Predictors of reading comprehension in deaf and hearing bilinguals

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-43
Author(s):  
Deborah M. Cates ◽  
Matthew J. Traxler ◽  
David P. Corina
Keyword(s):  
Native American ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Phonological Awareness ◽  
American Sign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Language Experience ◽  
Sensory Experiences ◽  
Vocabulary Comprehension ◽  
Reading Volume

Abstract This study investigates reading comprehension in adult deaf and hearing readers. Using correlational analysis and stepwise regression, we assess the contribution of English language variables (e.g., vocabulary comprehension, reading volume, and phonological awareness), cognitive variables (e.g., working memory (WM), nonverbal intelligence, and executive function), and language experience (e.g., language acquisition and orthographic experience) in predicting reading comprehension in deaf and hearing adult bilinguals (native American Sign Language (ASL) signers, non-native ASL signers, and Chinese–English bilinguals (CEB)), and monolingual (ML) controls. For all four groups, vocabulary knowledge was a strong contributor to reading comprehension. Monolingual English speakers and non-native deaf signers also showed contributions from WM and spoken language phonological awareness. In contrast, CEB showed contributions of lexical strategies in English reading comprehension. These cross-group comparisons demonstrate how the inclusion of multiple participant groups helps us to further refine our understanding of how language and sensory experiences influence reading comprehension.

scholarly journals Analytic relations versus syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations of vocabulary depth knowledge: Their correlation and prediction to academic reading comprehension of EFL learners

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 357-371
Author(s):  
Md Kamrul Hasan ◽  
Mohammad Mosiur Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Outcome Variable ◽  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Proficiency Tests ◽  
Morphological Knowledge ◽  
Academic Reading ◽  
Vocabulary Depth

AbstractThe aims of the study were to examine the correlation and prediction of different dimensions of vocabulary depth knowledge to academic reading comprehension. Students were instructed to take part in four English-language proficiency tests voluntarily. The research was carried out, administering four instruments, word associates test, morphological knowledge test, and analytic relations test to measure the depth of vocabulary knowledge. In addition, a reading comprehension test that consisted of three reading passages by Longman Test of English as a Foreign Language was adopted and administered for the current study. The results highlighted that the analytic (part–whole) relations, which represented the depth of vocabulary knowledge had the highest correlation with academic reading comprehension in comparison with morphological knowledge and combined syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations, which represented word associates test. Of all the three independent variables, analytical relations made the most statistically significant unique contribution to the prediction of the outcome variable compared to word associates test and morphological knowledge. The present study suggests that the depth of vocabulary knowledge would have practical use for students and English teachers at tertiary level and further implications for lexical researchers.

scholarly journals Exploring the relationships between various dimensions of receptive vocabulary knowledge and L2 listening and reading comprehension

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hung Tan Ha
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Word List ◽  
Receptive Language ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Academic Vocabulary ◽  
L2 Listening

AbstractThe article presents an empirical study that investigates the single- and cross-modality relationships between different dimensions of receptive vocabulary knowledge and language skills, as well as the importance of academic vocabulary knowledge in academic listening and reading comprehension. An Updated Vocabulary Levels Test (UVLT), a Vietnamese version of the Listening Vocabulary Levels Test (LVLT), an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) listening test and an academic IELTS reading test were administered to 234 tertiary level Vietnamese learners of English as a foreign language (EFL). Research findings showed that (1) orthographic and aural vocabulary knowledge were strongly correlated (r = .88) and of equal significance to L2 listening and reading comprehension, (2) receptive vocabulary knowledge was a very powerful and reliable predictor of learners’ receptive language proficiency, (3) knowledge of academic vocabulary strongly correlated with academic listening (r = .65) and reading (r = .60) comprehension and the mastery of the Academic Word List (AWL) could suggest a band score 6.0 in both the IELTS listening and academic reading tests.

scholarly journals Task-induced Involvement Load, Vocabulary learning and Reading Comprehension Among Iranian Intermediate English as a Foreign Language Learners

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (11) ◽  
pp. 210-218
Author(s):  
Seyedeh Mitra Khodaparast ◽  
Mohammad Hossein Keshmirshekan
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Difficulty Level ◽  
High Involvement ◽  
Involvement Load ◽  
Experimental Group

