scholarly journals Exploring variation in reading comprehension among young adult Spanish–English bilinguals: The role of environmental language contact and attitudes toward reading

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 695-716 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Ashley Smith ◽  
Jessica G Briggs ◽  
Holly Pothier
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
University Students ◽  
Attitudes Toward Reading ◽  
Reading Outcomes ◽  
English Reading ◽  
English Bilingual ◽  
English Reading Comprehension ◽  
Language Environment ◽  
The Impact

Aims: The goal of this study was to investigate diversity among Spanish–English bilingual university-level students’ reading outcomes and the impact of reading attitudes, motivation, and variation in language environment. Design: The current study included 50 Spanish–English bilingual undergraduate students, mean age 21.8 years, from a university in the western United States. Participants were administered a battery of standardized assessments including measures of executive function, English reading comprehension, working memory, non-verbal IQ, and questionnaires addressing language environment, language behaviour, and attitudes toward reading in English and Spanish. Data and analysis: Hierarchical linear regression models regressing reading performance on questionnaire responses were performed. Findings: Spanish–English bilingual university students showed differential reading comprehension outcomes, which were significantly predicted by differences in attitudes toward reading, extrinsic and/or instrumental motivation, and environmental language usage. A combined model of IQ, working memory, perceived English reading skills, and composite of positive attitudes toward reading in Spanish and English accounted for the most variance in reading comprehension scores, 38.5%, F(2,502), p = .03. Greater Spanish use for workplace customer communication significantly predicted higher English reading comprehension. Originality: Distinct from previous research, learners’ perceived value of Spanish reading and use of Spanish in the workplace accounted for variance in English reading outcomes. Significance: Our findings that individual and environmental factors influence variation in reading outcomes indicates further heterogeneity among Spanish–English bilingual university students, with potential implications for reading development and university success.

scholarly journals Do Oral and Literacy Skills in Native Ghanaian Akan Language Modulate English Reading Comprehension as Second Language? A Study in Selected Basic Schools in Ghana

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Stephen Ntim
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Target Language ◽  
School Students ◽  
English Only ◽  
English Reading ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
English Reading Comprehension ◽  
The Impact

<p>This study investigated oral and literacy skills in native Ghanaian Akan language in mediating English reading comprehension of bilingual basic school students. Levene’s test for homogeneity of variance between groups on questions directly found in text showed variances were significantly different [F=49.070, p=0.00]. Bonferroni Post-hoc test comparing groups on questions requiring making multiple sentence meanings to be able to answer, data indicated a significant difference between mean scores of students who speak both English and Akan and students who speak English Only in favour of students who speak both English and Akan. Also, students who speak Akan Only performed significantly better than students who speak English Only with.no significant difference between mean scores of students who speak Akan Only and students who speak both English and Akan. This suggests the impact of native language in second language reading comprehension is enormous. When bilinguals are reading second language (and in this study English) they are likely to make use of previous knowledge, strategies and processes from the first language through cognitive/psycholinguistic factors as orthographic processing, phonological code and meaning activation among others and by so doing limiting the effect of cognitive load in the target language.</p>

scholarly journals Reading Strategies in Persian and English Languages and Their Influence on English Reading Comprehension Ability

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. 159
Author(s):  
M. Rahim Bohlooli Niri
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Schema Theory ◽  
English Reading ◽  
Comprehension Ability ◽  
English Reading Comprehension ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Problem Versus ◽  
Reading Comprehension Ability

<p>The purpose of the present study is to investigate the relationship between successful readers’ strategies in Persian and English languages, and the impact of instruction of such strategies on English reading comprehension ability. The present study relies on Casanave’s (1998) expanded view of schema theory, the strategy schema, Goodman’s (1971) language transfer or linguistic independent hypothesis and Clarke’s idea of short-circuit or language ceiling hypothesis in ESL or EFL. This study also aims at finding an answer to the question of reading problem versus language problem, first raised by Alderson (1984, pp. 1-27) and then followed by Carrell (1991, pp. 159-179).</p>

scholarly journals The Impact of PQ4R Strategy Use on EFL Students' English Reading Comprehension

EDULANGUE ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 24-35
Author(s):  
Nurul - Lailatul Khusniyah
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
T Test ◽  
Study Program ◽  
English Reading ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Comprehension Ability ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
English Reading Comprehension ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Reading Comprehension Ability

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of PQ4R strategy on reading learning at English Study Program Universitas Islam Negeri Mataram. The research was used action research method. The sampling was taken by 34 students. The validity of data used credibility, transferability, dependability, and conformability. Reading comprehension ability achievement questions prepared by the researcher. It was used as the data collecting tool. These questions were implemented to both groups before the experiment. Independent sample t-test was used for data analysis. The result of the study that t-test result is t-stat (5.38) > t-table (1.99). It means that there is a significant difference was found in reading comprehension learning

Impact of Supra-segmental Features on Reading Comprehension in First and Second Language: A Comparative Study of Iranian EFL learners

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 19-42
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Mirfatemi ◽  
Amir Sadeghi ◽  
Mitra P Niyazi
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
English Language ◽  
Speech Communication ◽  
Remedial Program ◽  
English Reading ◽  
Linguistic Comprehension ◽  
English Reading Comprehension ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

Supra-segmental features refer to various forms of intonation and how words and sentences are uttered. Such features challenge meaning and comprehension, too. Despite the importance of these features and their reported association with phonological awareness and linguistic comprehension, their effects on reading comprehension have not been explored. The current work investigated the impact of a remedial program on Persian and English reading comprehension of a group of English language learners (N=30 divided into experimental and control groups). The measurements tested the components of reading comprehension based on the Simple View of Reading (SVR). Additionally, supra-segmental features were assessed by Profiling Elements of Prosody (i.e., supra-segmentals) in Speech-communication (PEPS) in both languages. As a result, English and Persian elision and also Persian listening were affected by teaching supra-segmental features. Assessing the transfer of linguistic skills revealed that Persian listening and knowledge of supra-segmentals, in particular, recognizing short syllables and awareness of stress position in a sentence, contribute to English reading comprehension. It indicates that reading and listening comprehension are affected by similar cognitive processes that may lay in the knowledge of supra-segmentals. The findings also suggest that simpler systems of supra-segmentals are more likely to transfer. Pertinent pedagogical implications were presented, as well.

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