Assessing L2 reading texts at the intermediate level: An approximate replication of Crossley, Louwerse, McCarthy & McNamara (2007)

2008 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 409-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott A. Crossley ◽  
Danielle S. McNamara
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Essential Elements ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
Authentic Texts ◽  
L2 Reading ◽  
Linguistic Differences ◽  
Text Readability ◽  
Linguistic Structures ◽  
Comprehensive Study ◽  
Reading Texts

This paper follows up on the work of Crossley, Louwerse, McCarthy & McNamara (2007), who conducted an exploratory study of the linguistic differences of simplified and authentic texts found in beginner level English as a Second Language (ESL) textbooks using the computational tool Coh-Metrix. The purpose of this study is to provide a more comprehensive study of second language (L2) reading texts than that provided by Crossley et al. (2007) by investigating the differences between the linguistic structures of a larger and more selective corpus of intermediate reading texts. This study is important because advocates of both approaches to ESL text construction cite linguistic features, syntax, and discourse structures as essential elements of text readability, but only the Crossley et al. (2007) study has measured the differences between these text types and their implications for L2 learners. This research replicates the methods of the earlier study. The findings of this study provide a more thorough understanding of the linguistic features that construct simplified and authentic texts. This work will enable material developers, publishers, and reading researchers to more accurately judge the values of simplified and authentic L2 texts as well as improve measures for matching readers to text.

scholarly journals Linguistic structures and functions of thesis and dissertation titles in Dentistry

2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oscar Alberto Morales ◽  
Bexi Perdomo ◽  
Daniel Cassany ◽  
Rosa María Tovar ◽  
Élix Izarra
Keyword(s):  
Single Unit ◽  
English Language ◽  
Genre Studies ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
Distinctive Features ◽  
Syntactic Structures ◽  
Nominal Phrase ◽  
Research Students ◽  
Linguistic Structures ◽  
Grammatical Structures

AbstractTitles play an important role in genre analysis. Cross-genre studies show that research paper and thesis titles have distinctive features. However, thesis and dissertation titles in the field of dentistry have thus far received little attention. Objective: To analyze the syntactic structures and their functions in English-language thesis and dissertation titles in dentistry. Methodology: We randomly chose 413 titles of English-language dentistry theses or dissertations presented at universities in 12 countries between January 2000 and June 2019. The resulting corpus of 5,540 running words was then analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively, the two complementary focuses being grammatical structures and their functions. Results: The average title length was 13.4 words. Over half of the titles did not include any punctuation marks. For compound titles, we found that colons, dashes, commas, and question marks were used to separate the different components, colons being the most frequent. Four syntactic structures (nominal phrase, gerund phrase, full-sentence, and prepositional phrase) were identified for single-unit titles. Single-unit nominal phrase titles constituted the most frequent structure in the corpus, followed by compound titles. Four particular rhetorical combinations of compound title components were found to be present throughout the corpus. Conclusions: Titles of dentistry theses and dissertation in English echo the content of the text body and make an important contribution to fulfilling the text’s communicative purposes. Thus, teaching research students about the linguistic features of thesis titles would be beneficial to help them write effective titles and also facilitate assessment by teachers.

scholarly journals MEASUREMENT PROPERTIES OF A STANDARDIZED ELICITED IMITATION TEST: AN INTEGRATIVE DATA ANALYSIS

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Daniel R. Isbell ◽  
Young-A Son
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Item Difficulty ◽  
Measurement Properties ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
Elicited Imitation ◽  
Integrative Data Analysis ◽  
Rater Severity ◽  
Study Participants

Abstract Elicited Imitation Tests (EITs) are commonly used in second language acquisition (SLA)/bilingualism research contexts to assess the general oral proficiency of study participants. While previous studies have provided valuable EIT construct-related validity evidence, some key gaps remain. This study uses an integrative data analysis to further probe the validity of the Korean EIT score interpretations by examining the performances of 318 Korean learners (198 second language, 79 foreign language, and 41 heritage) on the Korean EIT scored by five different raters. Expanding on previous EIT validation efforts, this study (a) examined both inter-rater reliability and differences in rater severity, (b) explored measurement bias across subpopulations of language learners, (c) identified relevant linguistic features which relate to item difficulty, and (d) provided a norm-referenced interpretation for Korean EIT scores. Overall, findings suggest that the Korean EIT can be used in diverse SLA/bilingualism research contexts, as it measures ability similarly across subgroups and raters.

