The Role of Mental Translation in Second Language Reading

1994 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 441-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard G. Kern
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
Second Language Reading ◽  
Future Research ◽  
L2 Reading ◽  
Ability Groups ◽  
Mental Translation ◽  
French Texts ◽  
Memory Efficient

Reading in a second language (L2) can produce inefficient processing in otherwise proficient readers. This paper argues that mental translation during L2 reading may facilitate the generation and conservation of meaning by allowing the reader to represent portions of L2 text that exceed cognitive limits in a familiar, memory-efficient form. Fifty-one intermediate-level French students, in high, middle, and low reading ability groups, participated in think-aloud interviews while reading French texts. The relative frequency of translation use among these groups is compared at the beginning and end of a semester and is found to decrease with level of reading ability. The specific contexts in which students relied on translation are identified, and functional benefits and strategic uses of translation are discussed. Finally, hypotheses and questions are developed for future research.

The role and importance of lower-level processes in second language reading

2013 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hossein Nassaji
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Word Recognition ◽  
Reading Instruction ◽  
Reading Skills ◽  
Second Language Reading ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Linguistic Variables ◽  
L2 Reading ◽  
Semantic Processes

This article examines current research on the role and importance of lower-level processes in second language (L2) reading. The focus is on word recognition and its subcomponent processes, including various phonological and orthographic processes. Issues related to syntactic and semantic processes and their relationship with word recognition are also discussed. When examining the role of these processes, an important focus is also on cross-linguistic variables and the various ways in which they facilitate or impede the development of L2 reading skills. The review concludes with a discussion of the implications of the issues addressed for L2 reading instruction and directions for future research.

Second Language Reading in Hypertext Environments

2011 ◽  
pp. 48-63
Author(s):  
Robert Ariew ◽  
Gulcan Erçetin ◽  
Susan Cooledge
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Vocabulary Learning ◽  
Second Language Reading ◽  
Learning Theories ◽  
L2 Reading ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
L2 Learners

This chapter introduces second language reading in hypertext/hypermedia environments. It discusses the development of a template to annotate reading texts with multiple types of media such as text, sound, graphics, and video so as to aid reading comprehension for L2 readers. The chapter also reports on a series of studies conducted using the template in a variety of L2 learning environments in order to explore L2 learners’ reading behavior and the effects of multimedia annotations on L2 reading and vocabulary learning. The chapter synthesizes the results according to multimedia learning theories and discusses the role of proficiency level and prior knowledge in relation to L2 learners’ reading comprehension in hypertext environments.

scholarly journals Innovative Outlook on Metacognition in Second Language Reading

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. p297
Author(s):  
Jeng-Jia Luo
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Metacognitive Knowledge ◽  
Second Language Reading ◽  
Reading Process ◽  
Future Research ◽  
L2 Reading ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
General Review ◽  
Metacognitive Regulation

This paper aims to explore the application of the metacognitive theory in second language (L2) reading process. I begin by providing a general review on the notion of metacognition and its contributions to learning and teaching. Next, I synthesize the studies which use the notion of metacognition to explore the reading process of a second language. The synthesis will be followed by an analogy of metacognitive knowledge and an analogy of metacognitive regulation. The paper ends with suggestions for future research.

THE ROLE OF THE FIRST LANGUAGE IN SECOND LANGUAGE READING

2001 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 469-495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas A. Upton ◽  
Li-Chun Lee-Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
First Language ◽  
The United States ◽  
Second Language Reading ◽  
Cognitive Resources ◽  
L2 Reading ◽  
Comprehension Process

Reading in a second language (L2) is not a monolingual event; L2 readers have access to their first language (L1) as they read, and many use it as a strategy to help comprehend an L2 text. Owing to difficulties in observing the comprehension process, little research has been conducted to determine what role the L1 plays in the reading strategies of L2 readers. Using think-aloud protocols and retrospective interviews with 20 native speakers of Chinese and Japanese at three levels of language proficiency studying in the United States, this study explores further the question of when L2 readers use their L1 cognitive resources and how this cognitive use of the L1 helps them comprehend an L2 text. We conclude by suggesting that the results support a sociocultural view of the L2 reading process.

