Reading Behavior Research Articles

Effects of Pictures on Second-Grade Children’s Oral Reading Performance

Picture books are a common staple of children’s reading diet. The role of pictures in reading acquisition remains a topic of considerable controversy, however. This study examined the effects of pictures on children’s oral reading behavior (measured by reading errors/miscues) and comprehension (measured by retelling), using a 2 (picture condition) × 2 (genre) × 3 (reading ability) mixed ANOVA design. Forty second-grade children each read and retold two narrative and two informational texts, with or without the presence of pictures. Statistical analyses revealed that pictures had a positive effect on children’s reading comprehension, but no significant effect on their oral reading behavior. There were no significant interaction effects between picture condition and text genre or between picture condition and reading ability on any outcome measures. However, a closer examination of the data via profile plots revealed more intricate patterns regarding the impact of pictures on children’s oral reading behavior and comprehension. These findings suggest that many factors associated with the reader and the text are simultaneously at work during the reading process. The implications for research and practice are further discussed.

Efektifitas Token Ekonomi untuk Meningkatkan Kemampuan Membaca pada Anak

Reading skills play a vital role in everyone’s life. By ages 5-6, children should ideally begin recognizing early writing indicators, having already started learning grammar and developing a vocabulary of around 3,000 words. The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of a token economy system in enhancing children’s reading skills. This research is quantitative, employing an experimental approach. The intervention method used here is the token economy system, in which researchers apply an observation guide to monitor and adjust subjects’ behaviors to align with desired reading behaviors. The findings from this intervention show a rapid improvement in the subject's early reading skills. The child was able to identify and point to letters independently, differentiate between letters on their own, name words in pictures, and break down words independently. This study concludes that the token economy system is effective in improving children’s reading skills.

Eye Movement Patterns in Russian-Speaking Adolescents with Differing Reading Comprehension Proficiency: Exploratory Scanpath Analysis

Previous research has indicated that individuals with varying levels of reading comprehension (often used as a proxy for general cognitive ability) employ distinct reading eye movement patterns. This exploratory eye-tracking study aimed to investigate the text-reading process in adolescents with differing reading comprehension, specifically examining how these differences manifest at the global eye movement level through scanpath analysis. Our findings revealed two distinct groups of scanpaths characterized by statistically significant differences in eye movement parameters. These groups were identified as “fast readers” and “slow readers”. Both groups exhibited similar oculomotor performance during the initial reading. However, significant differences emerged when they reread and revisited the text. Notably, these findings align with prior research conducted with different samples and languages, although discrepancies emerged in saccade amplitude and first-pass reading behavior. This study contributes to the understanding of how reading comprehension levels are reflected in global eye movement strategies among adolescents. However, limitations inherent in the experimental design, particularly the potential influence of the task on reading patterns, warrant further investigation. Future research should aim to explore these phenomena in more naturalistic reading settings, employing a design specifically tailored to capture the nuances of spontaneous reading behavior.

Advancing a Practical Inquiry Model with Multi-Perspective Role-Playing to Foster Critical Thinking Behavior in e-book Reading

In the digital age, where media proliferation challenges traditional reading habits, this study investigated the impact of digital platforms on critical thinking (CT) and reading practices. Some conventional e-books may not sufficiently encourage reflective thinking or foster CT skills due to their linear nature and lack of engaging elements. Employing the Practical Inquiry Model (PIM) within the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework, this study highlights the integration of multimedia elements and the use of students' selfies to boost engagement and social presence in a digital learning environment. This study introduced selfie role-playing reading, along with group discussions from various perspectives as an innovative pedagogy to enhance cognitive presence within the CoI, ultimately enhancing learners’ CT performance. Using a quasi-experimental design, 63 participants were grouped into single-perspective or multiple-perspective categories by narrative perspective exposure, and then engaged in online story discussions with worksheets. Reading performance was measured through a detailed examination of their CT patterns via behavioral sequential analysis. Results revealed that students in the multi-perspective groups demonstrated superior CT and reflective thinking levels, underscoring the potential of innovative e-book designs in enhancing CT. This study not only validates the importance of diverse narratives and role-playing in CT development, but also pioneers a method for analyzing such skills through behavioral sequence analysis. It signifies a leap in applying the PIM to multimedia e-book reading, offering insights for future educational strategies and CT assessment in the digital era.

