English Reading Research Articles

Developing Extensive Reading Materials of Kubu Raya Folktales for Senior High School Students

Due to the limited numbers of English books where students can read in the literacy program and teachers can use as reference in teaching English in the class, this present study aimed to develop reading material of Kubu Raya folktales for teachers. In conducting this research, the researcher adapted ADDIE model which used only four phases, namely, analyze, design, develop and implementation. The subject of this research was the grade X MIPA 1 students of SMA N 1 Sungai Kakap, Kubu Raya. Questionnaire and interview were conducted to gather the data from the school. The finding revealed that students were in need of English books that could increase their interest in reading in English with the culture that students were familiar with. Thus, this study developed extensive reading material in the form of a story book that consisted of ten stories from Kubu Raya folktales where students were mostly come from. It is recommended for the future research to evaluate the product developed in this study and to add more stories and cover more samples.Keywords: Extensive reading, Materials, Folktales

Speech Fluency Production and Perception in L1 (Slovak) and L2 (English) Read Speech.

Research on fluency in native (L1) and non-native (L2) speech production and perception helps us understand how individual L1 speaking style might affect perceived L2 fluency and how this relationship might be reflected in L1 versus L2 oral assessment. While the relationship between production and perception of fluency in spontaneous speech has been studied, the information provided by reading has been overlooked. We argue that reading provides a direct and controlled way to assess language proficiency that might complement information gained from spontaneous speaking. This work analyzes the relationship between speech fluency production and perception in passages of L1 (Slovak) and L2 (English) read by 57 undergraduate Slovak students of English and rated for fluency by 15 English teachers who are Slovak natives. We compare acoustic production measures between L1 and L2 and analyze how their effect on perceived fluency differs for the two languages. Our main finding is that the articulation rate, the overall number of pauses, and the number of between-clause and mid-clause pauses predict ratings differently in L1 Slovak versus L2 English. The speech rate and durations of pauses predict ratings similarly in both languages. The contribution of our results to understanding fluency aspects of spontaneous and read speech, the relationship between L1 and L2, the relationship between production and perception, and to the teaching of L2 English are discussed.

Encouraging English Language Reading in Cambodia: a Case Study of Takeo Provincial Higher Educational Institutions

English holds paramount significance as a global language, widely employed by diverse nations, including Cambodia, where it functions as a foreign language. Particularly in Cambodia, English has become indispensable for tertiary education. Employing a mixed methods approach, this study surveyed 183 university students, with ten subsequently participating in voluntary interviews. The findings indicate that students predominantly exhibit extrinsic motivation in their approach to English reading, with no discernible variance based on gender. The research also proposes several strategies for educators to enhance students' reading motivation, identifying the strategy of having students explain their comprehension to others as particularly efficacious. The study underscores the significance of English reading and elucidates the challenges students encounter in related activities. Ultimately, the study advocates for future investigations with larger sample sizes to further enrich scholarly insights.

The role of prosodic sensitivity and executive functions in L2 reading: The moderated mediation effect

Abstract Prosody refers to stress and intonation patterns in a language. Previous studies have found that prosodic sensitivity (PS) and executive functions can affect reading comprehension in first (L1) and second languages (L2). The current study examined these factors among a group of L1 Mandarin speakers learning L2 English who participated in a series of tasks measuring phonological awareness, Mandarin tone sensitivity, English PS, along with three specific executive functions – namely, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, and working memory. The results demonstrated that Mandarin tone sensitivity and cognitive flexibility mediated English PS and reading. A simple slope analysis showed that PS positively predicted word reading for readers with higher but not lower cognitive flexibility. These results imply that PS in L2 reading is affected by both prosodic transfer of L1 tone sensitivity and cognitive flexibility.