The importance of vocabulary in a second language is so self-axiomatic that it renders learning and teaching a must. The present study aimed to explore whether the manipulation of the task components, as proposed by Laufer and Hulstijn, affected the acquisition of English vocabularies by EFL learners. The present study followed an experimental design in that it used pre-test and post-test to collect data from the participants. The current research included 50 EFL students from two private English language institutions in Yazd, Iran. The study included two distinct reading tasks that placed varying loads on participants. The two reading texts were controlled for their difficulty level: one with the high level of involvement load and the other with lack of involvement load, thus two experimental groups. There was a reading comprehension exam for those who participated in the first experimental group (with a high involvement load). Reading comprehension was assessed using the first Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (VKS1), which measures vocabulary knowledge. The second reading comprehension assignment was simultaneously presented to the second experimental group (the one with a low involvement load). After two weeks, they were administered VKS2, and their results were recorded. Analyzing the data was done by using independent t-tests. Exposure to high levels of involvement load has been shown to impact vocabulary development in English learners. This is despite respondents being able to recall more words from high-involvement vocabulary acquisitions than from low-involvement vocabulary acquisitions. Findings from this study may be used to construct practical tasks of reading with suitable degrees of difficulty for English language learners (EFL/ESL) teachers and vocabulary instructors.

scholarly journals Dialogic teaching in English-as-a-second-language classroom: Its effects on first graders with different levels of vocabulary knowledge

2021 ◽  
pp. 136216882098139
Author(s):  
Bonnie Wing-Yin Chow ◽  
Anna Na-Na Hui ◽  
Zhen Li ◽  
Yang Dong
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Phonological Awareness ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
First Graders ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Dialogic Teaching ◽  
Language Classroom

As an effective teaching approach that allows teachers and students to interact collaboratively and actively build on each other’s ideas, dialogic teaching can enhance classroom engagement and learning outcomes. This study addresses the use of dialogic teaching for improving English language learning among Chinese children with varied levels of English vocabulary. It focuses on the effects of dialogic teaching on vocabulary knowledge and phonological awareness. Seventy-two first graders from Hong Kong primary schools were tested on English vocabulary knowledge and phonological awareness and were assigned to control and experimental conditions. A 12-week dialogic teaching intervention was implemented in daily English lessons. Results from repeated measures ANOVA showed that students in the experimental condition with dialogic teaching implemented exhibited significantly greater growth in expressive vocabulary knowledge on textbook items in both low and high vocabulary groups, and greater gain in phonological awareness in the high vocabulary group, than those in the control condition. These results suggest that dialogic teaching in English-as-a-second-language (ESL) classroom enhances English language development in young ESL learners. In addition, when assessing the effectiveness of dialogic teaching in young children’s second language classroom context, it is important to consider its differential effects on children with diverse vocabulary levels.

A Group, English-Language Vocabulary Knowledge Test Derived from the Ammons Full-Range Picture Vocabulary Test

1972 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. A. Ramsey ◽  
E. N. Wright
Keyword(s):  
School System ◽  
English Language ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Fixed Number ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Vocabulary Test ◽  
Knowledge Test ◽  
Student Groups ◽  
Background Data ◽  
Vocabulary Comprehension

The article described the construction of a group vocabulary test derived from the Full-Range Picture Vocabulary Test for use in a major study of students in a large school system. The adaption resulted from the need for a vocabulary comprehension test which had a fixed number of items, could be administered by teachers, and had a non-oral mode of responding in order to minimize handicaps faced by students of non-English background. Data on a sample exceeding 5,000 (from Grades 5, 7 and 9) aided in describing and comparing student groups defined by numerous other variables. The usefulness and adaptability of the FRPV for specific study requirements are noted.

Categorical perception of English /r/ and /l/ by Japanese bilinguals

1981 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 369-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristine S. MacKain ◽  
Catherine T. Best ◽  
Winifred Strange
Keyword(s):  
Native American ◽  
English Language ◽  
Categorical Perception ◽  
American English ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Language Experience ◽  
Absolute Identification ◽  
Perceptual Training ◽  
Intensive Training ◽  
Japanese Group

ABSTRACTCategorical perception of a synthetic /r/-/l/ continuum was investigated with Japanese bilinguals at two levels of English language experience. The inexperienced Japanese group, referred to as Not-experienced, had had little or no previous training in English conversation. The Experienced Japanese group had had intensive training in English conversation by native American-English speakers. The tasks used were absolute identification, AXB discrimination, and oddity discrimination. Results showed classic Categorical perception by an American-English control group. The Not-experienced Japanese showed near-chance performance on all tasks, with performance no better for stimuli that straddled the /r/-/l/ boundary than for stimuli that fell in either category. The Experienced Japanese group, however, perceived /r/ and /l/ categorically. Their identification performance did not differ from the American-English controls, but their overall performance levels on the discrimination tests were somewhat lower than for the Americans. We conclude that native Japanese adults learning English as a second language are capable of Categorical perception of /r/ and /l/. Implications for perceptual training of phonemic contrasts are discussed.

