first-language learners. Test characteristics and study origin reliably contributed to the variations between the studies of language comprehension. For decoding, Canadian studies showed group differences in favor of second-language learners, whereas the opposite was the case for U.S. studies. Regarding implications, unless specific decoding problems are detected, interventions that aim to ameliorate reading comprehension problems among second-language learners should focus on language comprehension skills. Published Open Access, Copyright 2013 American Psychological Association

• Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2013). Preventing Literacy Failure in Children at Risk: Effects from a Preschool Intervention on Language and Literacy. A Comparative Study of Effects from an Oral Language Intervention on Native Norwegian Speaking Children and Bilingual Minority Children. I Johnsen, Berit Helene (Red.), Research Project Preparation within Education and Special Needs Education. Introduction to Theory of Science, Project Planning and Research Plans. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 9788276349771. s. 172–186. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Hulme, Charles (2013). Is Working Memory Training Effective? A Meta-Analytic Review. Developmental Psychology. ISSN 0012-1649. 49(2), s. 270–291. doi: 10.1037/a0028228. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Lervåg, Arne; Lyster, Solveig-Alma Halaas; Klem, Marianne; Hagtvet, Bente Eriksen & Hulme, Charles (2012). Nonword repetition ability does not appear to be a causal influence on children’s vocabulary development. Psychological Science. ISSN 0956-7976. 23(10), s. 1069–1098. doi: 10.1177/0956797612443833. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Lyster, Solveig-Alma Halaas & Hulme, Charles (2012). Phonological Skills and Their Role in Learning to Read: A Meta-Analytic Review. Psychological bulletin. ISSN 0033-2909. 138(2), s. 322–352. doi: 10.1037/a0026744. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2012). Arv, miljø og dysleksi : metoder, hovedfunn og implikasjoner for praksis. Spesialpedagogikk. ISSN 0332-8457. 77(2), s. 43–55. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Hulme, Charles (2012). Current Evidence Does not Support the Claims made for CogMed working Memory Training. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition. ISSN 2211-3681. 1(3), s. 197–197. doi: 10.1016/j.jarmac.2012.06.006. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne Ola (2012). Oral language skills moderate nonword repetition skills in children with dyslexia: A meta-analysis of the role of nonword repetition skills in dyslexia. Scientific Studies of Reading. ISSN 1088-8438. 16(1), s. 1–34. doi: 10.1080/10888438.2010.537715. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2012). The Relative Predictive Contribution and Causal Role of Phoneme Awareness, Rhyme Awareness, and Verbal Short-Term Memory in Reading Skills: A Review. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. ISSN 0031-3831. 56(1), s. 101–118. doi: 10.1080/00313831.2011.621215. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2011). Effekten av språkstimulering i førskolelader [i.e. førskolealder] på senere leseforståelse : hva kan forskning fortelle oss? Spesialpedagogikk. ISSN 0332-8457. 76(2), s. 41–51. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Næss, Kari-Anne Bottegaard; Lyster, Solveig-Alma Halaas; Hulme, Charles & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2011). Language and verbal short-term memory skills in children with Down syndrome: A meta-analytic review. Research in Developmental Disabilities. ISSN 0891-4222. 32(6), s. 2225–2234. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2011.05.014. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2011). The Relative Predictive Contribution and Causal Role of Phoneme Awareness, Rhyme Awareness and Verbal Short-Term Memory in Reading Skills: A Review. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. ISSN 0031-3831. 56(4), s. 363–380. doi: 10.1080/00313831.2011.594611. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Næss, Kari-Anne Bottegaard; Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Hulme, Charles & Lyster, Solveig-Alma Halaas (2011). Reading skills in children with Down syndrome: A meta-analytic review. Research in Developmental Disabilities. ISSN 0891-4222. 33((2012)), s. 737–747. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2011.09.019. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne Ola (2011). Cross-linguistic transfer of oral language, decoding, phonological awareness, and reading comprehension: A meta-analysis of the correlational evidence. Journal of Research in Reading. ISSN 0141-0423. 34(1), s. 114–135. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9817.2010.01477.x. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  We present a meta-analysis of cross-linguistic transfer of oral language (vocabulary and listening comprehension), phonology (decoding and phonological awareness) and reading comprehension. Our findings show a small meta-correlation between first (L1) and second (L2) oral language and a moderate to large correlation between L1 and L2 phonological awareness and decoding. This is interpreted in terms of the complexity of oral language compared with phonological awareness and decoding, where the limited number of letter–sound combinations are easier to learn. There were also large variations in the L1–L2 correlations for all language domains. The variation of decoding was moderated by writing system and instructional language. Further, the meta-correlation between L1 decoding and L2 reading comprehension was small to moderate, and decreased reliably with age, while the correlation between L1 oral language and L2 reading comprehension was close to 0. Overall, we argue that the results can be explained from both interdependence and contrastive perspectives.

• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne Ola (2011). Hvilken betydning har morsmålsferdigheter for utviklingen av leseforståelse og dets underliggende komponenter på andrespråket? Norsk pedagogisk tidsskrift. ISSN 0029-2052. 95(5), s. 330–341. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hagtvet, Bente Eriksen; Lyster, Solveig-Alma Halaas; Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Næss, Kari-Anne Bottegaard; Hjetland, Hanne Næss & Engevik, Liv Inger [Vis alle 10 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2011). Ordforråd i førskolealder og senere leseferdigheter - En metaanalytisk tilnærming. Spesialpedagogikk. ISSN 0332-8457. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2010). Kognitive markører for dysleksi og spesifikke språkvansker : utredning av dysleksi og spesifikke språkvansker: hvilke oppgaver er egnet som mulige kognitive markører? Skolepsykologi. ISSN 0333-0389. 45(6), s. 37–56. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2010). Kan arbeidsminnetrening hjelpe barn med språkrelaterte vansker? : en vurdering av teoretisk og empirisk grunnlag for arbeidsminnetrening. Norsk tidsskrift for logopedi. ISSN 0332-7256. 56(4), s. 24–32. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Hulme, Charles (2010). Serial and Free Recall in children can be improved by training: Evidence for the importance of phonological and semantic representations in immediate memory tasks. Psychological Science. ISSN 0956-7976. 21(11), s. 1694–1700. doi: 10.1177/0956797610385355. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2010). Nonordrepetisjon og setningsminne hos barn med spesifikke språkvansker: Hva karakteriserer deres ferdigheter og hvordan kan dette tolkes? Norsk tidsskrift for logopedi. ISSN 0332-7256. 56(1), s. 5–12. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Lervåg, Arne Ola & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2009). Muntlig språk, ordavkoding og leseforståelse hos tospråklige: En sammenfatning av empiriske studier. Norsk pedagogisk tidsskrift. ISSN 0029-2052. 93(4), s. 264–279. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv

Se alle arbeider i NVA

• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Ogden, Terje (2026). Innføring i spesialpedagogikk. Gyldendal Norsk Forlag A/S. ISBN 9788205622661. 246 s. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Denne boka tar opp sentrale spørsmål i spesialpedagogisk praksis og viser hvordan opplæring kan tilpasses innenfor rammen av den norske fellesskolen. Boka gir deg innsikt i de vanligste utfordringene i læring og atferd, og gir deg verktøyene til å forstå dem, kartlegge behov og skape inkluderende læringsmiljøer med målrettet og individuelt tilrettelagt opplæring. Boka gir en bred introduksjon til spesialpedagogikk for studenter, lærere og andre som arbeider med opplæring, undervisning og tilrettelegging av læringsmiljøet for barn og unge med ulike behov.

• Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2025). Når språk, lesing eller matematikk er vanskelig En grunnbok. Fagbokforlaget. ISBN 9788245046564. 470 s. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Hvert år står omtrent 50 000 barn klare til skole-start fulle av forventninger. Dessverre vet vi også at mange av dem etter en tid møter skuffelse, frustrasjon og nederlag fordi de strever med å lære seg ferdigheter som andre ser ut til å tilegne seg nærmest uanstrengt. For dem av oss som mestret skolen uten nevneverdige utfordringer, er det nok vanskelig å forstå fullt ut hvor krevende det er å ha lærevansker, ikke minst for barnet selv, men også for lærere, foreldre og andre tett på som gjerne vil hjelpe. Dette er en grunnbok om lærevansker. Den gir en fullstendig oversikt over hva lærevansker er, over årsaker til lærevansker og hva slags støttesystemer som finnes for elever med lærevansker. Dessuten går boken inn på alt vi vet om språk-, lese- og matematikkvansker, og den diskuterer definisjoner, forklaringer, kartlegging og tiltak. Boken er skrevet for studenter i lærerutdanning og spesialpedagogikk, men kan med fordel leses av alle som jobber med elever i skolen eller støtte-systemet rundt elevene (for eksempel ansatte i PP-tjenesten, Statped, barne- og ungdoms-psykiatrien).

• Hulme, Charles & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2016). Effects from Interventions for Psychological Learning and Behavioural Disorders in Children. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 9781118381960. 1096 s. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv

Se alle arbeider i NVA

• Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Sandsør, Astrid Marie Jorde; Rege, Mari & Markussen, Simen (2026). Lærdommen fra Pisa? Norge trenger bedre nasjonale målinger, ikke færre. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Hagen, Åste Mjelve; Lervåg, Arne & Rogde, Kristin (2026). Tidlig innsats er ikke nok: Effekten av språkstimulering i barnehage er av begrenset varighet. [Journal]. FORSKNING.NO. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Wandem, Fredrik Solli (2026). Hva om arbeidsminnet ikke finnes? [Journal]. FORSKNING.NO. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2026). Når bør vi gripe inn hvis barn sliter med å lære? [Journal]. FORSKNING.NO. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2026). Hanne Finstad / Forskerfabrikken Podkast. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2026). Reading Disorders and genetics: Effects and transfer effects from language and reading interventions. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Hulme, Charles; snowling, maggie; west, gillian; Crane, claudine & Campos, Diego Gonzalez (2026). The efficacy of early language intervention on reading: an individual participant data (IPD) analysis. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Rønneberg, Vibeke; Amland, Tonje; Solheim, Oddny Judith; Lervåg, Arne; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Ertesvåg, Sigrun K. [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2026). Improving Reading And Mathematical Skills Through an Integrated Intervention: A Multi-site Randomized Trial. doi: https:/www.the-mcls.org/conferences/mcls-2026-padua. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Lervåg, Arne; Wang, Lei & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2026). Developmental Dynamics between Reading Comprehension, Word Reading and Vocabulary in Norwegian Second to Third Graders. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Purpose — It is well established that language skills, such as vocabulary, are important precursors for word reading and reading comprehension. However, theories about reading development are not very specific about how different components impact reading during various developmental phases. This study examines the developmental relationship between reading comprehension, vocabulary, and word reading skills in an early phase of reading. Models, which separate variation within and between the children, and those that do not, are used. Method — 288 children, recruited 4 months after the start of formal reading instruction, were measured four times over 1.5 years. Different cross-lagged panel models were estimated to test the direction of influence between the development of reading comprehension, vocabulary skills, and word reading skills. Results — Models, separating within-person from between-person variation, clearly showed that changes in word-reading skills were associated with later reading comprehension skills. This was less clear in the models that mix up the within-person and between-person variation. Some, but fewer, dynamic relations were found for vocabulary and reading comprehension, and the ones found were in models that mix up the within-person and between-person variance. Conclusions — The findings provide important information about the developmental dynamics of reading in a relatively early phase of development. Further, the results inform us about the importance of choosing the appropriate model if we are interested in how a child’s reading skills develop over time.