Weathering words: a virtual reality study of environmental influence on reading dynamics.

Reading is a fundamental cognitive activity that is influenced by both textual and external environmental factors, although the latter has been less thoroughly explored. This study aims to examine the impact of environmental visual conditions on reading performance using Virtual Reality (VR) technology. We conducted two experiments to assess the effects of visual contrast and simulated weather conditions on reading dynamics. In Experiment 1, we measured single-word recognition speed using a lexical decision task under different visual contrasts and weather conditions. In Experiment 2, we assessed reading dynamics during a sentence reading task, analyzing how visual contrast and simulated sunny versus rainy weather conditions affected reading behavior, particularly focusing on reading speed and eye fixations. In Experiment 1, high visual contrast, particularly under sunny conditions, significantly enhanced single-word recognition speed, indicating a notable influence of environmental visual conditions. In Experiment 2, visual contrast had minimal effect on sentence reading; however, sunny weather facilitated faster reading times, while rainy scenarios increased the number of eye fixations. These findings suggest that environmental factors, such as weather conditions, can significantly affect reading behavior. The study contributes to the understanding of key environmental influences on reading in everyday life contexts and has implications for the ergonomic design of reading materials, especially for outdoor settings and VR environments. Additionally, the integration of controlled stimuli within VR increases the ecological validity of reading research, underscoring the potential of VR as a powerful tool for cognitive research.

THE EFFECT OF EXPLICIT STRATEGY-BASED INSTRUCTION ON MOROCCAN EFL UNIVERSITY LEARNERS’ USE OF METACOGNITIVE EVALUATING STRATEGIES (RECALLING AND SUMMARIZING) IN READING ENGLISH (L3) WRITTEN TEXTS

This study, derived from one of the major sections of my unpublished doctoral dissertation tackling the correlation between explicit training in cognitive and metacognitive reading strategies (CMRSs) and EFL reading achievement in tertiary education (Defended in 2015), is an endeavor to reveal the perceived effect of metacognitive evaluating strategies (MESs) instruction on Moroccan English Department learners’ strategic reading behavior. Targeting 113 EFL university learners (experimental group: n=63; control group: n=50), the study explores the impact of explicit metacognitive intervention on the learners’ recourse to recalling and summarizing, as metacognitive reading strategies (MRSs) tapped for assessing their understanding of the EFL textual input. To collect the relevant data, explicit reading strategy instruction (ERSI), reading comprehension texts (i.e., narrative, expository), narrative and expository reading tests, and a retrospective questionnaire (RQ) were relied upon. The results evince that, whilst the experimental group (n=63) advanced at the level of both metacognitive evaluating strategies use and text summary-related scores, its counterpart (control group) in the control condition did not reveal any marked increase in the application of the targeted metacognitive evaluating strategies (MESs) and the scores pertinent to text-based summary performance across the pre-post-test stages. Accordingly, a corpus of relevant recommendations and implications are discussed, and a few limitations are set forth.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0799/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Individual differences in L1 and L2 anaphora resolution: effects of implicit prosodic cues and working memory

Abstract The present experimental studies shed light on effects of implicit prosodic cues on anaphora resolution as well as on how these differ both within and between L1 and L2 speaker groups. In two self-paced reading studies, L1 and L2 participants read poem-like texts that contained anaphoric ambiguity. These stimuli were designed to include a rhyming scheme and meter that were either regular or disrupted. We expected a rhyme cue on a nonsubject pronoun antecedent (in the regularly metered and rhyming version of the texts) to induce competition effects in L1 speakers and cause them to adapt their interpretative preferences and processing strategies; yet, for L2 speakers we hypothesized that effects would either not be observed or that they would be attenuated. Additionally, we examined whether comprehender-dependent factors would modulate effects in each group. We tested both L1 and L2 participants on memory-related tasks. We also measured L1 speakers’ print exposure and L2ers’ proficiency in English. Results revealed L1–L2 dissimilarities in interpretative preferences and reading behavior, as L2 speakers were not equally sensitive to the prosodic cues introduced. The examination of memory-related measures provided evidence of within-group differences and between-group parallels: higher working memory in both groups modulated anaphora resolution, although for L2 speakers there was no additional influence of context.

