Abstract
Reading English academic texts can be a daunting task for many ESL university students. The complex features of academic texts which include academic discourse, text structure, and vocabulary may affect the reading process. An investigation of how ESL university students read English academic reading materials would provide insights on what learners do to attain comprehension of the text. This study aims to investigate the cognitive processes that take place when ESL undergraduates read English academic texts using eye movement data. Quantitative data (total fixation duration, total fixation count, fixation duration) and qualitative data (scan path) of eye movements derived from eye tracker accompanied with retrospective interview were collected from twenty ESL undergraduates from two academic programmes. The findings revealed that participants who failed to recall the texts had longer fixation duration and resulted in more in words regressions compared to participants who recalled and explained the texts accurately. Vocabulary used in academic texts was found to be one of the factors that affect the comprehension of the texts. The findings of the study suggest that specialised instructions that emphasise academic reading skills should be implemented at the early level of tertiary education. Keywords: English academic texts; academic reading; eye movements while reading; eye tracking; cognitive processes
Highlights
Reading is a complex cognitive process of decoding symbol in order to construct or derive meaning
The present study aimed to examine the cognitive processes that take place when English as a Second Language learner (ESL) undergraduates read English academic texts through the eye movement data
The participants from the Psychology Programme were labelled as participants P1 until P10, while the participants from the Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) Programme were labelled as T1 to T10
Summary
Reading is a complex cognitive process of decoding symbol (word) in order to construct or derive meaning. It involves the interaction between an array of processes and knowledge. Reading comprises basic decoding skills (such as letter recognition), higher level cognitive skills (such as inferring), and interactional skills (such as aligning oneself with an author’s point of view) (Hudson, 2007). The cognitive process of complex interaction between the text, the reader, and the purposes of reading, which are shaped by the reader’s prior knowledge and experiences, integrate with each other to make sense of the reading. The cognitive process of complex interaction between the text, the reader, and the purposes of reading, which are shaped by the reader’s prior knowledge and experiences, integrate with each other to make sense of the reading. Alderson (2000) posits that knowing how and what reading is in the first place is vital before probing into various elements of reading
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