English Reading Research Articles

A narrative inquiry of an undergraduate student in TEFL in developing her identity as an engaged reader

PurposeThis retrospective narrative inquiry explored an undergraduate student’s lived experience in negotiating her identity as an engaged reader of English as a foreign language.Design/methodology/approachNarrative inquiry was employed to gain a deeper and better understanding of the participant’s engagement in reading courses. Olif (pseudonym, female) was recruited due to her significant learning achievements and willingness to share her experiences. To collect the data, we conducted several online interviews with her. To triangulate our findings, we also asked her to share her learning artifacts from the reading courses.FindingsThe thematic analysis revealed two major findings. First, her reading engagement is driven by both personal and academic motivation. Furthermore, her involvement in collaborative reading tasks fosters a deeper comprehension of texts and enhances creativity.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has two major limitations. First, it interviewed only one student and was conducted over a relatively short period. Second, it examined the participant’s experience across three different reading courses, which potentially lacks deeper insights into how each course uniquely contributes to learning engagement.Originality/valueThe study concludes that promoting personalized and collaborative reading tasks enables undergraduate students to develop their identity as engaged readers. Despite focusing on a single participant, this study offers a unique perspective on how the participant’s voice can potentially impact teachers’ pedagogical design in reading classrooms.

Integration of Curriculum Ideological and Political Education into Teaching English Reading in China

Integration of Curriculum Ideological and Political Education into Teaching English Reading in China

The Image and Representation of Scheherazade in Edgar Allan Poe’s Story The Thousand and Second Tale of Scheherazade

The study aims to examine and investigate how Scheherazade was represented to the English reader in the nineteenth century. The significance of the study displays that Edgar Allan Poe’s story The Thousand and Second Tale of Scheherazade endowed The Thousand and One Nights with new images and allusions. Based on André Lefevere’s notion of rewriting, the selected story is analyzed, emphasizing the new image of Scheherazade, her death, and her disappearance from the scene in the nineteenth century. The research shows how Poe depicts Scheherazade as a political damsel who reveals the truth and how she becomes a mesmerist lady who dies and disappears from the plot at the end of the story. The author implements a critical discourse analysis to analyze Poe’s story and to uncover the socio-cultural, ideological, and poetical relations of the text. After unfolding the new images of Scheherazade, the study concludes that rewriting a literary work enriches the source text with new imagery and allusions, hence the massive acclaim of such texts among new generations. In addition, the journey of such literary works across borders and cultures creates cultural interactions among people and literary traditions.

Translation of Earthliness: An Exploration of Translation Dislocation of Folk Language in Chin P'ing Mei in Late Ming Dynasty within the Framework of Aesthetic Reception

As the first full-lenght satiric novel, Jin Ping Mei (Chin P'ing Mei), written by Lanling Xiaoxiao Sheng at the end of the Ming Dynasty, elaborates the social and worldly affairs comprehensively through vivid language and skillful usage of literary devices. Due to the richness of the folk language for the language forms, and the differences and great colloquial and regional characteristics to the Western readers in the geographical and time facets, for the purpose of reception in the target culture, the translator gives adjustment or modification to folk languages forms like dialect, slang, idiom, and proverbs, etc., which engenders certain translation dislocation to some extent. Through qualitative and comparative analyses, this paper aims to offer a preliminary exploration of the basic paradigm, causes, and construction process of the translation dislocation of the folk language in those two English translation versions of Jin Ping Mei from the four dimensions of readers' expectation horizons, aesthetic distance, integration of horizons, and the construction of respond-inviting structures under the perspective of aesthetic reception theory, so as to provide an avenue for English readers to delve into the peculiar translation dislocation of the folk language in the translation of Chinese classical works.

Motivation and Metacognitive Strategy Use in Reading English as a Foreign Language Among Adolescent Learners

Motivation and Metacognitive Strategy Use in Reading English as a Foreign Language Among Adolescent Learners

Investigating the Effect of Reading English Short Stories in Developing Skills for EFL Students at some Selected Universities in Mogadishu, Somalia

This research aims to explore how reading English short stories contributes to the development of skills among EFL students in Mogadishu. Specifically, it seeks to understand how such reading enhances vocabulary acquisition, comprehension, pronunciation, and grammatical knowledge. Employing a quantitative research design with a descriptive method, the study utilized a questionnaire as its primary tool. It involved 100 English lecturers from five universities in Mogadishu, Somalia, with 80 selected as participants. The key findings suggest a significant correlation between reading English short stories and the development of language skills among EFL students. Additionally, the study highlights the effectiveness of this practice in enhancing vocabulary, comprehension, pronunciation, and grammatical understanding. The research holds potential for English lecturers aiming to enhance the skills of EFL students at the university level. It is anticipated to inspire students to engage in more reading of short stories, fostering their creativity and critical thinking. Furthermore, English lecturers encountering challenges in teaching EFL skills stand to benefit from the insights provided by this study.

