Why Some Skilled Readers Process Words More Efficiently Than Others

What is it about?

Even among skilled readers, people differ in how efficiently they read. This study examined how "lexical skills"—such as vocabulary knowledge, spelling, and the ability to quickly recognise words—affect reading efficiency. Using eye-tracking technology, we found that people with stronger lexical skills process unfamiliar words more efficiently and are more likely to skip words while reading.

Featured Image

Photo by Chris Benson on Unsplash

Photo by Chris Benson on Unsplash

Why is it important?

These findings help explain why some people read more effortlessly than others. We know from previous research that children’s reading efficiency is largely driven by phonological skills (sounding out words). However, for adults, efficiency depends more on lexical skills—their knowledge of words and how quickly they recognise them. Understanding this shift is important for designing effective reading assessments and interventions. This study also shows that different reading tests don’t always measure the same thing, even when they claim to assess comprehension, which has implications for educators and researchers.

Perspectives

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Our research highlights the role of word knowledge and recognition skills in efficient reading for adults. It also raises questions about how we measure comprehension, showing that tests with similar names may actually assess different skills. By understanding these differences, we can improve reading instruction and assessment methods.

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