Is the Role of Set for Variability in Word Reading Influenced by Conditions Leading to Partial Decoding?

Purpose: Set for variability (SfV; the ability to disambiguate the mismatch between the decoded form of a word and its correct pronunciation) has been shown to predict regular and irregular word reading in children across both transparent and opaque orthographies. It has been theorized that SfV is a crucial part of the decoding process associated with orthographic learning. Consistent with this hypothesis, SfV may be more important when partial decoding occurs such as in irregular words or when children lack the decoding skills to fully decode a word. This study’s purpose was to investigate whether SfV skill’s influence on the prediction of word reading is impacted by a word’s regularity and a child’s decoding skill. Methods: The present study used a cross-classified random effects model of 160 words and 491 children (mean age = 9.16, 51.5% female, 40.3% White, 40.7% African American, 1.4% Asian, 2.0% American Indian/Alaskan Native, 0.4% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 2.0% Multiracial, and 17.2% Hispanic) to determine whether the SfV-word reading relation is moderated by a word’s spelling-to-pronunciation transparency rating and a child’s decoding skill. Results: SfV was more important under conditions that may lead to partial decoding, such as when decoding skill is low or word transparency is low, and was most important when both decoding skill and word transparency are low. Conclusions: Results suggest that when children with poor decoding skills read irregular words whose pronunciation is not readily available from its spelling, SfV is a large contributor to whether that word will be read correctly.