The Impact of Digital Shift on Students' Reading Behaviors: A Case Study of First-year Students at Dr. Moulay Tahar University of Saida

The Impact of Digital Shift on Students' Reading Behaviors: A Case Study of First-year Students at Dr. Moulay Tahar University of Saida

The Development of a Reading Behavior Scale for Primary School Students

The Development of a Reading Behavior Scale for Primary School Students

Digital transformation of reading behaviors among allied health students: insights from medical libraries in Pakistan

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the digital transformation of students' reading preferences and behaviors, considering the significant impact of digital resources accessible through the internet among allied health students. Design/methodology/approach The researchers used a structured questionnaire to collect data. The study focused on undergraduate allied health students from medical universities in Pakistan. The researchers used a convenient sampling technique. Data analysis was performed using statistical software packages R and SPSS. Findings The results indicate that allied health students frequently use databases, e-books and e-journals to fulfil their academics and research needs, aiding in the acquisition of up-to-date information and supporting various academic research pursuits. The study emphasizes the positive effects on the reading habits of allied health students, attributing these improvements to factors such as enhanced online databases, a broader array of materials and the integration of digital tools. However, challenges arise from the limited availability of relevant e-resources and the dispersion of information across various library sources. Originality/value This study provides valuable insights into the availability and utilization of e-resources among allied health students in Pakistan. It highlights the crucial role that digital resources play in shaping reading behaviors within the educational landscape. This study holds significance as it contributes to educational enhancement, proves beneficial for the improvement of university library resources and services and aids in the development of policies in health-care education.

Students’ reading self-concepts at an institution of higher learning in South Africa

Background: South Africa’s reading problems are evident in tertiary education, particularly among students studying in a foreign language. Therefore, many reading researchers in South Africa have argued that poor reading skills among tertiary students are a direct result of poor reading skills at school. Some research has found that psychological factors such as test anxiety, self-concept, and attitude have a negative and significant impact on student academic performance.Objectives: Therefore, the current study focuses on self-concept as it specifically explores university students’ self-perceptions as readers.Method: The study followed a qualitative research approach, and a case study design was deemed relevant for the study. A targeted sample of 65 respondents was selected to answer the open-ended questionnaire. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the collected data.Results: The findings showed that university students defined themselves as readers in different ways and their reading self-concepts were based on their reading behaviour. The students specifically described themselves as readers who enjoy reading, analytic readers, or reluctant readers with poor and slow reading abilities displaying inconsistent reading habits; they admitted that they only read for academic purposes including tests and exams.Conclusion: Students’ reading self-concept has implications for reading instruction, student support, choice of reading material, reading motivation, and syllabus design.Contribution: The findings of the study provide data that could create English lecturers’ awareness of their students’ reading self-concepts so that they could change their students’ reading culture.

Reading habits of student teachers studying at a distance-learning institution in South Africa

Background: South Africans are widely perceived as not being a reading nation. For many South African children, their first encounter with books and stories occurs when they formally enter the schooling system. This raises the question of how teachers understand their role as reading role models.Objectives: This article aims to investigate how pre-service teachers who are registered at an open distance learning institution evaluate their reading habits.Method: The study employed phenomenography as a research design. All students registered for the Children’s Literature module in 2023 were invited to participate in the study. The submissions of a formal forum discussion assessment of students who agreed to participate in the study were analysed and arranged in themes and codes using Atlas.ti.Results: The article shows that most students perceive themselves as readers, though for varied reasons. The findings suggest the rejection of a monolithic definition of a reader identity. Instead, the notion of categories of readers provides more valuable information for understanding reading behaviour and reader identities.Conclusion: This study confirmed that pre-service teachers are aware of the benefits of reading, though their actions to improve their reading ability, are inadequate.Contribution: Since pre-service teacher training is arguably an important opportunity for addressing the literacy crisis, the findings of this study emphasise the important role of teachers as reading role models.

