Understanding Spanish University Students’ Monitoring Failures and Regulatory Actions When Reading in EFL

Abstract

The present paper analyses the reasons for comprehension monitoring failure and the regulatory actions performed by Spanish university students when reading in English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Two different but connected empirical studies were conducted to obtain data about students’ behaviour during a reading task. In Study 1, comprehension monitoring was assessed following the Error Detection Paradigm. Then, semi-structured interviews were conducted to analyse subjects’ regulatory actions. In Study 2, a questionnaire was proposed to classify subjects’ detection X regulation actions when reading in EFL. Results showed that participants’ comprehension monitoring level was not very high according to other literature findings. Moreover, the lack of language proficiency could imply additional processing and monitoring difficulties. The questionnaire accounted for a great percentage of participants’ behaviour: semantic obstacles, spurious detections, no re-reading, skip information or no detection. Knowing students’ reading obstacles is necessary for teachers and practitioners in order to help students become effective readers.