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摘要：This study examines the effects of interactive versus simultaneous display of visual and verbal multimedia information on incidental vocabulary learning and reading comprehension of learners of English with lower proficiency levels. In the interactive display condition, learners were allowed to select the type of multimedia information whereas the simultaneous display condition presented the verbal (definitions) and visual (associated pictures) information in a single gloss. Eighty-two students were randomly assigned to the treatment conditions and were asked to read an annotated expository text. Reading comprehension was measured through a recall protocol and a multiple-choice test. Incidental vocabulary learning was measured through unannounced vocabulary tests of form recognition, meaning production, definition match, and bilingual synonym match. T-tests and ANOVA analyses indicated that the participants utilized glosses less frequently when they were given the control over access to the type of multimedia information. In addition, simultaneous display of multimedia information led to better performance on reading and vocabulary tests. The results are in line with the contiguity principle of Generative Theory of Multimedia Learning, which posits that presenting verbal and visual information simultaneously reduces cognitive load and results in better learning. The findings have implications for both the development of multimedia materials for L2 learners and training of learners to interact with multimedia materials. Adapted from the source document

摘要：Foreign language (FL) films with subtitles are becoming increasingly popular, and many European countries use subtitling as a cheaper alternative to dubbing. However, the extent to which people process subtitles under different subtitling conditions remains unclear. In this study, participants watched part of a film under standard (FL soundtrack and native language subtitles), reversed (native language soundtrack and FL subtitles), or intralingual (FL soundtrack and FL subtitles) subtitling conditions while their eye movements were recorded. The results revealed that participants read the subtitles irrespective of the subtitling condition. However, participants exhibited more regular reading of the subtitles when the film soundtrack was in an unknown FL. To investigate the incidental acquisition of FL vocabulary, participants also completed an unexpected auditory vocabulary test. Because the results showed no vocabulary acquisition, the need for more sensitive measures of vocabulary acquisition are discussed. Finally, the reading of the subtitles is discussed in relation to the saliency of subtitles and automatic reading behavior. Adapted from the source document

摘要：This study investigates caption-reading behavior by foreign language (L2) learners and, through eye-tracking methodology, explores the extent to which the relationship between the native and target language affects that behavior. Second-year (4th semester) English-speaking learners of Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish watched 2 videos differing in content familiarity, each dubbed and captioned in the target language. Results indicated that time spent on captions differed significantly by language: Arabic learners spent more time on captions than learners of Spanish and Russian. A significant interaction between language and content familiarity occurred: Chinese learners spent less time on captions in the unfamiliar content video than the familiar, while others spent comparable times on each. Based on dual-processing and cognitive load theories, we posit that the Chinese learners experienced a split-attention effect when verbal processing was difficult and that, overall, captioning benefits during the 4th semester of language learning are constrained by L2 differences, including differences in script, vocabulary knowledge, concomitant L2 proficiency, and instructional methods. Results are triangulated with qualitative findings from interviews.

摘要：Using structural equation modeling analysis, this study examined the contribution of vocabulary and grammatical knowledge to second language reading comprehension among 190 advanced Chinese English as a foreign language learners. Vocabulary knowledge was measured in both breadth (Vocabulary Levels Test) and depth (Word Associates Test); grammatical measures focused on learners' implicit (timed grammaticality judgment task), as well as explicit knowledge (grammatical error correction task); reading comprehension had three indicators, namely, co-reference, textual inference, and gist. Vocabulary knowledge related significantly to reading comprehension; grammatical knowledge showed a weak contribution to reading comprehension after controlling for the effect of vocabulary knowledge. In addition, learners' implicit knowledge of grammar had a stronger relationship to reading comprehension than explicit knowledge, over and above the effect of vocabulary size. Adapted from the source document

摘要：This study tested three hypotheses about the direct and indirect contributions of derivational morphological awareness to English reading comprehension in sixth-grade students from differing language backgrounds (n= 952). Students included Spanish-speaking, Filipino-speaking, and Vietnamese-speaking language minority learners as well as native English speakers. Multiple-group structural equation modeling indicated that morphological awareness made a significant direct contribution to reading comprehension, controlling for reading vocabulary and word reading fluency. Morphological awareness also made a significant indirect contribution to reading comprehension via reading vocabulary, but not via word reading fluency. Effects were similar across the four language groups. Findings suggest that morphological awareness may play multiple important roles in English reading comprehension for students from a variety of home language backgrounds. Adapted from the source document

