Profiling developing second language readers: Differences in language proficiency, strategy

use and reading interest

Chien-Yu Lin

Outline

Research rationales Theoretical framework Research questions Methodology Results Discussions and Implications

Research Rationales

The importance of understanding the strategies in reading L2 expository texts for beginning EFL learners

Lack of attention to the affective factors in L2 reading comprehension

Theoretical Framework

Model of Domain Learning (MDL, Alexander, 1997, 1998; Alexander, Jetton, & Kuliokwich, 1995)

domain knowledge strategic processes interest Acclimation Competence Expertise MDL in L2 reading Proficient L2 reading is strategic reading.

Reading interest is an important affective factor in L2 reading comprehension.

Research Questions

What are the L2 reading strategies employed by eighth-graders identified from the think-aloud protocols?

What are the sources of interest in L2 reading for eighth graders?

How do L2 reading strategy use, reading interest and language proficiency relate to L2 reading comprehension?

Methodology Concurrent triangulation mixed-methods research design

(Creswell, Clark, Gutmann, & Hanson, 2003) with 36 eighth-graders of mixed English proficiency levels

L2 reading strategy use:Think-aloud protocols

corre

latio

n

exam

inatio

ns

Reading comprehension:

Multiple-choice questions

Free text recalls

correlation

examinations

Reading interest:

retrospective interviews, interest

questionnaires

Corr

ela

tion

exa

min

ati

ons

Qualitative analysis:Strategy coding scheme, interviews

Quantitative analysis: Inter-rater reliability, descriptive statistics

Qualitative analysis:Strategy coding scheme, interviews

Quantitative analysis: Inter-rater reliability, descriptive statistics

Methodology

Major Instruments Reading strategy use

Think-aloud protocols Transcribe, identify, label the strategies and

construct the coding system Source of interest

Sources of Interest Questionnaire (SIQ, Brantmeier 2006), and the Interest Experience Scale (IES)

Retrospective interviews (Wade et al., 1990) Ask students what makes the text interesting and

uninteresting and offer specific reasons

Methodology

Text: An English expository text on chocolate of median difficulty

Procedures: 35.06 minutes on average

Pre-task • Prior

knowledge free recall

Think-aloud • practic

e phase

• task phase

Post-task• Free text

recall• Reading

comprehension questions

• Interviews

Post-task• Complete

the questionnaires:

• The SIQ• The IES

Results RQ1.What are the L2 reading strategies employed by

eighth-graders?

Surface-level comprehension strategies (Alexander, 2003)

Word-by-word translation Paraphrasing Determining an unknown word’s

meaning by using contextual cues Determining the meaning of a

sentence by using contextual cues

Deep-processing comprehension strategies (Alexander, 2003)

Elaborating on the textSummarizing across sentencesEvaluating text contentDrawing causal inferences from text sentencesClarifying the information in the textMaking forward inferences

Metacognitive strategies

Monitoring the comprehension coherencePlanning on executing solutions to solve problems

Results

RQ2: What are the sources of interest in L2 reading for eighth graders?

QUAN Exploratory

factor analysis on the SIQ

Two sources of interest:1. Engagingness2. Familiarity and comprehensibility

QUAL Eight sources were

identified from the interviews

1. Novelty2.Importance3. Relevance4. Topic preference5. Correspondence to prior knowledge6. Personal interest in English7. Comprehensibility of the text 8. Text genre

Results

RQ3: How do L2 reading strategy use, reading interest and language proficiecy relate to L2 reading comprehension?

Case analysisMark, a L2 reader who has high English achievement, high reading interest and uses strategies at a deeper level

Alice, a L2 reader who has lower English achievements, high reading interest and uses strategies at a superficial level

Stella, a L2 reader who has high English achievements, low reading interest and uses strategies at a superficial level

Higher comprehension score

Lower comprehension score

Lower comprehension score

Results Case analysisMark, a L2 reader who has high English achievements, high reading interest and uses strategies at a deeper level

Results Case analysisAlice, a L2 reader who has lower English achievements, high reading interest but uses strategies at a superficial level

Results Case analysisStella, a L2 reader who has high English achievements, low reading interest and uses strategies at a superficial level

Discussions and Implications

L2 reading interest as a complex construct Interactive nature between L2 reading

strategy use and reading interest Reading strategy use mediates the effects of

reading interest on reading comprehension. Reading interest influences the use of deep-

processing comprehension strategies as well as the depth of strategic processing for L2 readers

Discussions and Implications

Implications The importance of strategy instruction for

readers like Alice, who possess high reading interest but lack sufficient knowledge and practice of reading strategies.

Investigating the role of reading interest in a more confirmatory manner

Incorporate the elements of interest into literacy instruction

Thank you for your comments

Theoretical Framework

Model of Domain Learning (Alexander, 2005)