Relationship between proactive personality and online reading motivation in teenagers: A moderated mediation model

The development of teenagers' reading habits is important for their integration into adult society, and the popularity of the digital space provides ample opportunity. However, empirical research on teenagers' online reading motivation in Mainland China is limited. We constructed a moderated mediation model to examine the relevant factors that affect teenagers' online reading motivation and the mechanisms of these relationships. Participants comprised 819 middle school students who completed questionnaires at a single time point. The results demonstrated that proactive personality was significantly and positively related to teenagers' motivation to read online, while general self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between proactive personality and online reading motivation. Furthermore, family socioeconomic status moderated the relationship between self-efficacy and online reading motivation. These findings contribute to the literature on the antecedents and mechanisms of teenagers' online reading behavior and provide theoretical and practical implications for online reading services.

A Study on Factors Influencing Digital Reading Behavior of Junior High School Students

Abstract The present study aimed to explore the impact pathway of digital reading willingness and behavior among junior high school students in Guangxi’s developed urban areas, so as to improve the digital reading quality of teenagers. This study took students from key junior high schools in Nanning, Guilin, and Liuzhou as the research subjects. The UTAUT model retained three factors, performance expectation, effort expectation, and social impact, while introducing two variables, perceived risk and immersive experience, to jointly develop a factor model for the digital reading behavior of junior high school students in Guangxi. After conducting a questionnaire survey using an “online + offline” method, 497 valid questionnaires were obtained. SPSS 23 was used to perform reliability and validity analysis and descriptive statistical analysis, while AMOS 26.0 was used to conduct discriminant validity analysis, model adaptation analysis, hypothesis testing, and path analysis. The research conclusion was that performance expectations, effort expectations, social impact, and immersive experience all had a positive and significant impact on the digital reading willingness of junior high school students; performance expectations, effort expectations, social impact, and immersive experience positively influenced their digital reading behavior through their digital reading willingness, while perceived risk was found to have no significant impact on digital reading willingness and corresponding behavior. This article used a composite research method to study a sample of student groups in specific regions. It was an early introduction of immersive experience and perceived risk indicators in the study of digital reading behavior, specifically exploring the digital reading patterns of junior high school students who had received less attention in previous studies but were in a critical period of growth.

THE CORRELATION BETWEEN STUDENT READING HABIT AND THEIR ABILITY OF WRITING NARRATIVE TEXT

<p>The objective of this study was to examine the reading behaviors of individuals learning the English language and see whether these behaviors are correlated with enhanced writing abilities. The study was conducted at 22 Tembung, MAS Al-Wasliyah. A total of 34 students were chosen randomly. In this research through random sampling technique. A questionnaire was used to measure how good the students’ reading habit and guided writing test to measure students’ ability of writing narrative text. After conducting the research, it was found that the average score of the students’ reading habit was 61.1%, that was in good level and the average score of the ability of writing narrative text was 72.4 that was categorized good as well. Moreover, the result of data analysis using SPSS shows that the correlation coefficient between the two variables (reading habit and writing ability) is 0.629, while the critical value for 34 students with 95% confidence is 0.339. Since the correlation coefficient obtained (0.629) is higher than the table value (0.339). It was concluded that there was a positive correlation between students‟ reading habit and their ability of writing narrative text.</p>

THE ROLE OF LINGUISTIC BACKGROUND IN SHAPING STUDENTS’ READING PROFICIENCY IN VIRTUAL SETTINGS: A CORRELATIONAL STUDY

This research draws from the linguistic relativity hypothesis and sociocultural literacy perspectives to investigate how students’ linguistic backgrounds influence their digital reading practices in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) settings. Specifically, it examines the impact of Algerian Arabic and Berber languages on digital literacy habits among university students. Utilizing a sociocultural approach that views reading as a social activity, a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative and quantitative analyses was employed to ensure the credibility of the findings. The study surveyed students from two different Algerian universities situated in cities where the inhabitants primarily speak different native languages, namely Kabyle and Arabic, respectively. The data were collected through a questionnaire and analysed using both statistical and content analysis methods. Results reveal contrasting reading practices between Arabic and Berber speakers, with Arabic speakers emphasizing cognitive benefits of reading, while Berber speakers view it as a cultural tradition, particularly evident in their digital literacy habits. Digital literacy, for Berber speakers, represents both freedom and a continuation of their oral heritage, shaping their preference for narrative texts. In contrast, Arabic speakers lean towards descriptive texts. In conclusion, this study underscores the influence of linguistic backgrounds on Algerian EFL students’ digital reading behaviours.

