Reading Conditions Research Articles

Öğretmenin sesli okuması ve öğrencilerin sessiz okumasının yüzeysel ve derin düzey anlama üzerindeki etkileri: Yükseköğretim bağlamından yarı deneysel bir çalışma

The research on the effects of teacher’s reading aloud versus students’ silent reading on reading comprehension in EFL contexts is limited. This study is significant as it is the first of its kind investigating the effects of teacher’s reading aloud versus students’ silent reading of an informational text on the surface and deep level reading comprehension of tertiary EFL students. 60 pre-intermediate students of English participated in the study. The research was designed as a quasi-experimental study with an experimental and a control group. The experimental group had an informational text read aloud to them by the teacher while the control group read the same text silently. Two measures were used to test the effects of treatments on reading comprehension: a multiple choice text for surface level comprehension and a phrase cloze text for in-depth comprehension. The findings showed that there was no significant difference between teacher’s reading aloud and students’ silent reading conditions in surface level comprehension, yet students’ silent reading was found to be significantly more effective than teacher’s reading aloud in deep level comprehension. The study implies that students’ silent reading can be preferred over teacher’s reading aloud in EFL classes when reading informational texts. Another implication signals the possibility of eclectic in-class reading practices compromising two strategies in accordance with their functions. According to this paradigm, teacher’s reading aloud can be used as a bridge in comprehending the text at the surface level, which could then be followed by students’ silent reading for in-depth comprehension.

A verdade é uma só!

O artigo discute os efeitos da reemergência da direita conservadora no Brasil na Educação, a partir das denúncias de três livros de literatura para crianças, considerados inadequados ao público infantil e juvenil em função de sua temática. Para isso, são consideradas duas abordagens antagônicas no campo da leitura: a primeira é a que afirma, na perspectiva radical-liberal, que é o leitor que daria sentido ao texto, lendo a si mesmo e à sua história nos livros de literatura; a segunda atribui ao texto a significação da narrativa, cabendo ao leitor, a partir de suas condições objetivas e subjetivas de leitura, sua interpretação. Conclui que a tutela das leituras literárias escolares integram projeto maior de controle e de apagamento de visões de mundo divergentes às políticas conservadoras, independentemente das operações de leitura.

Risky Business: Accidental Encounters in Heather McHugh’s Poems

Facing a world of mutually impinging processes, of which climate and economic systems are only the most worrisome, critics in several disciplines suggest that human actors reimagine our inevitable implication in plural, shifting, evolving networks. Steve Mentz suggests a model of buoyancy, a self-imagination in which we maneuver as swimmers might in seas immeasurably larger than ourselves. William Connolly develops a notion of “vitality,” understood as responsiveness to moments of transformation that exceed our conscious designs. Both suggest that dreams of mastery blind us to crosscurrents in enduring and evolving systems. Heather McHugh’s poems invite us to read not for the solace of masterable meaning but for the chance and risk of aleatory encounter and its unpredictable elaboration. Even in elegy, traditionally poetry’s moment of discursive mastery, her poems give full play to discontinuity and difference as the conditions of reading—not least the discontinuities in a historical and evolving language. Beyond elegy, McHugh’s poems invite the reading of generative accidents, a practice that has analogues in reading a plural and uncertain world.

Fire disaster early detection system in residential areas

The number of residential fires in urban areas is increasing every year. The use of automatic fire detection technology can prevent greater fire disaster losses. The fire detection system works by detecting increasing degrees of heat, ultraviolet radiation by flames, and gas leaks. The system will start automation if the LM35 Temperature sensor, MQ2 Gas sensor, and Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) detect the occurrence of fire according to the initial settings on Arduino Uno. After Arduino Uno processes input data from the sensor, there will be a notification marked with the Buzzer and a text will appear on the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) that describes the condition of the sensor reading. Arduino Uno configures data via the GSM SIM900A Module. The last process is sending short messages (SMS) from the GSM SIM900A Module to the receiver to notify the initial warning of a fire. the delay time in testing the farthest distance (100 cm) is as follows: LM35 140 second Temperature Sensor, 130 second MQ2 Gas Sensor and LDR 145 seconds.