PENERAPAN PENDEKATAN WHOLE LANGUAGE DALAM MENINGKATKAN KEMAMPUAN MEMBACA DALAM TEKS BERBAHASA INGGRIS

One of the most influential fields in global communication is language. Language is a means of communication exchange that can cross between countries. Learning English is a subject that is considered difficult because English is not the mother tongue or national language used every day, this causes boredom. This type of research is conceptual research. By implementing the Whole Language approach, it is easier for students to read English texts. The aim of the research is to describe the application of the whole language approach in learning English. The results of this research are that the whole language approach in language learning is integrated or cannot be separated and each learning approach has advantages and disadvantages, including the whole language approach. However, this deficiency can certainly be overcome when educators can understand the components or how to apply a whole language approach.

Utilizing The Read-Arounds Strategy in Junior High School Students’ Dialogic Reading Activities

Reading is a requirement for almost all academic pursuits, it is a crucial component of language learning, especially for students. When learning English, this is especially important. Students must be able to read comprehension in order to absorb the material they are taught. Readability issues with fluency are often seen in students who have trouble understanding a foreign language. There have been several studies on Dialogic Reading activities, but few have utilized group reading strategies during these activities. Therefore, this research aims to investigate students' responses to the use of read-arounds strategy in dialogic reading activities for junior high school students at one of the junior high schools in Karawang. Micro-ethnography method is employed in this study. To collect the necessary data, observation and interviews are conducted. Reflective journaling is also used to enhance data accuracy. The results reveal that using the read-arounds technique improves students' understanding and reading interest. based on their comments, which show that using the read-arounds method can benefit children in three points: (1) increasing their self-confidence; (2) motivating them to read in English; and (3) improving their vocabulary and pronunciation. It can be concluded that using enjoyable reading strategies can help students become more confident and reduce their reading anxiety.

12546 Association Of Quality Of Life And Age At Diagnosis In Women With Turner Syndrome

Abstract Disclosure: G. Julian: None. L.J. Folsom: None. Background: There is a well-documented association between chronic disease and decreased quality of life (QoL), including in women with Turner syndrome (TS). Much of the existing research exploring QoL in women with Turner syndrome primarily establishes the finding of decreased QoL; fewer studies seek to explore potential etiologies for this finding. Health-related QoL (HRQoL) has been evaluated using the HRQOL 14, a validated measure of QoL, since 1995, and in individuals >12 years of age as part of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The primary objective of our study was to investigate the relationship between HRQoL in women with TS and age of TS diagnosis (AoD). A secondary aim included identification of correlations between medical treatment history and HRQoL. Methods: After obtaining IRB approval, the electronic medical record (EMR) was queried using the “slicer-dicer” feature using search and limiting criteria based on desired and specified variables. Inclusion criteria encompassed a documented diagnosis of TS, a recorded office visit within the past 2 years, and participant age of at least 18 years at time of study initiation. Exclusion criteria included lack of a confirmed diagnosis of TS, presence of other diseases known to influence stature or pubertal development, inability to understand the survey, lack of ability to read or speak English, and diagnosis of TS within the past year. QoL was assessed using the HRQOL 14. After review for exclusion criteria an opt-out letter was mailed via USPS. Results: Thirty participants completed the study out of 84 qualifying individuals. Early AoD was defined as younger than 13 years; late AoD was defined as >12 years. Twenty-four participants met criteria for early AoD; six met criteria for late AoD. The mean age for early diagnosis was 6 years and the mean age for late diagnosis was 23 years. The early AoD group reported fewer medical problems (3.6 vs. 6.2 other medical problems, p=0.009), was less likely to state days of lack of sufficient sleep (4.5 vs. 30 days, p=0.001), and was less likely to note days of limited physical activity due to pain (1 vs. 15 days, p=0.007). Conclusions: The novel finding of association of earlier AoD of TS and fewer medical problems invites the possibility that other health conditions may be more effectively managed if TS is diagnosed earlier. This finding highlights the opportunity for enhanced care with earlier AoD. Presentation: 6/1/2024

English Reading Strategies Used by Secondary-Level Students

English Reading Strategies Used by Secondary-Level Students

The Influence of the L1 on L2 Collocation Processing in Tamil-English Bilingual Children