摘要：Previous research investigating the effects of unassisted and assisted repeated reading has primarily focused on how each approach may contribute to improvement in reading comprehension and fluency. Incidental learning of the form and meaning of unknown or partially known words encountered through assisted and unassisted repeated reading has yet to be examined in an ecologically valid context. This study investigated the effects of assisted and unassisted repeated reading on incidental vocabulary learning with beginner readers over two seven-week periods. A total of 82 students who were 15-16 years old and studying English as a foreign language in Taiwan read or read and listened to 28 short texts several times. To measure the effects of each condition, a modified vocabulary-knowledge scale was used in a pretest and post-test design. The results indicated that both types of repeated reading contributed to vocabulary learning with assisted repeated reading leading to significantly greater vocabulary knowledge. The implications for the development of reading skills and vocabulary size are discussed in detail. Adapted from the source document

摘要：Few second-language (L2) reading studies have examined the relationship between reading large amounts of text and fluency, and those studies that have tend to be problematic in terms of their designs and/or analyses. In order to address this lack of empirical L2 reading fluency research, this study investigates the effects of a 1-year pleasure reading program on the reading rate development of first-year Japanese university students (N= 97). The reading rates and reading comprehension of an Intensive Reading Group and three Pleasure Reading Groups were measured at the beginning and end of the academic year. All Pleasure Reading Groups made greater gains than the Intensive Reading Group, and the two Pleasure Reading Groups that read the most made greater reading rate gains than the Pleasure Reading Group that read the least. Reading one book every 2 weeks or more was the most effective means for promoting reading rate gains for the majority of learners. An additional finding was that reading comprehension was consistently high on both the pretest and posttest; thus, the increased reading rates did not come at the expense of passage comprehension. A final finding was that reading simplified rather than unsimplified texts resulted in greater reading rate gains. Adapted from the source document

摘要：Text comprehension models in first and second language reading research posit that slow word recognition inhibits reading speed and decreases comprehension. To investigate the role of word recognition in reading, 2 experiments examined rereading benefits in participants' first and second languages using scrambled and normal versions of English and Spanish texts. Native English speakers with intermediate (Experiment 1) or advanced (Experiment 2) Spanish skills demonstrated word- and text-level transfer in both English and Spanish. However, advanced Spanish readers did not exhibit word-level transfer when reading simple Spanish texts. These results suggest that fluent reading may be strongly influenced not just by word recognition, but also by text difficulty relative to reader skill, as well as other factors. Adapted from the source document

摘要：A limitation of extensive reading programmes is the time required for progress in vocabulary acquisition. This paper reports on a qualitative exploration of student perceptions of the value of non-compulsory comic books in ESL elementary and upper-intermediate level courses at a tertiary institution. We aimed to develop supplementary materials that students would find valuable, use, and enjoy without requiring classroom time. The results suggest the learners' views on the value of comic books and recordings can be broadly categorized into five themes: (1) helpful story characteristics, (2) perceived performance enhancement, (3) use of learning strategies, (4) enjoyment, and (5) areas for improvement. An interesting finding was the variety of uses to which the learners put the resources, in particular sharing them with their families. This study points to the importance of responding to learners' specific contexts and to creative ways English learners undertake autonomous learning when provided with appropriate resources. Adapted from the source document

摘要：While the intrinsic value of reading extensively for L2 learners has rarely been questioned, practicalities of implementation and the existence of gains beyond lexical enrichment have generated discussion. This article outlines and explores the benefits which Literature Circles (LCs) offer to English language learning and attempts to identify direct links to SLA through learner engagement. Practical suggestions for setting up these learner-led reading and discussion groups in ELT classrooms are given, and both learner and teacher roles are discussed. The premise that LCs offer a pedagogically sound addition to ELT classrooms is explored through an outline of the framework on which they are based and an evaluation of the collaborative processes they involve. Qualitative evidence, from both learner perspectives and teacher observation, is given to support this premise, as are references to current theories of how languages are learnt and to the way in which these relate to learner involvement of the kind fostered by LCs. Adapted from the source document

