Second language (L2) reading comprehension assessment has long relied upon classical quantitative, product-oriented measurement techniques (i.e., multiple-choice and cloze) in both research and classroom assessment. As Bernhardt (1991) clearly demonstrated, these traditionally employed assessment methods are unable to capture the complex processes…

Ten high-school students of English as a second language (ESL) intensively studied the modified version of "The Cay" (retold by Strange, 1997). During their study the teacher asked questions designed to elicit students' comprehension and understanding of racism and prejudice as the main themes of "The Cay". Analysis of classroom discourse data…

This study is an attempt to provide insights into the extent of first language (L1) use while reading second language (L2) texts in a collaborative situation among tertiary ESL learners. Through the identification of reading strategies utilized by the subjects, the study is also aimed at discovering possible reasons for the use of L1 while…

With 104 advanced second language (L2) readers, this investigation seeks to construct a multicomponent model of interest and L2 reading. Sources of interest (SI) refer to variables that induce feelings of interest in a text. Perceived interest (PI) refers to the feeling of interest itself (Schraw, Bruning, & Svoboda, 1995). A factor analysis…

Examined the rate at which vocabulary was learned from reading the 400 headword graded reader "A Little Princess." To ascertain whether words of different frequency of occurrence were more likely to be learned and retained or forgotten, 25 words within five bands of differing frequency of occurrence were selected. Results show words can be learned…

Analysis of second-language exercises intended to expand context-inference skills in reading indicated that most of the exercises offered little help in developing the skill and only partial understanding of word meaning. (Author/CB)

Draws a distinction between two kinds of summarization involved in discourse comprehension: abbreviated versions and brief accounts. English summaries written by Austrian university students are used to illustrate the different degrees of contextualization, or schematic priming, that influenced the amount of processing the students performed on…

Investigates proficient and less-proficient readers comprehension monitoring. Findings show that proficient readers displayed more competency in monitoring their ongoing thinking processes, because they tended to monitor their reading processes at all times in order to compensate for words that had not been previously decoded. (Author/VWL)

Describes how the use of the dialogue journal, a long-term written conversation between student and teacher, can improve cultural understanding on the part of English-as-a-Second-Language students who are reading English texts that require knowledge of American cultural norms. (Author/CB)

The types of vocabulary in three short novels were analyzed to determine the text coverage of the most frequent 2,000 words of English, and the vocabulary needed to gain 97-98% coverage of the running words in each text. It was found that a 5,000-word vocabulary was necessary for adequate coverage in pleasure reading. (Contains nine references.)…

This study investigated the effects of linguistic simplification and content schemata on reading comprehension and recall. The participants, 240 Iranian male students of English as a foreign language (EFL), were divided into 4 homogeneous groups, each consisting of 60 participants (30 with high proficiency and 30 with low proficiency). To elicit…

Argues that second-language reading comprehension and its assessment can be usefully divided into two aspects: (1) comprehensions (different levels of comprehension the reader adopts to suit different purposes of reading); and (2) interpretations (different readings of the same text resulting from different background knowledge or preoccupations…

Describes two studies of technical vocabulary, one using an anatomy text and the other an applied linguistics text. Technical vocabulary was found by rating words in the texts on a four-step scale. Found that technical vocabulary made up a very substantial proportion of both the different words and the running words in texts. (Author/VWL)

Briefly reviews prior use of the thinking aloud method. Advantages of this method are contrasted to other techniques of the studying the research process. Suggestions include (1) choosing subjects and reading materials; (2) planning, preparing, and training subjects for thinking aloud sessions; and (3) recording, transcribing, and analyzing data.…

Describes a study of the ability of English as a second language students to read technical instructions. The students were asked to set a digital alarm clock using the manufacturer's instructions. The results indicate that a science background is a greater facilitator of efficient completion than very good knowledge of English. (SED)