This study examines the influence of Tamil (L1) on the processing of English (L2) collocations during reading for Tamil-English bilingual children. Building on existing research in formulaic language, we used an online processing tool to investigate whether cross-linguistic transfer can be extended beyond single lexical items to collocations in bilingual children, a population that is underrepresented in this research area. Fifty-eight children aged 9–10 years from a school in Chennai, India, took part. Using self-paced reading, children’s reading times were measured for both congruent (with equivalent in L2) and incongruent (without equivalent in L2) English collocations embedded in short passages. There were two reading modes (single and chunk), which allowed reading times for the whole collocations and the individual words of the collocations to be examined. Results showed that children read congruent collocations more quickly than incongruent collocations in both modes. For congruent collocations, children read the second word more quickly than the first word, but the reverse was true for incongruent collocations. These results suggest that the L1 (Tamil) is activated during the processing stage of reading English collocations for Tamil-English bilingual children in this context.

Invariant (or Not) Reading Strategies Between Languages and Genders

This study explores the similarities and differences in reading strategies applied by students to Chinese versus English reading. 842 students responded to a reading strategy inventory in terms of their habits when reading in Chinese versus in English. The result validates the general structure of a reading strategy inventory originally designed for English. The general scale seemed reasonable for Chinese reading as well as English reading. However, gender differences were found on some items. In addition, there was no statistically significant correlation between strategy use and test scores, which is inconsistent with previous research. Besides, we found a strong correlation between English and classical Chinese reading scores, but not between English and modern Chinese reading. Language as L1 or L2, curriculum and restricted test formats may partly explain the low correlations while social and educational environment can contribute to the high correlation observed. This study also serves as a rare example of a complete cycle of invariance test for ordinal data with a repeated design in Mplus. Implications for research and pedagogy were discussed.

The influence of ICT competencies on English digital reading achievement

Due to the prevalence of information and communication technologies (ICT) among secondary school students and the increasing significance of digital reading, exploring the impact of ICT on students’ digital reading performance in English seems necessary. The current research aimed to examine the effects of ICT competencies factors on secondary school students’ English digital reading performance. Data were obtained from 7703 15-year-old students from three East Asian economies, Macau, Hong Kong, and Singapore, from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018 dataset. The results of hierarchical regression analysis revealed that students’ ICT literacy was negatively correlated with their English digital reading performance, while the influence of attitudes toward ICT varied across the three East Asia economies. Additionally, males had lower English digital reading achievement, while students with higher socioeconomic status (SES) had higher English digital reading performance.

Test-Retest Reliability and Concurrent Validity of the Health Leads Screening Tool in Outpatient Orthopedic Physical Therapy Patients

OBJECTIVE: To determine the test-retest reliability and concurrent validity of the Health Leads Screening Tool. DESIGN: Primary survey data collected between September 2021 and May 2022 with participants who received outpatient orthopedic physical therapy in a public hospital system. Participants completed the Health Leads Screening Tool (HLST) and the Protocol for Responding to and Assessing Patients’ Assets, Risks, and Experiences (PRAPARE) at 1 physical therapy visit to examine the concurrent validity of the HLST. They completed the HLST again at a follow-up visit to examine its test-retest reliability. METHODS: Paper surveys were used to collect information from participants who were over 18 years of age, spoke and read English or Spanish, and were receiving outpatient orthopedic physical therapy. Fifty-two participants completed the surveys to examine concurrent validity and 50 participants completed the surveys for test-retest reliability. Cohen’s kappa statistics were used to examine agreement. RESULTS: The HLST had excellent test-retest reliability for all 9 domains, with kappa values ranging from 0.91 to 1.00. It had greater than moderate concurrent validity (k>0.6) with the PRAPARE for 6 of 9 domains, including food, utilities, health care, transportation, employment, and mental health. CONCLUSIONS: The Health Leads Screening Tool demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability and moderate concurrent validity for 6 out of 9 domains and, thus, could be a feasible social needs screening tool in outpatient orthopedic physical therapy settings. JOSPT Open 2024;2(4):340-347. Epub 24 May 2024. doi:10.2519/josptopen.2024.1241

On the Evaluation of the Appropriateness of Competency-Based Language Teaching (CBLT) in Teaching English Reading in Chinese Universities

Please refer to the URL that includes this article for the abstract.