Popularization and scientization in terminology translation

Abstract San Ti (Three Body, better known to English readers as The Three-Body Problem) stands out as the most successful Chinese literary work introduced to international audiences through translation. Previous studies have primarily focused on translating culture-specific terms and fictive terms in the work, arguing that the strategy of foreignization alongside occasional footnotes significantly contributes to its tremendous success. Techno-scientific terms, on the other hand, have received relatively little attention because their rendering seemed to be a straightforward matter of back translation. However, our case study reveals that the source-text-oriented translation strategy for culture-specific terms and fictive terms presents only a partial picture of the science fiction (SF) terminology translation in San Ti. It demonstrates that translating techno-scientific terms needs to be considered alongside culture-specific and fictive terms. Moreover, it provides proof that translating techno-scientific terms cannot be simplified to a process of back translation only. The translator sometimes deviated from the principles of equivalence, resulting in three different types of interlingual terminological shifts, which are discussed and analyzed in the current study. Given the heterogeneity of the target readers and the interesting paradox of San Ti as hard SF, these different types of deviation serve two divergent purposes: popularization and scientization. In addition to explaining the success of San Ti in the English-speaking world, the findings of this case study also provide insights into the unfaithful facets, contextual factors and research scope of terminology translation in this specific genre.

Effects of Strategy-Based Instruction on Vietnamese EFL College Students’ Reading Comprehension: A Mixed Method Approach

Few studies have been quite successful in examining how Strategy-Based Instruction affects students' reading comprehension. However, these studies have only looked at specific reading strategies, like cognitive or metacognitive strategies, and have not used a reading instructions model to look at all phases of pre-, while-, or post-reading. To evaluate the impact of SBI, particularly the reading framework model Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach, on EFL college students' reading comprehension, sixty EFL students at Hau Giang Community College participated. A mixed-methods approach with tests and semi-structured interviews was used. The conventional approach was used to teach reading to the Control Group, whereas SBI was used for the Experimental Group. The results show that SBI significantly improved the reading comprehension of EFL students. They also have the drive and self-assurance to develop into proficient readers on their own. Therefore, it is suggested that English reading comprehension be taught more widely using SBI.

A Review of Critical Thinking Pedagogical Strategies Used in College English Reading

In the teaching of English reading in universities, critical thinking has been emphasized by more and more teachers. In today's society, the internationalization of higher education has become a trend, and putting the internationalization of education into effect requires the growth of critical thinking. This study presents a comprehensive summary of the pedagogical strategies employed to develop critical thinking in college English reading courses. The paper is divided into four parts: firstly, a brief description of the background and educational significance of critical thinking, secondly, an elucidation of the definition of critical thinking, thirdly, a brief review of the thinking ability models related to critical thinking at home and abroad, and finally, a compendium of related teaching strategies to improve critical thinking. The results of this study show that nowadays critical thinking instruction in college reading in English may be taught in relatively straightforward ways, and it is hoped that in the future, educators would look into more adaptable and comprehensive teaching methodologies.

A Advancing Higher Vocational English Reading Instruction: The Development Protocol of the Intercultural Awareness Experiential Teaching (IAET) Model

Higher vocational English education places significant emphasis on intercultural understanding. However, there is a notable lack of research on the reliability and validity of blended intercultural awareness teaching methodologies in higher vocational English reading education in Henan, China. This project addresses this gap by building an Intercultural Awareness Experiential Teaching (IAET) model. A pilot study conducted in a higher vocational college in Henan province, China, evaluates the efficacy of the IAET model. Using a model based on the ADDIE (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate) instructional design, the findings affirm that the proposed IAET teaching model demonstrates validity and reliability for higher vocational English instruction. The IAET model emerges as a valuable tool, assisting English teachers in enhancing students' competence in English reading, thereby addressing the existing research gap. The IAET model stands as a catalyst, empowering English teachers to enhance students' competence in English reading.

Effects of Using the Jolly Phonics Programme in Teaching English Literacy and Its Influence on Reading Motivation

This research investigated whether Jolly Phonics enhances pupils' literacy and communication abilities. Thus, the principal objective was to determine how Jolly Phonics improves students' speaking, English proficiency and literacy ability, phonemic awareness, and reading motivation. This study of English competence and reading ability is limited to Jolly Phonics. A qualitative study design was used, and data were sourced through secondary sources. The findings of the study support previous conclusions that Jolly Phonics is crucial to children's literacy development. This article's lack of a statistical evaluation of the strategy was a drawback, even when the results demonstrated that the tactics worked. Notwithstanding these limitations, children's interactions and accomplishments in learning Jolly Phonics' functionality, as explained previously in this article, showed that they are indeed growing and improving their English language proficiency, as they grew up knowing many alphabet sounds, remember many complicated utterances, combined utterances on their own, learned and started writing independently, etc. The fourth technique wrap-up English is the worldwide language of communication. Therefore, children should learn to read and write in it early on. Due to reading's complexity, teaching kids to read took time. The five Jolly Phonics skills, given in various ways as proposed in this study, have been shown to increase young learners' English ability. Teachers must prepare for each student's needs and ability level to succeed.