French immersion experience and reading skill development in at-risk readers

2011 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 580-610 ◽  
Author(s):  
RICHARD S. KRUK ◽  
KRISTIN A. A. REYNOLDS
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Phonological Awareness ◽  
English Language ◽  
French Immersion ◽  
Language Programs ◽  
Immersion Experience ◽  
Grade 3 ◽  
Cross Language ◽  
Not At Risk

ABSTRACTWe tracked the developmental influences of exposure to French on developing English phonological awareness, decoding and reading comprehension of English-speaking at-risk readers from Grade 1 to Grade 3. Teacher-nominated at-risk readers were matched with not-at-risk readers in French immersion and English language programs. Exposure to spoken French phonetic and syllabic forms and to written French orthographic and morphological forms by children attending French immersion programs was expected to promote phonological, decoding and reading comprehension achievement. Growth in all outcomes was found, with children in immersion experiencing higher final status in phonological awareness and more rapid growth and higher final status in decoding, using multilevel modeling. At-risk readers in French immersion experienced faster growth and higher final status in reading comprehension. Benefits to reading of exposure to an additional language are discussed in relation to cross-language transfer, phonological grain size and enhanced executive control processes.

scholarly journals An Investigation of the Relationship between Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary Knowledge, and English Language Proficiency Level of Saudi EFL Learners

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 59
Author(s):  
Huda Suleiman Al Qunayeer
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Word Knowledge ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
The Relationship

The present study is an attempt to explore the relationship between the breadth (the number of words known) and the depth of vocabulary knowledge (the richness of word knowledge) (the richness of word knowledge), and reading comprehension of EFL learners in an English as a foreign language (EFL) context. Furthermore, it tries to find the effect of language proficiency level of learners on the breadth and the depth of lexical vocabulary and reading comprehension of Saudi EFL learners. The participants of the study were seventy-five intermediate and advanced level majoring in English Translation at Qassim University in KSA. The level of language proficiency of participants had been checked through an OPT by the department in advance. To collect the relevant data, two tests measuring breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge were administered to all participants. They also received a reading comprehension test in which they were asked to read the passages and answer some multiple-choice questions. The findings obtained from the analysis of the data indicated that there is a significant relationship between breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge and Saudi advanced/intermediate EFL learner’s reading comprehension performance totally. The results further revealed that both dimensions of vocabulary knowledge are positively correlated, that is, those learners who had large vocabulary size had a deeper knowledge of the words, too. The results further showed that language proficiency level of learners have an effect on Saudi EFL learners’ reading performance and vocabulary knowledge. These results confirm the importance and the value of developing students‟ breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge in EFL classrooms.

The Effect of Vocabulary Intervention on Text Comprehension: Who Benefits?

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 562-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dawna Duff
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Text Comprehension ◽  
Classroom Instruction ◽  
Vocabulary Instruction ◽  
Clinical Intervention ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Vocabulary Intervention ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Difference

Purpose Vocabulary intervention can improve comprehension of texts containing taught words, but it is unclear if all middle school readers get this benefit. This study tests 2 hypotheses about variables that predict response to vocabulary treatment on text comprehension: gains in vocabulary knowledge due to treatment and pretreatment reading comprehension scores. Method Students in Grade 6 ( N = 23) completed a 5-session intervention based on robust vocabulary instruction (RVI). Knowledge of the semantics of taught words was measured pre- and posttreatment. Participants then read 2 matched texts, 1 containing taught words (treated) and 1 not (untreated). Treated texts and taught word lists were counterbalanced across participants. The difference between text comprehension scores in treated and untreated conditions was taken as a measure of the effect of RVI on text comprehension. Results RVI resulted in significant gains in knowledge of taught words ( d RM = 2.26) and text comprehension ( d RM = 0.31). The extent of gains in vocabulary knowledge after vocabulary treatment did not predict the effect of RVI on comprehension of texts. However, untreated reading comprehension scores moderated the effect of the vocabulary treatment on text comprehension: Lower reading comprehension was associated with greater gains in text comprehension. Readers with comprehension scores below the mean experienced large gains in comprehension, but those with average/above average reading comprehension scores did not. Conclusion Vocabulary instruction had a larger effect on text comprehension for readers in Grade 6 who had lower untreated reading comprehension scores. In contrast, the amount that children learned about taught vocabulary did not predict the effect of vocabulary instruction on text comprehension. This has implications for the identification of 6th-grade students who would benefit from classroom instruction or clinical intervention targeting vocabulary knowledge.

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