• Donolato, Enrica; Wahl, Hedda Novang; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2026). Math anxiety and math skills development in children: a longitudinal study on early predictors. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Introduction. Math anxiety and math skills are closely intertwined, yet their early predictors in childhood remain poorly understood. Previous research has identified cognitive and affective predictors of math performance, including intelligence and working memory (Amland et al., 2025), knowledge of mathematical symbols (Szczygieł et al., 2024), and general and math anxiety (Barroso et al., 2021; Caviola et al., 2022). Similarly, there is evidence that math anxiety is shaped by general anxiety (Szczygieł et al., 2024; Wang et al., 2014), working memory (Pellizzoni et al., 2022), and knowledge of mathematical symbols (Szczygieł et al., 2024). Despite extensive correlational evidence, few longitudinal studies have systematically examined cognitive and affective predictors of math anxiety and math skills in school-age children. Research Aims. The goal of this study is to examine children’s math anxiety and math skills development and identify their cognitive and affective predictors in a sample of children followed up from kindergarten to primary school. Materials and Methods. The sample consisted of 259 children (52% boys; M age = 5.5 years at project onset). At the first time point, during their final year of preschool, children completed assessments of cognitive abilities, numeracy skills, and general anxiety. From Grade 3 to Grade 6, children were assessed annually on math anxiety (Achievement Emotions Questionnaire–Math Anxiety; AEQ-MA), arithmetic fluency (Test of Basic Arithmetic and Numeracy Skills; TOBANS) and a mathematical reasoning (Word Problems subtest of the WISC-IV). Assessments were administrated individually in sessions of approximately 60 minutes during kindergarten or school hours. Results. Growth models are being used to examine math anxiety and math skills and to test early predictors of individual differences in growth. Final results from ongoing analyses will clarify the extent to which early cognitive, numeracy and affective factors contribute to changes in math anxiety and math skills in primary school. Discussion. These findings are expected to contribute to a better understanding of early factors that may place children at risk for unfavourable trajectories in developing math anxiety or poor math skills. The study has implications for early identification, highlighting how targeting foundational skills may support both math skills and mitigate math anxiety. Findings will further inform how these insights can be translated into educational practices to enhance young students’ successful math learning.

• Lervåg, Arne; Wahl, Hedda Novang; Donolato, Enrica & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2026). The developmental dynamics between math anxiety and math skills: examining three theories. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Introduction. Math anxiety is consistently associated with poorer learning and achievement, yet the direction of this relationship remains debated (e.g., Namkung et al., 2019). Three primary theoretical models explain the link between anxiety and achievement. The reduced competency model suggests that weak math skills generate anxiety. The learning avoidance model proposes that anxiety leads students to disengage from practice and participation, thereby harming performance. The reciprocal model integrates both processes, proposing a cyclical relationship in which poor skills increase anxiety, which in turn further impairs achievement (Carey et al., 2016). Some studies using traditional cross-lagged panel models support reciprocal effects (Gunderson et al., 2018). However, newer Random Intercept-Cross-Lagged Panel Models (RI-CLPMs) control for stable individual differences, allowing clearer examination of within-person changes over time (Hammaker et al., 2015). One five-year study applying RI-CLPMs found that anxiety negatively predicted later math grades within individuals, whereas grades did not predict anxiety. Thus, whereas traditional CLPM findings favor the reciprocal model, RI-CLPM results align more closely with the learning avoidance model. However, this study relied on grades rather than standardized tests, and anxiety was not assessed specifically in testing contexts. Research Aims. The present study uses RI-CLPMs to examine whether developmental relations between math anxiety and achievement vary across anxiety types, providing a more nuanced understanding of how emotions influence children’s mathematical learning. Norwegian students were followed from Grade 3 to Grade 6, with two different measures of anxiety, class anxiety and test anxiety. Methods. Two hundred and fifty children's math anxiety and math word problem skills were tested annually over three years. Results. The results show that earlier higher levels of test anxiety were significantly related to poorer later math skills. For class anxiety, there was a significant relation in the opposite direction. Poor math skills were related to later math class anxiety. In this model, there was also some evidence of a relationship in the opposite direction, but sensitivity tests suggest this might be due to confounders. Further analyses also revealed that the effect of poor math skills on class anxiety was moderated by gender, with higher effect sizes for girls than for boys. Discussion. Support was found for all the above-mentioned three theories of this relationship, but the results suggest types of anxiety and gender might moderate the direction and strength of the relations between anxiety and math skills.