Development and Validation of a Comprehensive English Test for Sophomore Students in Liaoning, China

The English proficiency of Chinese college students varies in different regions and majors. For college students, it’s of great importance to know their strengths and weaknesses in the process of language learning and to have targeted practice . For language teachers, it is quite significant to identify the problems and needs of students in English learning, to adjust the teaching methods and contents and to improve the teaching effect. At the same time, the feedback of the test results can also promote the school’s attention to and investment i n English teaching and promote the in depth reform of English teaching. In this procedure, a comprehensive English test is an effective way. This study describes developing and validating a comprehensive English test for sophomore students at Shenyang Univ ersity of Chemistry and Technology in Liaoning, China. The test is designed to assess students' English proficiency upon completing the "New Century College English Reading" course. The research employed a mixed methods approach, combining qualitative meth ods for test development and expert review with quantitative methods for statistical validation. The test development process included content analysis of course materials, creation of test specifications aligned with course objectives, and item writi ng. T he test covers four key language domains: listening, reading, translation, and writing. Validation is conducted through expert r eview using a content, construct, and face validity checklist. Five experienced English language teaching and assessment experts evaluated the test using a 15 item checklist with a 5 point Likert scale. Results showed high overall validity, with mean scores above 4.0 for content validity, construct validity, and face validity, indicating strong agreement among experts on the test' s validation. While the study provides strong evidence for the test's validity, limitations include the sample size and geographic scope. Future research directions include longitudinal studies to assess predictive validity and cross regional validation to evaluate the test's applicability across China's educational contexts. This study contributes to English language assessment in Chines e higher education in Liaoning province. It provides a validated tool that aligns closely with curriculum objectives and a ddresses the need for comprehensive language proficiency evaluation.

The Practice of Discourse-based English Reading Teaching in High School from the Perspective of English Learning Activities — Taking the Unit Theme "Launching Your Career" as an Example

The paper outlines the meaning and significance of the English Learning Activity View and analyses the concept of writing teaching based on the English learning activity view. Take Summer Camp Helpers Wanted, a writing board in the selective compulsory for Launching Your Career of the Public Version of High School English (2019 Edition) as an example, explore how to implement the English learning activity view in high school English writing teaching, that is, to introduce the topic before writing to stimulate the students' interest in writing; to cultivate the students' higher-order thinking during writing;and to cultivate the students’ ability to evaluate each other in high school from the perspective of English learning activities. It is argued that teachers should actively establish correct teaching concepts and optimize the teaching design by applying the English Learning Activity View to effectively improve students’ language proficiency, thinking ability, cultural awareness and learning ability, thus improving students’ core literacy of English.

Enhancing English Reading Literacy Skill for Javanese Native Speakers: The Predictive Role of Conceptual Scored Vocabulary in Voyager Passport Method

English reading literacy skills play a crucial role in the academic and professional success of individuals, including Javanese native speakers. This study aims to examine the predictive role of Conceptual Scored Vocabulary in the Voyager Passport Method for enhancing English reading literacy skills among Javanese native speakers. This research is classified as experimental research, with a sample of seventh grade students. The present study employed a quasi-experimental design with random sampling as the sampling method, utilizing two groups pre-post-test. The data collection design employs pre and post-tests administered to both the control and experimental groups. Finally, the collected data was subjected to quantitative analysis using SPSS software. This research result is concluded that Voyager Passport Method can enhance the English reading literacy skill of Javanese Natives Speakers. The findings suggest that the Voyager Passport Method can be an effective instructional approach tailored to the specific needs of Javanese native speakers.

Positive psychology in action: Exploring the role of altruistic teaching in enhancing English reading comprehension among L2 learners

Positive psychology in action: Exploring the role of altruistic teaching in enhancing English reading comprehension among L2 learners

Reconfiguring the Sanctions of Schooled Literacy Through Living Literacies

AbstractIn this article, the author argues that living literacies—relational, embodied forms of literacy engagement—are an integral component of literacy engagement and hold the potential to disrupt and reconfigure the power structures embedded within schooled literacy. Drawing on affect theory and rhizomatic theory, the author analyzes youths’ literacy engagement in a seventh‐grade English Language Arts and Reading classroom in a New York City public school. This research addresses how schooled literacy, constructed through a sanctioned educational system, potentially dehumanizes students who diverge from the idealized curricular norm, while a focus on living literacies challenges these limitations. Central to this study is the rhizomatic approach of tracing and mapping to analyze the complexities between imposed schooled literacy engagement and living literacies engagement. The author presents findings through two sections: (1) an analysis of the sanctioning power of schooled literacy and (2) an analysis of living literacies through youths’ in‐class literate engagement. Findings demonstrate how schooled literacy practices become normalized and sanction what types of literacy engagement are valued in the classroom—and, therefore, transfer value to students themselves. However, by mapping assemblaging moments of living literacies, including socially charged interactions and spontaneous peer assistance, findings provide insight into how embodied, interrelational forms of literacy engagement offer opportunities for reconfiguring the sanctions of schooled literacy. The author concludes by discussing implications for policy, practice, and research, advocating for a shift toward more humanizing, interrelational, and embodied forms of literacy engagement in school spaces.