摘要：Extensive reading, which typically refers to the use of graded readers, has enjoyed a surge in popularity in English as a foreign language (EFL) settings. Stephens highlights the value of an interacting approach to extensive reading and recommends that this be preceded or accompanied by extensive listening. She notes that for second language learners, "extensive reading without extensive listening is arguably counterproductive" and contends that the inclusion of extensive listening is justified as "it affirms the importance of intonation, helps establish an oral foundation, and encourages speakers of L1s that are linguistically distant from English to process English words in their natural order." Adapted from the source document

摘要：This research introduced mobile devices into an intensive reading course and allowed functions that are usually found only in the language laboratory to be easily and flexibly utilized in the general classroom. To enhance and improve the reading comprehension of English as a foreign language (EFL) readers, a computer-assisted-language-learning (CALL) system for use on PDAs, integrating an instant translation mode, an instant translation annotation mode, and an instant multi-users shared translation annotation function was developed to support a synchronously intensive reading course in the normal classroom. Experiments were conducted to analyze the usage of the system, including the attitude and satisfaction of users. Moreover, the study determined the optimum number of users in each group for the system to work most efficiently, and for students to improve their reading comprehension. Experimental results indicated that those students who were grouped into twos, threes, and fours had significantly higher levels of comprehension than individual students, but those grouped into fives did not. Overall, on average around 70% of the students agreed that the system was useful, 75% of the students agreed that the system was easy to use, and 66% of the students perceived satisfaction with the system. The user intentions were also further analyzed in light of a path analysis method. Adapted from the source document

摘要：In recent years the study of second language (U) vocabulary learning through reading has attracted much attention in the field of L2 acquisition. A specific area that has received wide interest is the examination of the processes involved in deriving word meanings from context. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between the ease with which learners infer word meanings from context, the inferential strategies they use, and their subsequent retention of these words. Eleven ESL learners read and inferred the meanings of 10 unknown words in an academic text. Think-aloud procedures were used to collect data about learners' inferential strategies and their correct inferences during reading. A pre-test and a post-test were used to examine learners' degrees of retention. The results showed an inverse relationship between ease of inference and retention. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of learners' inferential strategies showed a significant relationship between the type and frequency of use of inferential strategies and retention. The findings confirm that a distinction needs to be made between ease of inferencing and the retention of the word meanings inferred from the context. Findings also suggest that the degree of retention depends on the type of strategies used. Adapted from the source document

摘要：The past few decades have witnessed a growing interest in how second language (L2) learners come to read in languages employing non-alphabetic writing systems such as Chinese and Japanese and languages employing non-Roman alphabetic systems such as Arabic and Hebrew. Indeed, with efforts afoot to begin more programs in these languages at the K-12 and collegiate levels, in immersion and bilingual settings, and with stated goals for students to eventually attain high levels in reading proficiency, an understanding of this research is critical if program development is to go forward in a principled way. This article discusses some of the theoretical developments that have helped illuminate the cross-orthographic reading process and reports on the relevant research in L2 cross-orthographic reading that has shaped our understanding of the issues involved in learning to read in languages that employ non-Roman alphabetic, logographic, and syllabary systems of writing. The article will also discuss teaching implications, strategies, and classroom practice put forth by reading practitioners, many of which have yet to find consensus. Adapted from the source document

摘要：This study investigates the contribution of second-language (L2) morphological awareness to foreign language reading comprehension. Tenth graders (n= 188) at a South Korean high school were assessed on 6 reading- and language-related variables: phonological decoding, listening comprehension, vocabulary knowledge, passage-level reading comprehension, metacognitive reading awareness, and morphological awareness. A series of 10 sequential regression analyses were conducted to determine the unique reading variance accounted for by each of the 2 morphological awareness tests included in this study (i.e., the Test of Morphological Structure-Revised [TMS-R], the Verbal Suffix Knowledge Test-Revised [VSKT-R]). The result revealed that morphological awareness was a significant predictor of L2 reading comprehension when other variables were controlled. Of the 2 tests, the TMS-R-a measure that primarily tested derivational morphological knowledge-showed stronger predictability. This provides evidence that morphological awareness, especially derivational morphological knowledge, is an important variable to be considered in explaining L2 reading comprehension among older readers. Adapted from the source document

