2016/6/13 class : 應碩日一 A Student number: Researcher :Chiu-yen Weng Influence EFL learners Reading Proficiency levels at Chaoyang University of Technology: A Factorial Analysis

2016/6/13 Chapter two: Review of Literature Concerning the linguistic elements relating to the Chaoyang University students EFL reading proficiency levels in this study, hence, the literature review including following. First of all, reading difficult and reading training programs. Second, relationship between phonological awareness and EFL proficiency. Third, students’ attitudes affect reading language score are discussed.

2016/6/13 Reading difficulties and Reading training Programs Phonological awareness and EFL proficiency Students’ attitudes affect reading language score

Reading difficulties and Reading training Programs In many EFL environment, English is a subject required of elementary and secondary students. In some Asian countries such as Taiwan, the major goal of most teaching and learning is for students to pass the joint entrance examinations into senior high schools and university. 2016/6/13

Reading is a complex process by which meaning is derived from print. According to Leipzig (2004), reading requires word recognition and comprehension skill. Word recognition refers to readers being able to pronounce a word, whether or not they know the meaning of the word. (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998) 2016/6/13

Researchers on reading have long tried to investigate the cause of reading failure, and there is powerful evidence showing that the majority of individuals who experience difficulty reading stay at the same level of word recognition. (Curits, 1980; Stanovich, Cunningham, & Feeman, 1984)

Carrell argues that L2 proficiency seems to be more important for EFL students while L1 reading ability more important for ESL students. It follows that when we teach lower level EFL readers, we should focus more on their linguistic needs; but when readers are at a higher level, their needs as readers may have higher pedagogical importance. 2016/6/13

The effective use of reading strategies has been recognized as an important way to increase reading comprehension. As a result, a plethora of studies in the L2 reading literature has generated lists of paper-reading strategies to help students read more productively. (Andersion,1991;block, 1986; Chang, 1998; Cohen, 1998; Oxford, 1990; Sarig, 1987; Sheorey &Mokhtari, 2001 )

2016/6/13 Relationships between Phonological Awareness and EFL Proficiency Phonological awareness is the awareness that words are composed of speech sounds. According to Goswami and Bryant (1990), there are at least two possible forms of Phonological awareness.

1 intra-syllabic units (e.g., onsets and rhymes) 2 awareness of phonemes

Awareness of onsets and rhymes Onset/rhyme awareness has been used in early reading instruction for several reasons. As suggested by Chard and Dickson (1999) Onset/rhyme awareness tasks are easier for children than phoneme awareness tasks. 2016/6/13

Besides, onset/rhyme awareness can also help children learn more complex phonic concepts, such as r-controlled vowel (as cited in Blevins,1998) The other value of onset/rhyme awareness is shown in the statement of Blevins(1998) 2016/6/13

In addition, some studies have shown a strong relationship between onset/rhyme level of phonological awareness and a later development of reading ability. (Bradley 1988) 2016/6/13

Bentin (1992) has asserted that phonological awareness consists of two forms: Phonemic awareness The ability to isolate and manipulate segments Early phonological awareness The detection of words on the basis of sub syllabic segments

2016/6/13 Phonological awareness has been found to be a good predictor of reading performance across alphabetic languages (Goswami & Bryant, 1990; Rack, Snowling, & Olson, 1992; Shankweiler & Fowler, 2004; Torgesen, 1999). It is nevertheless a necessary but not sufficient condition for learning to read.

Many researchers (e.g, Wolf &Vellutino, 1993) proposed that the components of phonological awareness are acquired hierarchically rather than emerge as whole. Treiman(1992) suggested that the ability to segment syllables is acquired first, followed by the awareness of onset and rimes, and finally awareness of phonoemes. 2016/6/13

On the other hand, some studies denoted that though some phonological awareness is critical for early reading, their relation might be reciprocal. (Huang& Hanley, 1994) Its result indicated that the subjects’ phonological skill were greatly enhanced after receiving reading instruction and the enhancement of that skill also promoted further word recognition skills. 2016/6/13

On top of this, Hu (2003) find out the role of phonological awareness in foreign language word learning. The relationship of phonological awareness to foreign word recall and pronunciation learning in young foreign language learners. 2016/6/13

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