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 correlation examinations Reading comprehension : Multiple-choice questions Free text recalls correlation examinations Reading interest: retrospective interviews, interest questionnaires Correlation examinations 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: minutes on average Pre-task Prior knowledge free recall Think- aloud practice 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 text Summarizing across sentences Evaluating text content Drawing causal inferences from text sentences Clarifying the information in the text Making forward inferences Deep-processing comprehension strategies (Alexander, 2003) Elaborating on the text Summarizing across sentences Evaluating text content Drawing causal inferences from text sentences Clarifying the information in the text Making forward inferences Metacognitive strategies  Monitoring the comprehension coherence  Planning on executing solutions to solve problems Metacognitive strategies  Monitoring the comprehension coherence  Planning 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. Engagingness 2. Familiarity and comprehensibility  QUAL Eight sources were identified from the interviews 1. Novelty 2.Importance 3. Relevance 4. Topic preference 5. Correspondence to prior knowledge 6. Personal interest in English 7. 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 analysis Mark, 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

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

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

Results  Case analysis Stella, 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

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Theoretical Framework Model of Domain Learning (Alexander, 2005)