Vowel Epenthesis in the Pronunciation of English Consonant Clusters by Kuwaiti EFL Learners

This study investigated pronunciation errors made by Kuwaiti Arabic (KA) learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) in their production of English consonant clusters. The participants consisted of 25 Kuwaiti EFL learners who were asked to read English words embedded in short sentences. Target words constituted initial, medial, and final-consonant clusters. Data were transcribed by the researchers in addition to three phoneticians for reliability and were further verified through Praat software. Results indicated that pronunciation errors made by these learners of English were restricted to initial and medial consonant clusters that violated the syllable structure requirements of their native dialect. When a conflict occurred between the syllable structure of their first language (L1) and that of the English language, the participants adopted two phonological repair strategies to resolve the conflict: vowel epenthesis and re-syllabification. These phonological repair strategies appeared to be a process of phonological rule transfer from the L1 to the second language (L2) and served to bring the underlying forms of the English words into conformity with restrictions on possible surface syllable structures of the Kuwaiti dialect. These findings highlight the need to develop materials and reading exercises in the classroom to raise students’ awareness of the differences between the syllable structure of their L1 and that of English and its role in successful communication.

Using the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) Approach to Teach Elementary Fourth Grade Mathematics: An Action Research

<p>行政院通過雙語國家政策後，許多縣市選擇CLIL為主要雙語教學模式，本研究透過教學行動研究反思與修正的歷程，建構可行的數學CLIL教學模式。研究者設計角度及三角形兩個幾何單元的教學，於110年10月6日至28日在國小四年級實施，蒐集室觀察紀錄、訪談、文件資料、省思札記、中、英語單元成就測驗等資料，進行綜合分析。本研究主要發現如下：1. CLIL的學習情境可視學生需求提供中文輔助，課堂融入70%的英語，並採異質分組促進同儕溝通互動。2. 課程設計可依學科內容設計不同難度的操作活動與統整型的素養任務。3. 教學實施可調整數學教科書活動安排，將相同數學概念整併，規劃符合CLIL內容和語言循環的教學活動。4. 學習評量在課堂中著重英語聽和說形成性評量，課堂最後回到中文數學課本習題檢核數學概念。5. 全班學生數學表現穩定，未因CLIL教學影響學習成效，但部分學生會受到英語單字、句型閱讀能力影響數學答題表現。</p> <p> </p><p>After the Executive Yuan passed “Bilingual Nation 2030”, many county(city) governments chose CLIL as the primary bilingual teaching model. This study constructed the practicable CLIL mathematics teaching model through the process of reflection and revision of the teaching action research. I designed two geometry units in angles and triangles, which were implemented in the fourth grade of elementary school from October 6 to 28, 110. I collected classroom observations, interviews, documents, personal journals and achievement tests in Chinese and English for comprehensive analysis. The following findings are presented: 1. CLIL learning contexts can provide Chinese according to students’ needs, integrate 70% of English into the classroom, and arrange heterogeneous groupings to promote peer communication and interaction. 2. Curriculum design can arrange hands-on activities and integrated literacy assignments with different levels of difficulty according to the subject content. 3. Teaching implementation can adjust the arrangement of mathematics textbook activities, integrate the same mathematical concepts, and plan by the CLIL content and language cycle. 4. Learning assessment focuses on English listening and speaking formative assessment in the classroom, and finally returns to the Chinese mathematics textbook exercises to check mathematical concepts. 5. All students’ performance in mathematics was stable and not affected by the CLIL instruction, but some students’ performance in mathematics was affected by their ability to read English words and sentences.</p> <p> </p>

Research on the evaluation method of English textbook readability based on the TextCNN model and its application in teaching design.