EXPRESS: The letter position coding mechanism of second language words during sentence reading: Evidence from eye movements

2021 ◽  
pp. 174702182110645
Author(s):  
Fengjiao Cong ◽  
Baoguo Chen
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Word Recognition ◽  
Eye Movement ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Letter Position ◽  
L2 Reading ◽  
Position Information ◽  
Sentence Reading ◽  
Letter Position Coding ◽  
Position Coding

We conducted three eye movement experiments to investigate the mechanism for coding letter positions in a person’s second language during sentence reading; we also examined the role of morphology in this process with more rigorous manipulation. Given that readers not only obtain information from currently fixated words (i.e., the foveal area) but also from upcoming words (i.e., the parafoveal area) to guide their reading, we examined both when the targets were fixated (Exp. 1) and when the targets were seen parafoveally (Exp. 2 and Exp. 3). First, we found the classic transposed letter (TL) effect in Exp. 1, but not in Exp. 2 or Exp. 3. This implies that flexible letter position coding exists during sentence reading. However, this was limited to words located in the foveal area, suggesting that L2 readers whose L2 proficiency is not as high as skilled native readers are not able to extract and utilize the parafoveal letter identity and position information of a word, whether the word length is long (Exp. 2) or short (Exp. 3). Second, we found morphological information to influence the magnitude of the TL effect in Exp. 1. These results provide new eye movement evidence for the flexibility of L2 letter position coding during sentence reading, as well as the interactions between the different internal representations of words in this process. Altogether, this is helpful for understanding L2 sentence reading and visual word recognition. Thus, future L2 reading frameworks should integrate word recognition and eye movement control models.

Assessing the Role of Selective Fossilization Hypothesis in Determining Fossilizable Phonetic Errors in Tunisian EFL Learners’ Oral Output

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Aicha Rahal ◽  
Chokri Smaoui
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Predictive Power ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
First Language ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Phonetic Errors ◽  
Linguistic Phenomenon

Fossilization is said to be a distinctive characteristic of second language (L2) learning (Selinker, 1972, 1996; Han, 2004). It is the most pervasive among adult L2 learners (Han and Odlin, 2006). This linguistic phenomenon has been characterized by cessation of learning, even though the learner is exposed to frequent input. Based on the findings of the MA dissertation of the first researcher which is about ‘phonetic fossilization’ and where she conducted a longitudinal study, Han’s Selective Fossilization Hypothesis (SFL) is used to analyze the obtained fossilized phonetic errors in relation to L1 markedness and L2 robustness with a particular focus on fossilized vowel sounds. This is an analytical model for identifying both acquisitional and fossilizable linguistic features based on learners’ first language (L1) markedness and second language (L2) robustness. The article first gives an overview of the theory of Interlanguage and the phenomenon of fossilization. Then, it introduces SFL. This is an attempt to study fossilization scientifically. In other words, it tests the predictive power of a developed L1 Markedness and L2 Robustness rating scale based on Han’s (2009) model. The present study has pedagogic implications; it is an opportunity to raise teachers’ awareness on this common linguistic phenomenon.

scholarly journals Effects of Electronic Reading Environments’ Structure on L2 Reading Comprehension

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 88
Author(s):  
Khalid Al-Seghayer
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Reading Program ◽  
Choice Test ◽  
Underlying Structure ◽  
Electronic Text ◽  
L2 Reading ◽  
Electronic Texts ◽  
Electronic Reading ◽  
L2 Reading Comprehension

This study examines the effects of an electronic reading environment’s structure on second language (L2) reading comprehension. In particular, this study explores whether clarifying the underlying structure of an electronic text, along with the ways in which its units or nodes are organized and interrelated results in better comprehension as well as whether L2 reading proficiency affects the comprehension of electronic text. In this study, 40 English as a second language (ESL) learners, grouped into proficient and less-proficient groups based on their scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language’s (TOEFL’s) Reading section, were asked to read two electronic texts using computerized programs classified as either “well structured” or “less structured.” To assess the efficacy of each type of reading environment, two tests—a multiple-choice test and a mapping of main ideas and details (MOMID) test—were developed and administered to the participants after they read each text. The results of these tests were analyzed using a paired-samples t-test and a two-way (proficiency level by computerized reading program) mixed-model analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings revealed that well-structured electronic texts can aid ESL readers in developing a more coherent mental representation of the electronic texts’ content, thereby increasing their reading comprehension. Furthermore, well-structured electronic texts are more helpful for less-proficient readers than for more-proficient readers. These findings have significant pedagogical and technological implications for L2 reading instructors and instructional designers.

scholarly journals Predictors of second language English lexical recognition: Further insights from a large database of second language lexical decision times

