Investigates the extent to which tasks involving processing differences in English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) reading result in differences in performance on comprehension. Processing differences were created by the assignment of two tasks--writing a text summary and listing the examples in the text. (Author/VWL)

Describes the development of an English-as-a-Second-Language computer-adaptive test of reading comprehension. The article discusses the constraints that apply to Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) and the advantages of CAT over conventional testing modalities. (29 references) (Author/CK)

Conducted a survey of college French as a foreign language students' reactions to narrow listening, the repeated listening of tape-recorded interviews of proficient speakers discussing a topic both familiar and interesting to the acquirers, and their assessment of its impact on their language development. Students found narrow listening to be…

Reports on a experiment examining the effect of language in scientific text reading. Twenty-five Finnish college students read a sociology textbook first in English, then in Finnish. Five students understood a basic concept as defined in the textbook after reading it in English whereas 12 understood the concept after the second reading. (JL)

Discusses convergent tests and divergent students, examining why there are so many divergencies in students' interpretation of tests of reading comprehension used in college English-as-a-Second-Language classes. After discussing factors affecting divergency, the paper concludes that portfolios, compiled and graded after discussing errors with…

Investigation of the relevance of student background discipline (185 college students studying science and technology, biology, and humanities and social science) on tests of reading comprehension in English as a foreign language found that content area passages do affect student performance on reading comprehension tests but not as greatly as…

Examines the effects of an imposed schema on the reader's comprehension of a text. Both a correct and a false schema were imposed on the subjects in the form of comprehension questions geared to one of two points of view. Subjects were 177 English-as-a-foreign-language university students. The implications for teachers of reading comprehension are…

Cantonese tertiary-level students taking a general education course taught in English at the Chinese University of Hong Kong were asked to rate their own English language skills development in relation to six specific areas. They were asked to identify what they had learned in relation to other aspects of the course. Responses indicated that…

Explores cloze sensitivity to global comprehension by means of retrospective interview techniques. No significant differences were found between English as a second language (ESL) college students (N=14) and native English-speaking students (N=14) in their processing strategies. (Author/CB)

Overviews three experiments exploring the value of extensive reading in English as a foreign language for college students in Japan. Notes that in extensive reading, students do self-selected reading with minimal accountability, i.e. writing brief summaries or comments on what they have read. Findings reveal extensive reading to be superior to…

Discusses an intermediate-level learner's progress in listening comprehension during a pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes course in the United Kingdom. Highlights the difference in progress in one-way and two-way listening and the discrepancy between performance within the sheltered setting of the language classroom and success in real…