scholarly journals What Is Going on with Visual Attention in Reading and Dyslexia? A Critical Review of Recent Studies

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
Conrad Perry ◽  
Heidi Long
Keyword(s):  
Visual Attention ◽  
Critical Review ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
Reading Performance ◽  
Span Task ◽  
Causal Effects ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Visual Tasks

This critical review examined current issues to do with the role of visual attention in reading. To do this, we searched for and reviewed 18 recent articles, including all that were found after 2019 and used a Latin alphabet. Inspection of these articles showed that the Visual Attention Span task was run a number of times in well-controlled studies and was typically a small but significant predictor of reading ability, even after potential covariation with phonological effects were accounted for. A number of other types of tasks were used to examine different aspects of visual attention, with differences between dyslexic readers and controls typically found. However, most of these studies did not adequately control for phonological effects, and of those that did, only very weak and non-significant results were found. Furthermore, in the smaller studies, separate within-group correlations between the tasks and reading performance were generally not provided, making causal effects of the manipulations difficult to ascertain. Overall, it seems reasonable to suggest that understanding how and why different types of visual tasks affect particular aspects of reading performance is an important area for future research.

Visuele Terugkoppeling Van Engelse Intonatie;

1981 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 112-118
Author(s):  
Kees de Bot
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Visual Feedback ◽  
Auditory Feedback ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Learning Behaviour ◽  
Feedback Mode ◽  
Practice Time

A description is given of an experiment in which we tried to show that visual feedback is more effective in intonation learning than auditory feedback. The factors in the experiment were feedback mode and practice time. The results showed a significant effect of visual feedback over auditory feedback, whereas amount of practice time doesn't seem to be a major factor. An analysis of learning behaviour of the subjects in the experiment revealed that feedback mode influences learning behaviour: subjects with visual feedback tend to practise more intensively than subjects with auditory feedback. Future research will concentrate on various factors related to intonation learning and the effectiveness of visual feedback, such as the role of age, mothertongue and degree of fluency in the second language.

A Review of CALL and L2 Reading

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 49-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lance R. Askildson
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Vocabulary Acquisition ◽  
Second Language Reading ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Computer Assisted Language Learning ◽  
L2 Reading ◽  
Self Study ◽  
Incidental Vocabulary

This paper provides a comprehensive review of the present state of second language reading research and computer-assisted glossing for reading comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. Although computer-assisted language learning, in general, and computer-assisted glossing, in particular, are often cited as facilitative pedagogical and self-study tools for second language reading development (Chun, 2001; Al-Seghayer, 2003; Ko, 2005; Blake, 2007; Stockwell, 2011), the state of computer-assisted glossing research presents a much less compelling and far more nuanced picture of efficacy and facilitation (Ariew & Ercetin, 2004; Bowles, 2004; Taylor, 2006, 2009; AbuSeileek, 2008; Sato & Sazuki, 2010). Research on glossing for reading comprehension presents a mixed collection of findings suggesting facilitation (Leffa, 1992; Lomicka, 1998; Ko, 2005) and inhibition (Hegelheimer, 1997; Plass et al., 2003; Akbulut, 2005; Sakar & Ercetin, 2005), although affective and attentional benefits of glossing for reading comprehension are widely acknowledged. On the other hand, research on incidental vocabulary acquisition as a result of glossing – and particularly multimedia glossing – suggests significant effect and a compelling rationale for ulitization of glossing tools in classroom and self-study contexts (Ariew & Ercetin, 2004; AbuSeileek, 2008; Taylor, 2009; Stockwell, 2011; Aljabri, 2011).

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document