• Wang, Lei; Wang, Mari Vaage & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2026). The Longitudinal Effect of Early Special Education on Language Skills Depends on Kindergarten Size. doi: https:/eecera.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/EECERA-2026-symposia-sessions-version-27-August-2026.pdf. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  This study examines whether the quality of early child education care (ECEC) influences the longitudinal effect of special education (SE) on language ability. Children with language difficulties make up almost half of the children in SE in ECEC (Wang et al., 2026). Previous studies found the negative effect of SE on children’s language and academic outcomes (e.g., Sullivan & Field, 2013). Although the effectiveness of early SE service may depend on the quality of ECEC, no study has examined it. We used the bioecological framework (Bronfenbrenner & Ceci, 1994) , which posits that both distal and proximal factors influence children’s developmental outcomes. Using the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), we followed children aged 5 to 8 (N = 6,468; 295 of them in SE) and examined the effect of SE in ECEC when the children were 5-year-olds on language skills 3 years later. We constructed a propensity-score-weighted sample based on 36 covariates. In addition to SE provision, four ECEC quality variables were included as predictors: curriculum quality, group size, staff quality, and assessment routines. All participants gave informed consent before the study started and were free to withdraw at any time; Participants' names were removed. The main effect of SE on language skills is negative, while the main effects of the four quality factors are positive. The negative effect of SE is reduced when ECECs are larger in scale. The results indicated that SE in ECEC is not effective in improving language skills. More resources should be allocated to ECECs with lower structural quality.

• Wang, Lei; Yang, Junyi; Scherer, Ronny; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Anmarkrud, Øistein (2026). The Relationship Between Screen Use and Language and Literacy Skills in Childhood: The Roles of Family SES and Children's Prior Ability. doi: https:/www.triplesr.org/sites/default/files/2026-07/detailed_programme%20July%2015%202026.pdf. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Wang, Lei; Wang, Mari Vaage & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2026). The Effects of Early Special Education Depends on Children’s Difficulties Types. doi: https:/www.psychologicalscience.org/redesign/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Final-2026-Annual-Poster-Session-Brochure.pdf. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  This study examines the effects of special needs assistance (SNA) in early childhood education and care (ECEC) on children’s language and academic performance in primary school. Using the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) and birth registry data, we examined the effects of SNA and children’s difficulty types in ECEC when the children were 5-year-old (n = 35,024; 1809 received SNA) on language, reading, and math outcomes in primary school when they were 8-year-old, using propensity score matching with 36 early covariates. The results showed that the effects of SNA were negative on all outcomes when it was the only predictor. When we added the difficulty types and their interactions with SNA into the regressions, the results showed that: 1. SNA did not predict language and academic outcomes for children with no difficulty; 2. SNA positively predicted language and reading abilities for children with language or developmental difficulty; 3. SNA negatively predicted all the outcomes for children with both language and developmental difficulties.

• Wandem, Fredrik Solli & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2026). Kort forklart: Hva er egentlig arbeidsminne? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Har du noen gang gått inn i et rom og glemt hvorfor du gikk dit? Eller fått flere beskjeder på en gang og bare husket noen av dem? Dette handler ikke alltid bare om konsentrasjon, men om noe vi kaller arbeidsminne.

• Keles, Serap; Hagen, Åste Mjelve; Guo, Ling; Hwang, Jin Kyoung & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2026). Effectiveness of Tiered Educational Interventions in Early Childhood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Tier 2 and Tier 3 Supports. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hoel, Mari Sommer; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Gunnerud, Hilde Lowell (2026). Pragmatic language in children with Pragmatic Language Impairment (PLI): A systematic review and Meta-Analysis. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Berg, Karianne; Porsanger, Camilla Adleide; Rydland, Veslemøy; Olsen, Kathrin & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2026). Language exposure to the Sámi language in preschool and at home in indigenous children: Does it predict language and emergent literacy? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Gunnerud, Hilde Lowell; Rønneberg, Vibeke & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2026). The distinctiveness and prevalence of different reading comprehension profiles in Norwegian first graders. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The prevalence of reading disorders and reading profiles varies depending on the cut-off scores and definitions used to identify reading difficulties (Keenan et al., 2014; Di Folco et al., 2020). Consequently, there is a need to move beyond variable-centered approaches when examining poor readers and their associated profiles. We apply latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify distinct profiles of reading difficulties among first-grade students (N = 722; second-language learners = 157) and examine the extent to which profiles correspond to groups identified using conventional cut-off scores. Profile indicators included nonverbal IQ, executive function, word reading, rapid automatized naming (RAN), working memory, phonological short-term memory, phonological awareness, vocabulary, grammar, and sentence repetition. Preliminary analyses indicated that a three-profile solution provided the best fit: (1) a low-performing profile with consistently low scores across measures (20.8%); (2) an average-performing profile (49.1%); and (3) a high-performing profile (30.1%). Membership in the low-performing profile was associated with second-language learner status, poor decoding skills (word decoding below the 10th percentile), and language abilities comparable to those of children with developmental language disorder (DLD), defined as monolingual students scoring below the 10th percentile on a latent language factor. Monolingual status was more strongly associated with the high-performing than the average-performing profile. These findings suggest that first-grade students with weak decoding skills often experience broader language and cognitive difficulties. Consequently, the identification of decoding difficulties should be viewed as a starting point for further assessment rather than the endpoint of assessment, helping to inform intervention and educational support.