Reading text with and without diacritics alters brain activation: The case of Arabic

Diacritics in Arabic are optional orthographic symbols used to alter the pronunciation of a letter or distinguish between words of similar spellings, which may add or subtract complexity by imposing additional loads on the individual’s information-processing system. In this study, we explored how reading Arabic text with and without diacritical signs (known as ḥarakāt) can influence readers’ brain activation. An electroencephalogram (EEG) recording of 18 subjects was used in this study to assess the differences in brain activation while reading in two reading conditions (with and without ḥarakāt). The results showed that ḥarakāt had a significant impact on the cognitive responses of subjects as exemplified by differences in cortical activity between the conditions. Our results imply promising results in the application of reading skills where diacritical marks may play a key role in increasing the level of attention an individual pays to text, thus improving information-processing accuracy.

Reading Text When Studying in a Second Language: An Eye‐Tracking Study

ABSTRACTThe authors investigated how eye movements are influenced by different reading goals in participants’ first (L1) and second language (L2). Participants read or studied the contents of texts while their eye movements were recorded. One group was asked to read L1 and L2 texts as they would read any expository text (informational reading). Another group was asked to study L1 and L2 texts for subsequent tests involving true/false questions (study condition). After reading, all participants, including those in the informational reading condition, completed the true/false tests without being able to further consult the texts, which allowed the authors to investigate the extent to which reading goal and text language affect recognition memory for texts. In general, more reading time was spent on studying than on informational reading, which also resulted in higher test scores in the study condition. The L2‐processing cost was larger in the study condition than in the informational reading condition: Participants needed approximately 20% more time to study L2 texts. The results of various eye movement measures suggest that this is caused by slower word recognition processes and a smaller amount of information that can be processed simultaneously in L2. This was true not only for the first reading of the text but also for the rereadings in the study condition. Interestingly, the additional time for L2 studying seemed to compensate for the less efficient processing, as the recognition test scores were the same in L2 as in L1.

Does the Effectiveness of Interspersed and Blocked Questions Vary across Readers?

ABSTRACTThis paper examines whether answering questions that are interspersed within a reading versus presented as a block after a reading produces different learning outcomes for different readers. In an initial study, financial accounting students who read with interspersed (blocked) questioning earned higher exam scores if, in other courses, they typically read before (after) class. A follow-up study randomly assigned students to either interspersed or blocked questioning when reading about business viability. Interspersed questions led to greater delayed recall by stronger readers, whereas blocked questions led to greater delayed recall by weaker readers. A third study randomly assigned type of questioning (interspersed or blocked) and reading conditions (mind-wandering induced or not) to students learning the revenue recognition model. Test scores were higher when interspersed questions were asked of students not induced to mind-wander and when blocked questions were asked of students induced to mind-wander.

Comparative Analysis of Efficient Image Segmentation Technique for Text Recognition and Human Skin Recognition

Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition is one of the most interesting research subject on computer science, especially in case of reading or recognition of objects in real-time from the camera device. Object detection has wide range of segments, in this study we will try to find where the better methodologies for detecting a text and human skin. This study aims to develop a computer vision technology that will be used to help people with disabilities, especially illiterate (tuna aksara) and deaf (penyandang tuli) to recognize and learn the letters of the alphabet (A-Z). Based on our research, it is found that the best method and technique used for text recognition is Convolutional Neural Network with achievement accuracy reaches 93%, the next best achievement obtained OCR method, which reached 98% on the reading plate number. And also OCR method are 88% with stable image reading and good lighting conditions as well as the standard font type of a book. Mean while, best method and technique to detect human skin is by using Skin Color Segmentation: CIELab color space with accuracy of 96.87%. While the algorithm for classification using Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), the accuracy rate of 98%.

Does pre-testing promote better retention than post-testing?

Compared with other learning strategies, retrieval practice seems to promote superior long-term retention. This has been found mostly in conditions where learners take tests after being exposed to learning content. However, a pre-testing effect has also been demonstrated, with promising results. This raises the question, for a given amount of time dedicated to retrieval practice, whether learners should be tested before or after an initial exposure to learning content. Our experiment directly compares the benefits of post-testing and pre-testing relative to an extended reading condition, on a retention test 7 days later. We replicated both post-testing (d = 0.74) and pre-testing effects (d = 0.35), with significantly better retention in the former condition. Post-testing also promoted knowledge transfer to previously untested questions, whereas pre-testing did not. Our results thus suggest that it may be more fruitful to test students after than before exposure to learning content.