English is a world language, and the ability to use English plays an important role in the improvement of college students' comprehensive quality and career development. However, quite a lot of Chinese college students feel that English learning is difficult; it is difficult to understand the learning materials, and they cannot effectively improve their English ability. This study uses a convolutional neural network to evaluate the readability of English reading materials. It provides students with English reading materials of suitable difficulty based on their English reading ability so as to improve the effect of English learning. Aiming at the high dispersion of students' English reading level, a text readability evaluation model for English reading textbooks based on deep learning is designed. First, the legibility dataset is constructed based on college English textbooks; second, the TextCNN text legibility evaluation model is constructed; finally, the model training is completed through parameter adjustment and optimization, and the evaluation accuracy rate on the self-built dataset reaches 90%. We use the text readability method based on TextCNN model to conduct experimental teaching, and divided the two groups into comparative experiments. The experimental results showed that the reading level and reading interest of students in the experimental group were significantly improved, which proved that the text readability evaluation method based on deep learning was scientific and effective. In addition, we will further expand the capacity of the English legibility dataset and invite more university classes and students to participate in comparative experiments to improve the generality of the model.

COMPARISON OF GRAMMAR INTERVENTION PBLAND PBL IN JUNIOR MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH READING


 
 
 
 This paper compares the effectiveness of grammar intervention problem-based learning (GIPBL) and problem-based learning (PBL). PBLis a constructivism-based popular teaching pedagogy previously used in medical education, then widely applied in other fields of education, including junior high school English reading teaching. However, researchers of Scaffolding learning theory argue that grammar intervention PBL (GIPBL) is more suitable for Junior high students in English reading courses. To compare the effect of GIPBL and PBL on satisfaction and learning process in junior high school Grade 3 students, this study does a quasi-experimental study in Jiangyou Foreign Language Experimental School in Sichuan Province, China. The participants include 120 students of grade 8 in two different classes in Junior High School. Experimental and control groups are designed.The practical class is taught in GIPBL,and the control class is taught in PBL. Both classes are about learning English reading, an integral part of the English course.Pretest and post-test were applied. The instruments were a demographic questionnaire,reading test and satisfaction questionnaire. The result shows that students' reading comprehension scores in GIPBL are better than those of the control group. GIPBL broadens the implementation of PBL in practice. There was more satisfaction with GIPBL. 82% of students thought GIPBL was a more acceptable and effective teaching method. The result shows that Grammar Intervention PBL suits junior and middle school students in English reading courses.
 
 
 

Self-reflection-oriented Pre-reading Activities in EFL: Their Impact on College Students’ English Reading Achievement, Satisfaction, and Motivation

Self-reflection-oriented Pre-reading Activities in EFL: Their Impact on College Students’ English Reading Achievement, Satisfaction, and Motivation

Current Situation and Strategy of Integrating Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture into English Reading Teaching in Senior High School

China's excellent traditional culture, which embodies the achievements of thousands of years of civilization, is our most precious treasure. The high school period is a key period for Chinese students to shape their values, and language carries the culture of various countries. Therefore, when learning English, high school students should integrate into the excellent traditional culture of our own country while learning Western culture, so as to achieve the purpose of English teaching. The value of integrating Chinese excellent culture into high school mainly lies in the two aspects of students' English learning and English application, and the path should start from the reform of teaching materials, teachers' quality and class type.

Relating academic reading with academic vocabulary and general English proficiency to assess standards of students’ university-preparedness – the case of IELTS and CEFR B2

ABSTRACT English proficiency has become pivotal for university admission, particularly at the CEFR B2 level and IELTS band 6–6.5 across Europe. In Nordic universities, the substantial amount of assigned English reading materials requires a strong command of English reading skills, with vocabulary knowledge being a crucial component. This study explores 309 university-preparatory CEFR B2 English learners' academic reading competence in relation to academic vocabulary and English grades. Performance at IELTS band 6 and 6.5 thresholds is assessed, establishing empirical links between these thresholds and academic vocabulary test scores. Results reveal positive correlations between academic reading, vocabulary knowledge, and grades. Notably, a substantial portion of low-proficient CEFR B2 students falls short of the IELTS band 6 threshold, exposing a disparity between language proficiency levels and university admission requirements. Implications for how upper secondary education prepares students for university studies are discussed in relation to the dominant use of English at universities.