• Wandem, Fredrik Solli & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2026). Kort forklart: Hvorfor er tidlig innsats så viktig? doi: https:/www.uv.uio.no/spedaims/aktuelt/podkast/det-virker/kort-forklart-tidlig-innsats.html. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  I barnehagen eller skolen kan det være små tegn. Et barn som strever med språk. En elev som ikke helt får tak på bokstavene. Eller en som faller litt utenfor faglig. Nesten uten at vi legger merke til det. Hva vi gjør da? Venter vi og ser det an? Eller griper vi inn tidlig?

• Porsanger, Camilla Adleide; Berg, Karianne; Rydland, Veslemøy; Olsen, Kathrin & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2026). Language and Literacy Interventions for Indigenous Children: A Systematic review and Meta-Analysis of the effects. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Lyster, Solveig Alma Halaas; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Hofslundsengen, Hilde Christine (2025). Lese- og skrivevansker. I Befring, Edvard (Red.), Spesialpedagogikk. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 9788202839888. s. 379–410. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Spesialpedagogikk, som er det mest omfattende og allsidige verket om spesialpedagogikk i Norge, kommer nå i sin 7. utgave. Bokas fire deler omhandler disse temaene:Spesialpedagogikkens identitet som et mangfoldig lærings- og verdifag: faglige perspektiver og forståelsesmåter, etikk, opplæringsrettigheter, historiske grunntrekk og spesialpedagogisk kompetanseutvikling. Spesialpedagogiske grunnleggende arbeidsoppgaver: inkludering, kartlegging, forebygging, den spesialpedagogiske tiltakskjeden og samarbeid med foreldre, PPT og andre. Spesialpedagogiske støtte- og hjelpetiltak for en mangfoldig målgruppe: kommunikasjons- og språkforstyrrelser, lese- og skrivevansker, matematikkvansker, utviklingshemming, hørsels- og synsvansker, fysisk-motoriske funksjonshemminger, psykososial sårbarhet, migrasjonsrelaterte vansker, autisme og barn og unge med stort læringspotensial. Spesialpedagogikk i barnehage og skole: barnehage, grunnskole, videregående opplæring og skolelivsmestring. Boka retter seg primært til bachelor- og masterstudenter i spesialpedagogikk og studenter i lærerutdanningene, men er også velegnet i pedagogikk-, sosial- og helsefagene. Forfatterne er rekruttert fra de fremste studie- og forskningsmiljøene i Norge.

• Lopez-Pedersen, Anita; Amland, Tonje; Solheim, Oddny Judith; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Rønneberg, Vibeke (2025). Improving Reading And Mathematical Skills Through a Combined Intervention: A Multi-site Randomized Trial. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Meta-analyses have found that children with math difficulties are twice as likely to also have dyslexia. Knowing that it is common to struggle with both reading and math, we ask: how can we support both reading and mathematics at the same time? Does a 20-week integrated reading and math intervention have an immediate effect on: Arithmetic fluency & Word reading, Reading comprehension, Word problem solving and Mathematical language compared to a business-as-usual control group? Results: This cross-domain RCT produced effects on all numeracy measures; fluency-related (arithmetic), and those related more to math language comprehension (mathematical language and word problem solving). We found no effects on literacy measures on Intent to Treat. Delayed post-test yet to be analyzed and teacher reports of participation experience yet to be analyzed: might shed light on intervention effects.

• Amland, Tonje; Grande, German; Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Bergen, Elsje van & Lervåg, Arne (2025). The Intergenerational Impact of Mothers and Fathers on Children’s Arithmetic Development. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Several studies have investigated the associations between the home numeracy environment (HNE) and children’s mathematical skills. Collectively, findings point in different directions. An aspect rarely considered in HNE studies, are parent’s mathematical abilities. Parental abilities carry the potential to serve as a proxy for genetic transmission and therefore shed light on the intergenerational impact of parents on children’s achievement. In this study, we asked whether reported numeracy activities in the home and parent’s arithmetic ability both predict children’s arithmetic skill development.