Effects of encoding modes on memory of naturalistic events

Abstract The memory advantage of bimodal encoding in the retrieval of isolated stimulus have been extensively studied, but researchers have not investigated this advantage for naturalistic events. This study reports both behavioral and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data on whether memory advantage of bimodal encoding exists for retrieval of naturalistic events. In Experiment 1, participants took memory tests after learning naturalistic events via three different encoding modes: (1) text reading, (2) story listening, and (3) video watching. The results showed that, at immediate recall, participants made few errors in the text reading and video watching conditions than the story listening condition; at delayed recall, these differences disappeared. In Experiment 2, participants similarly read texts, listened to stories, watched videos, and underwent fMRI scanning during a recall task. Our fMRI data showed stronger activation in the right angular gyrus for retrieving bimodal naturalistic events (i.e., video watching) than unimodal ones (i.e., text reading and story listening). These results suggest a memory advantage of the bimodal encoding for retrieving complex episodic memories, given the rich, multisensory events across encoding modes over time.

Can unconscious sequential integration of semantic information occur when the prime Chinese characters are displayed from left to right?

Recent studies have investigated whether conscious awareness is necessary for semantic integration. Although results have varied, simultaneous presentation of words have consistently led to greater semantic integration than sequential presentation in a single location. The current studies were designed to investigate whether the disadvantage of sequential presentation for unconscious semantic integration is specific to unfamiliar word-by-word presentation in one location or extends to the more natural reading conditions of viewing items sequentially from left to right. In Experiment 1, when the first three characters of Chinese idioms were presented simultaneously under masked conditions, performance on a separate two-alternative forced-choice recognition task was at chance level. Despite being unaware of the identity of prime characters, participants were faster to indicate that a subsequent item was a Chinese character when it was congruent with the beginning of the idiom, thus providing evidence of semantic integration. In contrast, when the three (Experiment 2) or two (Experiment 3) prime characters were presented sequentially in time from left to right, there was no evidence of semantic integration. These results indicate that unconscious semantic integration is more limited than previously reported, and may require simultaneous visual presentation.

Lexical Processing as Revealed by Lateralized Event-Related Brain Potentials

Abstract. Neurocognitive models of written-word processing from low-level perceptual up to semantic analysis include the notion of a strongly left-lateralized posterior-to-anterior stream of activation. Two left-lateralized components in the event-related brain potential (ERP), N170 and temporo-parietal PSA (posterior semantic asymmetry; peak at 300 ms), have been suggested to reflect sublexical analysis and semantic processing, respectively. However, for intermediate processing steps, such as lexical access, no posterior left-lateralized ERP signature has yet been observed under single-word reading conditions. In combination with a recognition task, lexicality and depth of processing were varied. Left-minus-right difference ERPs optimally suited to accentuate left-lateralized language processes revealed an occipito-temporal processing negativity (210–270 ms) for all stimuli except alphanumerical strings. This asymmetry showed greater sensitivity to the combined effects of attention and lexicality than other ERPs in this time range (i.e., N170, P1, and P2). It is therefore introduced as “lexical asymmetry.”

The DRIVE Model of Reading: Making the Complexity of Reading Accessible

AbstractReading involves and is influenced by many factors, which makes reading difficult to understand, teach, and explain to parents, policymakers, and other stakeholders. A metaphor of driving, which likens reading to an everyday practice, demystifies complexities inherent in reading. Both reading and driving are active, strategic processes. Just as drivers deploy multifaceted driving processes to reach destinations on different types of roads in varied contexts and conditions, readers deploy multifaceted reading processes to reach reading goals with different types of texts in varied reading contexts and conditions. The DRIVE (Deploying Reading in Varied Environments) model provides a view of reading that is accessible and actionable while preserving complexity.