Processing of Counterfactual Conditional Sentences with Differential Propositional Truth-Value in Mandarin Chinese: Evidence from ERP

Although many studies document the role of propositional truth-value in human psychological reading behavior, there is a relative paucity of research examining the role of differential propositional truth-value in processing Chinese counterfactual conditionals. This study is to investigate the role of differential propositional value in processing Chinese counterfactual conditionals by means of ERPs (event-related potentials). The study is based on comprehending two types of Chinese counterfactual conditionals, which is propositional truth value introduced by two different markers of conditional conjunctions in the protasis and apodosis, such as true counterfactual conditional markers jiaru (if) & jiu (so) in the sentence wo xiang yu jiaru you tui jiu keyi zai shuixia zhixi (I think if fish had legs so they could stifle under water), and false counterfactual conditional markers ruguo (if) & namo (then) in the sentence wo xiang gou ruguo you lin namo keyi zai shuixia huxi (I think if dogs had scales, then they could breathe under water). Two counterfactual propositional values (i.e. true and false propositional values) are constructed through manipulating sentence counterfactuality between the true and false counterfactual conditional markers in the protasis and the apodosis. Twenty-four full-time Chinese college students participated in the ERP study. The results demonstrated that processing the true counterfactual propositional sentences with conditional markers jiaru (if) & jiu (so) elicited the N400 effect relative to false propositional sentences with conditional markers ruguo (if) & namo (then). Moreover, the counterfactual sentences with true propositional conditions varied from the elicitation of the N400 effect in the protasis and absence of the N400 effect in the apodosis, showing that semantic roles may gradually disappear under the impact of truth value of propositional counterfactual condition, and/or the roles of semantic anomaly was eliminated in the accumulated sentence processing. While for the false counterfactual conditional sentences, elicitations of P300 in the protasis and robust N400 effect in the apodosis were shown, indicating the increasing semantic role in the processing. Interestingly, there was the absence of the P600 effect for processing sentences with syntactic violation, suggesting little extra syntactic cost in processing sentences with false propositional condition.

The leisure reading habits of undergraduate business students

While literature on undergraduate student reading behavior is prevalent, there has been limited research on subject-specific leisure reading. Additionally, this type of research is often underrepresented in Library and Information Science (LIS) literature, despite its relevance. The authors of this study recognize the value of popular business reading titles. As such, the authors were interested in exploring the perspectives of students studying business to understand current attitudes toward popular reading. Consequently, this study aims to investigate the leisure reading habits of undergraduate business students and how this information can inform aspects of business librarianship. The authors surveyed business students enrolled in a required pre-major business course at Pennsylvania State University. The results reveal that a substantial proportion of business students enjoy leisure reading, often choosing books that align with their academic pursuits and personal interests. However, they frequently forgo reading due to the time constraints imposed by their studies. Overall, this study contributes to the literature on subject-specific leisure reading and seeks to determine whether popular business titles have a meaningful place in academic business libraries. Recommendations are provided on how to integrate such texts into librarianship and how to further investigate popular business titles and leisure reading among academic students.

Light Emissive Nanocomposites Containing a Blue Fluorescent Dicationic Tetraphenylethene and a Red Phosphorescent [Mo6I8(OCOC2F5)6]2− Octahedral Cluster for Optical Writing

AbstractAn emissive organic–inorganic hybrid material is obtained by a cationic metathesis between a blue fluorescent tetraphenylethylene‐based salt: [TPEIm2]I2, and a red‐NIR phosphorescent octahedral molybdenum cluster compound: Cs2[Mo6I8(OCOC2F5)6]. As demonstrated by Single Crystal X‐Ray Diffraction, the hybrid [TPEIm2][Mo6I8(OCOC2F5)6] crystallizes as a 2:2 dimer and emits in the red‐NIR area. Its emission properties are studied in the solid state and once embedded in poly(methylmethacrylate) by steady state and time dependent photoluminescence spectroscopy. They are further compared to the case in which the two starting salts are directly integrated in the polymer matrix. Obtained nanocomposites show evanescent UV‐2A optical writing and reading behavior, with color contrasts depending on how emitters have been introduced.

Digital reading attitude, behavior, and use among Chinese EFL students

Digital reading attitude, behavior, and use among Chinese EFL students