• Donolato, Enrica; caviola, sara; Masi, Alice; Lervåg, Arne & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2025). Improving Math Attitudes in School-Age Students: A Meta-Analysis on Intervention Studies. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Wang, Lei; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Wang, Mari Vaage (2025). Children and kindergarten’s factors influence the allocation of special education in kindergarten. doi: https:/www.earli.org/assets/images/earli_program_2025-2.pdf. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Wang, Lei; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Wang, Mari Vaage (2025). Special needs assistance to children with language, behavioral, and developmental difficulties in kindergarten: Predictors of how resources are allocated. doi: https:/www.triplesr.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/SSSR%202025%20Programme.pdf. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Rønneberg, Vibeke; Lopez-Pedersen, Anita; Amland, Tonje; Solheim, Oddny Judith & Lervåg, Arne (2025). Improving reading and mathematical skills through an integrated intervention: a multi-site randomized trial. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Dacian, dolean,; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2025). The impact of homework and guided parental support on socioeconomically disadvantaged children. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hoel, Mari Sommer; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Gunnerud, Hilde Lowell (2025). Pragmatic language in children with Pragmatic Language Impairment (PLI): A systematic review and Meta-Analysis. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Høgetveit, Anne Mari; Donolato, Enrica; Canrinus, Esther Tamara & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2025). A Meta-Analysis of the Mathematical Skills in Children with Developmental Language Disorder. doi: https:/www.earli.org/events/earli2025. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Yang, Junyi; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Anmarkrud, Øistein (2025). Dialing in: how mothers' phone use relates to child language development. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hagen, Åste Mjelve; Rogde, Kristin; Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Lervåg, Arne & Norbury, Courtenay Frazier (2025). Long-term prognosis of low language proficiency in children: A Cochrane prognostic review. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Maurer, Michelle Nina; Campos, Diego Gonzalez; Gowenlock, Anna E.; Norbury, Courtenay Frazier & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2025). The relationship between socioeconomic factors and oral language in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Walquist-Sørli, Line; Nergård-Nilssen, Trude & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2025). Early speech sound difficulties and its relationship with language and reading. A meta-analysis and a longitudinal study. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hoel, Mari Sommer; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Gunnerud, Hilde Lowell (2025). What characterises school-aged children with pragmatic language difficulties? A systematic review and Meta-Analysis. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Nergård-Nilssen, Trude; Walquist-Sørli, Line; Friborg, Oddgeir; Furnes, Bjarte Reidar; Riise, Sølvi Grønning & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2025). Evaluating the UiT-ReadWell programme's impact on reading disorders in young Norwegian students. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Walquist-Sørli, Line; Nergård-Nilssen, Trude; Maurer, Michelle Nina; Friborg, Oddgeir & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2025). The Influence of Speech Sound Skills on Language and Literacy Development: A Longitudinal Study from Ages 4 to 9. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Nergård-Nilssen, Trude; Maurer, Michelle Nina; Friborg, Oddgeir & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2025). The Influence of Speech Sound Skills on Language and Literacy Development: A Longitudinal Study from Ages 4 to 9. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Amland, Tonje; Bergen, Elsje van; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2024). The gene-environment interplay of reading: The intergenerational impact of mothers and fathers on child word reading development. doi: https:/www.triplesr.org/thirty-first-annual-meeting. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Purpose: Parents provide children with a home literacy environment (HLE) and a genetic disposition for reading, leading to potential gene-environment correlations that may confound the relationship between HLE and children’s reading. This study examines whether the reading ability of both parents serves as a proxy of the genetic confounding influencing the association between the HLE and children’s word reading development. Method: Data from 242 unrelated children, 193 mothers, and 144 fathers were analyzed. The Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE) assessed word reading in Grades 1 and 3 in children and mothers and fathers in the interim. Additionally, literacy resources at home were measured using each parent’s knowledge of children’s literature and number of books at home. Reading activities were indexed by self-reports of the frequency of parents’ own reading activities with the child. Using a latent change score model of children’s word reading, we predicted word reading initial status in Grade 1 and longitudinal change from Grades 1–3. Results: Mothers’ frequency of teaching reading and parents’ literacy resources at home predicted significant differences among children’s word reading in Grade 1, controlling for parental reading abilities. However, mothers’ and fathers’ reading abilities emerged as the sole significant predictors of the initial status in Grade 1 and the rate at which children develop word reading abilities from Grades 1–3. Conclusions: This study emphasizes that parental ability is an overlooked component of the HLE, as parental reading partially confounds the association between the reading environment and children’s word reading development.

• Keles, Serap; Braak, Dieuwer Ten; Hagen, Åste Marie Mjelve & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2024). A Meta Analysis of Validity and Effectiveness of Screening Assessment Tools within Three Tier Model. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Nergård-Nilssen, Trude; Furnes, Bjarte Reidar; Friborg, Oddgeir; Caglar-Ryeng, Ømur & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2024). Improving Reading Comprehension through Language Comprehension and Early Word Reading: A Multi-Site Randomized Trial. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Nilssen, Trude Nergård; Furnes, Bjarte Reidar; Friborg, Oddgeir; Caglar-Ryeng, Ømur & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2024). Improving reading comprehension through language comprehension and early word reading: A multi-site randomized trial. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Wandem, Fredrik Solli; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Solberg, Erna (2024). Podkast: Erna Solberg snakker om dysleksi. [Internet]. Universitetet i Oslo. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Vi inviterer til en åpen og uformell samtale om dysleksi med Høyre-leder Erna Solberg og professor i spesialpedagogikk ved Universitetet i Oslo, Monica Melby-Lervåg

• Wandem, Fredrik Solli; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Berdal, Stig (2024). Podkast: Hva er egentlig dysleksi? [Internet]. Universitetet i Oslo. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Stig Berdal, logoped og seniorrådgiver i Statped, og Monica Melby-Lervåg, professor i spesialpedagogikk ved Universitet i Oslo og leder i SpedAims, svarer på alt vi lurer på om dysleksi.