The Effectiveness of Team Teaching in Improving Reading Skill among Thai EFL Undergraduates and Their Attitudes toward this Strategy

In the context of the learning process, team-teaching has been found to be a successful and pleasurable pedagogical strategy, particularly in improving reading proficiency. The primary objective of this study was to examine the efficacy of employing the team-teaching technique in enhancing the reading skill of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students. The study also sought to assess the potential impact of using the team-teaching technique on the English language reading skill of Thai EFL students. Additionally, it attempted to explore the attitudes of these students towards the utilization of team-teaching in their educational setting. The study used a quasi-experimental methodology to look into how team-teaching instruction affects students' ability to improve their reading skill. The descriptive research design was employed to elucidate the attitudes of the students. The sample for this study consisted of undergraduate students who were enrolled in an English Reading and Writing course. A total of 150 students participated in this study, and they were randomly assigned to two groups. The control group consisted of 70 students while the experimental group comprised the remaining 80 students. Two instruments were constructed in order to accomplish the objectives of the study. The assessment tools utilized in this study included a reading passage and a questionnaire. At a significance threshold of α = 0.05, the study's results showed that there were statistically significant differences, favouring the experimental group in the post-test, when compared between the control and experimental groups. The findings of the study also indicated the presence of statistically significant differences, with a significance level of α=0.05. Based on the findings of the questionnaire, the majority of students expressed a preference for utilizing the team-teaching technique as a means of studying. This approach was favoured due to its facilitation of knowledge exchange between students and instructors, as well as its ability to foster mutual respect for differing perspectives among students. The results of the study have significant ramifications for English teachers who use collaborative instruction.

고등학생 문항유형별 영어읽기전략 사용양상 및 자기효능감에 대한 연구: 고등학교 학습자들의 영어 읽기 성취도를 기반으로

고등학생 문항유형별 영어읽기전략 사용양상 및 자기효능감에 대한 연구: 고등학교 학습자들의 영어 읽기 성취도를 기반으로

Flexible letter-position coding in Chinese-English L2 bilinguals: Evidence from eye movements.

Theories suggest that efficient recognition of English words depends on flexible letter-position coding, demonstrated by the fact that transposed-letter primes (e.g., JUGDE-judge) facilitate written word recognition more than substituted-letter primes (e.g., JUFBE-judge). The multiple route model predicts that reading experience should drive more flexible letter-position coding as readers transition from decoding words letter-by-letter to recognising words as wholes. This study therefore examined whether letter-position is coded flexibly in second-language English sentence reading for native Chinese speakers, and if this is influenced by English proficiency. Eye movements were measured while 54 adult native Chinese speakers read English sentences including either a real word (e.g., cheaply), a transposed-letter nonword (e.g., "chepaly"), or a substituted-letter nonword (e.g., "chegely"). Flexible letter-position coding was observed in initial and later processing stages-reading times were longer for substituted-letter than transposed-letter nonwords. In addition, reading times were longer in both initial and later processing stages for transposed-letter nonwords than real words, indicating that, despite encoding letter-position flexibly, readers processed letter-position. Although pre-registered frequentist analyses suggested that English proficiency did not predict overall reading times, Bayes Factors indicated that there was evidence for such a relationship. It is therefore likely that this proficiency analysis suffered from low power. Finally, neither frequentist nor Bayes Factor analyses suggested that English proficiency influenced the difference in reading times between different target word types, i.e., the nature of letter-position coding. Overall, these results suggest that highly proficient L2 learners code letter-position flexibly.

의사결정 나무 모형을 이용한 대학수학능력시험영어 영역 읽기 지문의 정답률 예측 요인 탐색

의사결정 나무 모형을 이용한 대학수학능력시험영어 영역 읽기 지문의 정답률 예측 요인 탐색