Forum on Public Policy Adult Second Language Reading in the USA: The Effects of Readers' Gender and Test Method

Abstract Bernhardt (2003) claims that half of the variance in second language (L2) reading is accounted for by first language literacy (20%) and second language knowledge (30%), and that one of the central goals of current L2 reading research should be to investigate the 50% of variance that remains unexplained. Part of this variance takes consists of passage content or background knowledge, and as the reader develops, proficiency presides over passage content. In an attempt to further examine factors involved in the remaining variance

EFL test preparation in China: The multidimensionality of the reading-writing relationship

Recent research on the relationship between reading and writing in foreign language (FL) context is limited. However, an examination of the issue is critical for FL literacy curriculum design. The present study, contextualized in an English as a foreign language (EFL) test preparation program in China, explores the reading-writing relationship by examining two factors important for FL literacy acquisition: genre and level of language instruction. Findings revealed that level of instruction significantly moderated the relationship between reading and persuasive writing, but not descriptive writing. Regardless of level of language instruction, reading comprehension was a significant predictor of descriptive writing performance. A discussion of a curriculum that views reading and writing as complementary dimensions of language learning is offered

Scoring recalls for L2 readers of English in China: Pausal or idea units

Written recall may be a powerful tool used to address reading deficiencies in China. With 180 students enrolled in a third-year English class at a large university in northeastern China, the present investigation studies the relationship between pausal and idea units used to codify written recalls, and it investigates whether the strength of the relationship between pausal and idea units depends on other variables, such as length of time spent studying English, the amount of leisure reading done in English, or the version of passage. Findings indicate a strong correlation between idea units and pausal units for written recalls. This correlation underscores prior findings by Bernhardt (1991), and it reveals that the strength of the relationship between pausal and idea units does not depend on the moderating variables examined. Results are discussed in light of prior research and a detailed discussion of future directions for experiments of this type is offered

Toward independent L2 readers: Effects of text adjuncts, subject knowledge, L1 reading, and L2 proficiency

With 97 learners in an advanced Spanish course, the study examines the effects of textual enhancement adjuncts, prior subject knowledge, first language (L1) reading ability, and second language (L2) Spanish proficiency on L2 comprehension of scientific passages. Readings included two texts with two types of embedded questions: a pause or written answer. MANOVA was used to examine the main effects and interaction of textual enhancement adjuncts on three types of comprehension tasks. Findings revealed that embedded questions did not assist L2 readers to comprehend better. The effect of embedded questions on comprehension was not moderated by L1 reading ability, L2 overall proficiency nor by prior subject knowledge. Although prior subject knowledge and L1 reading comprehension were positively related to comprehension, the use of textual enhancements did not compensate for weaknesses. This study provided evidence that, with advanced L2 learners, embedded questions do not aid L2 reading comprehension

Textual enhancements and comprehension with adult readers of English is China

The present study utilizes texts from social psychology to examine the effects of textual enhancements on reading comprehension with 185 native adult Chinese speakers learning English in China. Participants read two different vignettes, either with or without an adjunct. Each adjunct consisted of a ‘what’ question along with instructions to either ‘pause and consider’ or ‘pause and write.’ Participants also completed written recall, sentence completion, multiple-choice, and a topic familiarity question. Across passages, findings revealed significant effects of passage version on comprehension as measured via recall and sentence completion and no significant effects of passage version on multiple-choice questions. Participants scored almost the same on recall and sentence completion for versions with no adjuncts and versions with ‘pause and consider’ adjuncts, and they scored significantly lower on these assessment tasks for the version with pause and write adjuncts. Participants scored the same on multiple-choice questions for all three versions of both passages

Comparing reading strategy measures and L2 readers’ performance on different comprehension tasks

In second language (L2) reading strategy research, two concerns need addressing: (1) the discrepancy in assessing strategy use between written surveys and verbal reports, and (2) the effect of using strategies on readers’ comprehension outcomes when different types of comprehension tasks are utilized. The present study addressed these concerns by asking five more-proficient and five less-proficient Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) university learners to read two domain-specific texts while assessing their strategy use. The results from both quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed a “gap” between the survey and verbal reports for assessing L2 reading strategy use. Additionally, the contribution of strategies to the readers’ comprehension was found to vary by comprehension task type. Similarly, the variety of strategy use had a strong association with the readers’ performance on only one of three types of comprehension tasks, free recall. The findings hold important implications on L2 reading strategy instruction