• Sørli, Line Walquist; Nilssen, Trude Nergård; Furnes, Bjarte Reidar; Caglar-Ryeng, Ømur; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Donolato, Enrica (2024). Are speech sound difficulties risk factors for difficulties in language and reading skills? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Maurer, Michelle Nina; Wang, Lei & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2024). The relation between early language skills and later listening comprehension: Examining three theories. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Wang, Lei; Wang, Mari Vaage & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2024). Exploring the relationships between parental and child factors in Norwegian children with special education in language and reading: A population-based network analysis. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Amland, Tonje; Bergen, Elsje van; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne Ola (2024). The intergenerational impact of mothers and fathers on children's word reading development. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Amland, Tonje; Bergen, Elsje van; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne Ola (2024). The intergenerational impact of mothers and fathers on children's word reading development. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hagen, Åste Mjelve; Rogde, Kristin; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2024). Do the Effects of a Preschool Language Intervention Last in the Long Run?  A 4-Year Follow-Up Study. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Keles, Serap; Braak, Dieuwer Ten; Hagen, Åste Marie Mjelve & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2023). A meta-analysis of teacher screening and progress monitoring assessments: Preliminary findings. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Donolato, Enrica; Masi, Alice; Caviola, Sara; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2023). Math-attitudes intervention programs for school-age students: A meta-analysis and overview of the literature. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Amland, Tonje; Grande, German; Scherer, Ronny & Lervåg, Arne (2023). Does language underlie mathematical skill development? A systematic review and meta-analysis of concurrent and longitudinal predictors. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2023). Lærerliv episode 13: Spesialundervisning og alle timene som forsvant. [Internet]. Podkasten Lærerliv. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2023). Over 1 million skoletimer til de svakeste elevene ble sporløst borte. [Internet]. NRK. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Anmarkrud, Øistein (2023). Ny opplæringslov kan svekke rettighetene til barn med lærevansker. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2023). NRK EKKO: Hva fungerer om du strever med lesing? [Radio]. NRK P2. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2023). NRK Nyhetsmorgen: Dysleksi i skolen. [TV]. NRK TV. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Sørli, Line Walquist; Nilssen, Trude Nergård; Caglar-Ryeng, Ømur; Furnes, Bjarte Reidar; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Donolato, Enrica (2023). Are speech sound difficulties a marker of difficulties in language skills? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Wandem, Fredrik Solli; Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Sætherskar, Ida Kristensen; Furnes, Bjarte Reidar; Næss, Kari-Anne Bottegård & Rønneberg, Vibeke [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2023). Podkast: Spesialpedagogisk spørretime #1. [Internet]. Universitetet i Oslo. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Keles, Serap; Braak, Dieuwer Ten; Hagen, Åste Marie Mjelve & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2022). Validity and effectiveness of screening assessments within the three-tier model: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Kristoffersen, Steinar; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Mikkelsen, Solveig (2020). Foreslår å begrense antall søknader som blir vurdert. [Journal]. Universitetsavisa.no. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hjetland, Hanne Næss; Hagen, Åste Mjelve; Rogde, Kristin; Knoph, Rebecca & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2020). LURI: A Listening Comprehension Measure for Preschool Children. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Næss, Kari-Anne Bottegaard & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2019). Manglende retningslinjer ved permisjoner kan gi kvinnefrafall i akademia. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Bratlie, Siri Steffensen; Brinchmann, Ellen Iren; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Torkildsen, Janne von Koss (2019). Morphological Knowledge of Children with Language Minority Backgrounds and Monolingual children: A Meta-Analysis. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Bratlie, Siri Steffensen; Brinchmann, Ellen Iren; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Torkildsen, Janne von Koss (2019). Morphological knowledge in language minority children compared with monolingual children: A meta-analysis. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Gunnerud, Hilde Lowell; Braak, Dieuwer ten; Reikerås, Elin Kirsti Lie & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2019). Har flerspråklighet en kognitiv fordel? Foreløpige resultater fra en meta-analyse. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Lyster, Solveig-Alma Halaas; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Hofslundsengen, Hilde Christine (2019). Lese- og skrivevansker, Spesialpedagogikk. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 9788202592059. s. 338–364. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Karlsen, Jannicke; Larsen, Linda; Hjetland, Hanne Næss; Snowling, Margareth & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2018). The relationship between socioeconomic factors and language comprehension: A systematic review. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hjetland, Hanne Næss; Brinchmann, Ellen Iren; Scherer, Ronny & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2018). Preschool predictors of later reading comprehension ability: a Campbell systematic review. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Nordahl-Hansen, Anders; Lervåg, Arne; Norbury, Courtenay & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2018). Language-based interventions for improving oral Language outcomes in children With ASD and other Neurodevelopmental disorders. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Gunnerud, Hilde Lowell; Braak, Dieuwer ten & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2018). Gir det en kognitiv fordel å være flerspråklig? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Lopez-Pedersen, Anita; Mononen, Riikka; Aunio, Pirjo Annika & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2018). Improving numeracy skills in low performing first graders: A randomized controlled trial. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Nergård-Nilssen, Trude; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Torppa, Minna (2018). Parental reading comprehension predicts children’s outcomes: A longitudinal family-risk study. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hjetland, Hanne Næss; Lervåg, Arne; Lyster, Solveig-Alma Halaas; Hagtvet, Bente Eriksen; Hulme, Charles & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2017). Pathways to Reading Comprehension: A Longitudinal Study from 4 to 9 Years of Age. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Karlsen, Jannicke; Hjetland, Hanne Næss; Hagtvet, Bente Eriksen & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2017). Concurrent and predictive validity of the Renfrew bus story test. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hansen, Pernille; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Snarby, Anette (2017). Har ikke barnet begynt å snakke ennå? [Internet]. KK.no. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Rui, Hilde S.; Ørmen, Torfinn; Sundberg, Håkan & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2017). Hvordan lærer hjernen? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Arnesen, Anne; Smolkowski, Keith; Baker, Scott; Braeken, Johan; Meek-Hansen, Wilhelm & Ogden, Terje [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2017). Assessing Elementary Students’ Social Functioning and Reading Proficiency. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hjetland, Hanne Næss; Brinchmann, Ellen Iren; Lyster, Solveig-Alma Halaas & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2016). Preschool vocabulary and later reading comprehension ability: A systematic review. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hjetland, Hanne Næss; Lyster, Solveig-Alma Halaas & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2016). Development of language and reading comprehension ability from 4 years to 4th grade. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Lopez-Pedersen, Anita; Mononen, Riikka; Aunio, Pirjo & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2016). Can early intervention ameliorate mathematical difficulties in young children? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Mononen, Riikka; Lopez-Pedersen, Anita; Aunio, Pirjo Annika & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2016). Norjalaisten ensiluokkalaisten matemaattisten taitojen tukeminen ThinkMath-harjoitusmateriaalilla. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hjetland, Hanne Næss; Brinchmann, Ellen Iren; Lyster, Solveig-Alma Halaas; Hagtvet, Bente Eriksen & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2015). Preschool predictors of later reading comprehension ability: A systematic review. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Lervåg, Arne; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Hulme, Charles (2015). The role of general language skills in the development of decoding skills. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hagen, Åste Marie Mjelve; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2015). Barn som strever med språk og leseferdigheter: Hvilke tiltak virker? Dysleksivennlig skole. Dysleksi Norge. ISSN 9788290503128. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hjetland, Hanne Næss; Brinchmann, Ellen Iren; Lyster, Solveig-Alma Halaas; Hagtvet, Bente Eriksen & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2014). Preschool Predictors of Later Reading Comprehension Ability: A Systematic Review. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Rogde, Kristin; Hagen, Åste Marie Mjelve; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2014). Effect of Linguistic Comprehension Training on Language and Reading Comprehension. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2014). Jon Hatties Visible Learning: Ingen "Hellig Gral" for undervisningen. Bedre Skole. ISSN 0802-183X. 1, s. 86–86. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2013). En revurdering av evidensbasert praksis. Bedre Skole. ISSN 0802-183X. 4, s. 75–75. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Lervåg, Arne & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2013). The structure of reading comprehension skills: A latent variable growth study from second to seventh grade. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Rogde, Kristin; Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2013). Boosting second- language learners’ oral language comprehension skills in preschool: A randomized trial study. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Næss, Kari-Anne Bottegaard; Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Hulme, Charles & Lyster, Solveig-Alma Halaas (2012). Reading skills in children with Down syndrome: A meta-analytic review. Research in Developmental Disabilities. ISSN 0891-4222. 33(2), s. 737–747. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2011.09.019. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Doi i Omtale viser til den opprinnelige artikkelen./tøf

• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne (2012). Barnets språkutvikling. Spedbarnsboken. s. 140–140. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2012). What can you learn from a world memory whiz? [Journal]. The Globe and Mail. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hulme, Charles; Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Lyster, Solveig-Alma Halaas; Klem, Marianne; Hagtvet, Bente Eriksen & Lervåg, Arne (2012). Nonword Repetition Ability: More a Consequence than a Cause of Children's Vocabulary Development. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Lervåg, Arne Ola & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2011). Oral Language Skills Moderate Nonword Repetition Skills in Children with Dyslexia: A Meta-analysis of the role of Nonword Repetition Skills in Dyslexia. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Næss, Kari-Anne Bottegaard; Lyster, Solveig Alma Halaas; Hulme, Charles & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2010). Language and memory skills in children with Down syndrome; A systematic meta-analytic review. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Lervåg, Arne Ola (2010). Language and literacy skills in L2 learners: A meta-analysis. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Hulme, Charles (2009). Phonological representations and verbal short-term memory. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Hulme, Charles (2009). Language representations and verbal short-term memory. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Næss, Kari-Anne Bottegaard; Lyster, Solveig-Alma Halaas & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2009). Language phenotypes in children with Down syndrome: A preliminary meta-analytic review. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melby-Lervåg, Monica & Hulme, Charles (2009). The Relationship Between Free recall, Serial Recall and Phonological Skills. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Walquist-Sørli, Line; Nergård-Nilssen, Trude & Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2025). Childhood Speech Sound Development and Difficulties: Relationship with Language and Reading. UiT Norges arktiske universitet. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  This doctoral dissertation investigates the relationship between childhood speech sound skills and the development of language comprehension and reading skills. The study aims to investigate whether early speech sound difficulties serve as a risk factor for broader language problems, including language comprehension and literacy, both concurrently and longitudinally. Furthermore, the dissertation examines the predictive role of preschool speech sound skills in the development of later expressive language skills, listening comprehension, and reading comprehension during the school-age years. Additionally, a central focus is the examination of potential moderating factors influencing the relationships between these skills. Utilizing meta-analytic methods and structural equation modelling (SEM), this dissertation examines speech sound skills as predictors of growth trajectories over time, providing insights into the developmental patterns of language comprehension and reading. Key findings: a significant relationship exists between early speech sound difficulties and language comprehension as well as reading skills, both concurrently and longitudinally, with phonological awareness serving as a key moderator. Speech sound skills in preschoolers have predictive value, both independently and in conjunction with language comprehension, for later language and literacy development during early school years. The results suggest that phonological awareness underlies the relationship between speech sound skills and early reading skills. However, the association between speech sound skills and language comprehension remains significant even after accounting for phonological awareness, suggesting a plausible causal relationship where speech sound skills influence language development. The nature of speech sound errors (delayed vs. disordered) and persistent speech sound difficulties in school-age children serve as important indicators of concurrent language comprehension problems. The research underscores the crucial role of speech sound skills in shaping academic trajectories, providing valuable insights for both educational and clinical practices.

• Melby-Lervåg, Monica (2009). Phonological representations, verbal short-term memory and reading skills. Universitetet i Oslo. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv

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