Alterations in Exercise-Affect between Those With Higher and Lower Intensity Preference and Tolerance

High-intensity exercise results in a more negative affective response when compared to moderate- or low-intensity exercise. However, a large number of individuals continue participating in high-intensity exercise, in spite of these declines in affective state. PURPOSE: Determine whether differences exist in exercise-affect for those with higher versus lower exercise intensity preference and/or tolerance. METHODS: Undergraduates (n=245, 20.3±1.7yrs, 23.7±3.8BMI, 60.8% female, 82% regular exercisers) completed the Preference for and Tolerance of Exercise Intensity Questionnaire [Higher-intensity exercise preference, tolerance (HIP, HIT) ≥24; n=155, n=154; lower-intensity preference, tolerance (LIP, LIT) <24; n=45, n=51] along with completing 15-minutes of a high-intensity circuit (HIC), a walk, and a reading condition. Affective valence (via Feeling Scale) was taken prior to, every 3-minutes during, and 20-minutes post (P20) condition, while activity enjoyment was assessed immediately post. RESULTS: Multivariate ANOVAs revealed significant differences (Ps<0.05) for preference-intensity groups in valence during HIC at minutes 3 (HIP=2.4, LIP=1.4; d=0.615), 6 (HIP=2.5, LIP=1.1; d=0.772), 9 (HIP=2.5, LIP=1.2; d=0.659), 12 (HIP=2.3, LIP=0.9; d=0.625), 15 (HIP=2.4, LIP=0.9; d=0.632), and at P20 (HIP=3.1, LIP=2.0; d=0.554), and for enjoyment following HIC (HIP=95.6, LIP=85.3; d=0.545), but not for walking or reading conditions. For those with differing intensity-tolerance levels, differences (Ps<0.05) in exercise-affect were only observed during minutes 3 (HIT=2.4, LIT=1.5; d=0.535) and 6 (HIT=2.3, LIT=1.7; d=0.366), and enjoyment differed following HIC (HIT=95.8, LIT=86.5; d=0.492). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest the intensity-preference trait influences how an individual feels during exercise at high-intensity intensity, but is less important during moderate/lower intensities. These differences may be predictive of whether an individual will continue high-intensity exercise programming.

Media multitasking, attention, and comprehension: a deep investigation into fragmented reading

As students are processing information from digital media and educational materials, they are increasingly being interrupted by competing media and their surroundings. This trend of increased interruptions suggests the continuous increase of instances of fragmented reading in learning settings for the younger generation of students. This study investigated learning in situations where information and the processing of information were either fragmented or congruous. In this study, information (congruous and fragmented) and information processing (congruous and fragmented) were examined using a 2 × 2 design on reading materials. Four classes totaling 129 students participated in the study. The effects of these two factors on reading skills (including reading attention and comprehension), perceived reading motivation, persistence, and attitude of primary school students were investigated. The findings showed four effects. (1) Significant differences in the reading comprehension and attention scores of the four student groups; (2) significant influence of reading processing (congruous vs. fragmented) on reading comprehension results; (3) an interaction between genders and reading conditions, that is, girls exhibited higher reading attention than boys when using fragmented reading materials; and (4) a relationship among different levels of reading engagement and reading skills, that is, readers with medium-level reading engagement gained high reading scores regardless of their reading conditions. Fragmented information and fragmented information processing are increasingly common in and out of classroom. The results of this study may help in the design of instruction, instructional activities, and instructional support, especially amid the expansion of ICT in various educational contexts.

Why do they do it? Differences in high-intensity exercise-affect between those with higher and lower intensity preference and tolerance

Evidence suggests high-intensity exercise results in a more negative affective response when compared to moderate- or low-intensity exercise. However, a large number of individuals continue participating in high-intensity exercise, in spite of these supposed declines in affective state. PurposeDetermine whether trait differences influence variability in exercise-affect for those with higher versus lower exercise intensity preference and/or tolerance, and determine the mediating relationship between traits, exercise behavior, and affective states. MethodsUndergraduates (N = 245, 20.3 ± 1.7 yrs, BMI = 23.7 ± 3.8, 60.8% female, 82% regular exercisers) completed the Preference for and Tolerance of the Intensity of Exercise Questionnaire. They then completed a 15-min high-intensity body-weight circuit (HIC), a walk, and a reading condition, where valence (via Feeling Scale), perceived physiological activation (via Felt Arousal Scale), and ratings of perceived exertion were taken prior to, every 3-min during, and 20-min post (P20) condition, while activity enjoyment was assessed immediately post. ResultsMultivariate ANOVAs revealed significant differences (ps < 0.05) in valence between those with high versus low intensity preferences during HIC at minutes 3 (d = 0.615), 6 (d = 0.772), 9 (d = 0.659), 12 (d = 0.625), 15 (d = 0.632), and at P20 (d = 0.554), and for enjoyment following HIC (d = 0.545), but not for walking or reading conditions. ConclusionsThese findings suggest the intensity-preference trait influences how an individual feels during high-intensity exercise, but has less influence on affect during moderate/lower intensity activities. These differences may be predictive of whether an individual will continue high-intensity exercise programming.