摘要：This study examines the effects of working memory capacity and content familiarity on literal and inferential comprehension in second language (L2) reading. Participants were 62 Turkish university students with an advanced English proficiency level. Working memory capacity was measured through a computerized version of a reading span test, whereas content familiarity was achieved through nativization of a narrative, that is, textual and contextual modification to reflect the reader's own culture. After completing the reading span test, the participants were randomly divided into two groups, one being exposed to the original text and the other to the nativized version. They then answered multiple-choice comprehension questions aiming to check literal and inferential comprehension. The results revealed independent and additive effects of working memory capacity and content familiarity on inferential comprehension. No effects were observed on literal understanding. These findings have implications for the design of assessment instruments in L2 reading comprehension. Adapted from the source document

摘要：A number of studies claim that knowledge of 5,000-8,000 of the most frequent words should provide at least 95% coverage of most unsimplified texts in English, arguably enough to guess or ignore most unknown words while reading (Hirsh & Nation, 1992; Hu & Nation, 2000; Laufer, 1991; Nation, 2006). However, perhaps hidden in that 95% figure are other kinds of words -- multiword expressions -- not accounted for by current estimates based on frequency lists. Such expressions are often composed of highly frequent words, and therefore it is possible that such items may go unnoticed by learners reading in the second language. To test this assertion, a two-part test was taken by 101 adult Brazilian learners of English: One part contained short texts composed of the top 2,000 words in English; the second part contained the exact same words, however the arrangement of these same words constituted multiword expressions (e.g., large, and, by -> by and large). Tests of reading comprehension indicated that learners' comprehension not only decreased significantly when multiword expressions were present in text but students also tended to overestimate how much they understood as a function of expressions that either went unnoticed or were misunderstood. Adapted from the source document

摘要：Reading and discussing literary texts in a second language (L2) is a significant component of intermediate and advanced level collegiate language education. However, in spite of more attention to the role of literary texts in L2 instruction, the function of reading strategy instruction to teaching literary reading in the L2 has remained unaddressed. This article investigates the impact of the reading comprehension strategy of generating questions on literary reading development in the L2. The results suggest that teaching language learners how to generate questions vis-a-vis texts improves their ability to critically read literary texts in the second language. [Copyright Elsevier Ltd.]

摘要：The present study investigated the impact of critical discourse analysis (CDA) on TEFL students' critical thinking (CT) ability in Reading Journalistic Texts classes. In so doing, the study utilized an experimental design with 24 participants in the control group and 29 participants in the experimental group. The results of a pretest indicated that the participants of the two groups were homogenous with regard to their proficiency level as well as their critical thinking ability. The participants in the experimental group were instructed to critically analyze teacher-distributed articles and devise follow-up presentations based on CDA. The results of the posttest indicated that CDA has a positive and significant influence on learners' critical thinking ability. CDA was also found to have the highest impact on two components of CT, interpretation and recognizing unstated assumption. The discussion and conclusions of the research are further presented with reference to the earlier findings. [Copyright Elsevier Ltd.]

摘要：Bernhardt (2005) proposed a compensatory model of second language reading. This model predicted that 50% of second language (L2) reading scores are attributed to second language knowledge and first-language (L1) reading ability. In this model, these two factors compensate for deficiencies in each other. Although this model explains a significant portion of L2 reading, much remains unknown. In particular, the compensatory model does not specify the relative contributions of strategic knowledge or background knowledge in L2 reading. Consulting the extant L2 reading literature, this paper proposes a model of second language reading, extending the compensatory model of second language reading. The proposed model predicts the shifting contributions to L2 reading of L2 language knowledge, L1 reading ability, strategic knowledge, and background knowledge. The paper concludes by offering a framework to investigate the explanatory power of the proposed model. [Copyright Elsevier Ltd.]