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Skalicky ◽  
Scott Crossley ◽  
Cynthia M. Berger
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Lexical Decision ◽  
The United States ◽  
English Learning ◽  
Large Database ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
Contextual Diversity ◽  
Orthographic Similarity ◽  
Statistical Measures ◽  
Decision Times

In this study we analyze a large database of lexical decision times for English content words made by speakers of English as an additional language residing in the United States. Our first goal was to test whether the use of statistical measures better able to model variation associated with participants and items would replicate findings of a previous analysis of this data (Berger, Crossley, & Skalicky, 2019). Our second goal was to determine whether variables related to experiences using and learning English would interact with linguistic features of the target words. Results from our statistical analysis suggest affirmative answers to both of these questions. First, our results included significant effects for linguistic features related to contextual diversity and contextual distinctiveness, providing a replication of findings from the original study in that words appearing in more textual and lexical contexts were responded to quicker. Second, a measure of length of English learning and a measure of daily English use interacted with a measure of orthographic similarity. Our study provides further evidence regarding how a large, crowdsourced database can be used to obtain a better understanding of second language lexical recognition behavior and provides suggestions for further research.

A meta-analysis of the relationship between working memory and second language reading comprehension: Does task type matter?

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 873-900
Author(s):  
Jihye Shin
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Quantitative Description ◽  
Span Task ◽  
Word Recall ◽  
Reading Span ◽  
L2 Reading ◽  
L2 Reading Comprehension

AbstractDespite the increasing attention paid to the role of working memory in reading, findings and measurement of working memory have been inconsistent. The current meta-analysis aims to provide a quantitative description of the overall relationship between second language (L2) reading comprehension and working memory measured through reading span task and identify methodological features that moderate this relationship. Following a comprehensive search, 25 primary studies (23 peer-reviewed studies and 2 dissertations) were included comprising 37 unique samples (N = 2,682), all of which were coded for substantive and methodological features. The results showed that (a) there is a moderate relationship between L2 reading comprehension and working memory (r = .30), (b) reading span task features such as the scoring procedure, task language, and final word recall order moderate this relationship, and (c) the degree to which working memory’s involvement in L2 reading comprehension may vary depending on the type of reading tasks at hand. Implications are discussed in terms of conceptualization and measurement of working memory. Future directions are also offered in relation to measurement practices to encourage consistency and to improve our understanding of the link between working memory and L2 reading comprehension.

The role of L1 and L2 reading comprehension in solving mathematical word problems

2005 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emine Erktin ◽  
Ayse Akyel
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Private School ◽  
Word Problems ◽  
First Language ◽  
L2 Reading ◽  
Mathematical Word Problems ◽  
And Performance ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
L1 And L2

Abstract Mathematics educators are concerned about students’ lack of ability to translate mathematical word problems into computable forms. Researchers argue that linguistic problems lie at the root of students’ difficulties with mathematical word problems. The issue becomes more complicated for bilingual students. It is argued that if students study mathematics in a second language they cannot be as successful as when they study in their first language. This study investigates the relationship between reading comprehension and performance on mathematics word problems in L1 and L2 for students learning English as a second language in a delayed partial immersion program. Data were collected from 250 Turkish students from Grade 8 of a private school in Istanbul through reading comprehension tests in L1 and L2 and an algebra word problems test prepared in L1 and L2. The results indicate a positive relationship between reading comprehension and mathematics performance. They also show that the students who participated in this study were not disadvantaged when they studied mathematics in English.

scholarly journals Teachers' Perceptions about Readability and Modification of Authentic Texts Chosen for Teaching Reading in the Vietnamese Context

1970 ◽  
Vol 15 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 89-97
Author(s):  
Nguyen Duy Khang
Keyword(s):  
Teaching Reading ◽  
Authentic Materials ◽  
Teaching Process ◽  
Authentic Texts ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Text Readability ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Materials Used

The article presents EFL teachers’ perceptions towards the readability of authentic texts and the ways of modifying authentic materials used in teaching reading. Essential tools to check the ease of understanding authentic texts are also suggested. The data was collected by means of a questionnaire and test. The findings show that awareness of readability and modification of authentic texts in teaching reading benefited both the teachers in facilitating their teaching process and the learners in their language acquisition.Key words: Reading; Readability; Text readability; Authenticity; Text modification; Language acquisitionJournal of NELTA Vol. 15 No. 1-2 December 2010Page: 89-97Uploaded date: 4 May, 2011DOI: 10.3126/nelta.v15i1-2.4613

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