Impact of Literature Circles in the Developmental College Classroom

This article describes a mixed-methods study that examines the effects of literature circles (peer-led small group discussion of an assigned reading) on the reading achievement of college students taking developmental reading courses. The researcher-developed intervention was comprised of three connected activities (collaborative oral re-tell, short written response, and open discussion). Quantitative methods were used to measure the effectiveness of the intervention, and qualitative methods were used to analyze reading attitude/motivation and textual engagement. Thirty-eight college students in required reading courses participated in the five-week study, randomly assigned to either the treatment (participation in literature circle) or control (independent reading) condition. Comprehension was assessed through an oral re-tell of the novel, a researcher-developed book-specific assessment, and a pre-existing assessment on an unfamiliar passage. Quantitative analysis, which is the focus of this article, revealed that the students assigned to literature circles outperformed the control group students (significant main effect). While the qualitative findings are not discussed herein, analysis revealed that literature circles not only improve reading comprehension and depth of textual engagement but also provide an opportunity for discourse, collaboration, and social interaction. These findings suggest that literature circles would be an effective addition to a postsecondary developmental reading curriculum.

Arbitrary Screen-Aware Manga Reading Framework with Parameter-Optimized Panel Extraction

While reading Manga on smart devices, it is inconvenient to drag and zoom through contents. Therefore, this work proposes a user-friendly and intuitive Manga reading framework for arbitrary reading conditions. Our framework creates a reading flow by breaking pages into contextual panels, organizing panels as display units, grouping units as a display list according to reading conditions, and playing the list with designed eye-movement-simulated transitions. The core is parameter-optimized panel extraction, which uses the occupied area of extracted panels and the ratio of borders parallel to each other to automate parameter selection for matching up identified panel corners and borders. While applying to 70 Manga chapters, our extraction performs comparatively better against two state-of-the-art algorithms and successfully locates “break-outs.” Furthermore, a usability test on three chapters demonstrates that our framework is effective and visually pleasing for arbitrary Manga-reading scenarios while preserving contextual ideas through panel arrangement.

Aerobic exercise modulates transfer and brain signal complexity following cognitive training

Although recent evidence has demonstrated the potent effect of physical exercise to increase the efficacy of cognitive training, the neural mechanisms underlying this causal relationship remain unclear. Here, we used multiscale entropy (MSE) of electroencephalography (EEG)—a measure of brain signal complexity—to address this issue. Young males were randomly assigned to either a 20-day dual n-back training following aerobic exercise or the same training regimen following a reading. A feature binding working memory task with concurrent EEG recording was used to test for transfer effects. Although results revealed weak-to-moderate evidence for exercise-induced facilitation on cognitive training, the combination of cognitive training with exercise resulted in greater transfer gains on conditions involving greater attentional demanding, together with greater increases in cognitive modulation on MSE, compared with the reading condition. Overall, our findings suggest that the addition of antecedent physical exercise to brain training regimen could enable wider, more robust improvements.

Reading with letter transpositions in central and peripheral vision.

We used a letter transposition (LT) technique to investigate letter position coding during reading in central and peripheral vision. Eighteen subjects read aloud sentences in a rapid serial visual presentation task. The tests contained a baseline and three LT conditions with initial, internal, and final transpositions (e.g., “reading” to “erading”, “raeding”, and “readign”). The four reading conditions were tested in separate blocks. We found that LT had a smaller cost on peripheral (10° lower field) than on central reading speed, possibly due to the higher intrinsic position uncertainty of letters in the periphery. The pattern of cost (initial > final > internal) was the same for central and peripheral vision, indicating a similar lexical route for both. In the periphery, LT only affected transposed words, while in central vision it also affected untransposed words. This spread of the LT effect in central vision could not be accounted for by increased attention or memory load, or by decreased sentence context.