Volume 37, No. 2 Special Issue: Conceptualizing Individual Differences in Reading
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Item Impact of reading strategy instruction on improvement of strategy use and reading comprehension: A meta-analysis(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-06-16) Ueno, Shotaro; Ikeda, Maiko; Takeuchi, Osamu; Teng, Mark FengPrevious meta-analyses of reading strategy (RS) instruction in second and foreign language (L2) contexts have consistently shown that RS instruction has a positive impact on reading comprehension. However, whether RS instruction can promote both the use of RS and reading comprehension among English L2 learners is unclear. The effect of some moderators, such as learner and environmental factors, on the effectiveness of RS instruction among English L2 learners also remains unclear. To examine these aspects of RS instruction, our meta-analysis aimed to explore (a) the extent to which RS instruction is effective in improving not only reading comprehension but also the frequency of RS use in English L2 learners and (b) how this effectiveness varies by learner factors and learning environment. Through a rigorous literature search, we identified 27 eligible articles on English RS instruction for inclusion in our meta-analysis. The effect sizes (Hedges’ g) obtained were analyzed, followed by a moderator analysis to examine how the effects of RS instruction varied according to different moderators, including learner factors (i.e., educational level and proficiency) and environmental factors (i.e., region and context). Based on our findings, we discuss the implications for future research and teaching practices.Item The impact of musical lyrics and working memory capacities on second language reading comprehension(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-06-16) Bui, Gavin; Zhang, WeiranThis mixed-methods study investigated the impact of musical lyrics and working memory capacities on second language (L2) English reading comprehension among adult Chinese native speakers. Participants were 57 adult ESL learners with advanced L2 proficiency, divided into high and low working memory capacity groups based on a pre-test. They completed reading comprehension tasks while listening to the same melody with either Chinese or English lyrics. The results revealed that participants exhibited better reading comprehension, hence less distraction, when exposed to Chinese lyrics compared to English lyrics, contrary to initial expectations. Interestingly, working memory capacity did not significantly mediate the effects of background music on reading comprehension, suggesting that other factors such as linguistic familiarity and cognitive load may play a more prominent role. The interview data further highlighted participants’ perceptions, indicating that music, particularly songs with lyrics in their native language, often distracts from reading tasks. This finding showed discrepancies between some adult learners’ perception and their actual L2 reading performance. This study contributes to the understanding of how background music and its lyrics influence L2 reading and provides insights into the complex interplay between linguistic familiarity, cognitive resources, and reading performance.Item Enhancing Chinese reading in ethnic minority kindergarteners in Hong Kong: A bioecological approach to shared book reading interventions(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-06-16) Sun, Mingyao (Michelle); Chan, Shui-duen; Ke, Sihui (Echo); Zhu, Xinhua Zhu; Yao, YuanShared book reading is necessary for learning Chinese as a second language (L2), but its effectiveness requires further empirical exploration and support. Scholars emphasise considering parental and child characteristics alongside school-based interventions. Guided by the bioecological framework, this study included three groups: an experimental group of ethnic minority kindergarteners in Hong Kong and two control groups of L2 and first language (L1) Chinese children . A sixteen-week shared book intervention was implemented. ANOVA and MANCOVA analyses of data from 161 children and 35 parents showed significant gains in metalinguistic awareness and word and text reading among the experimental group. The structured intervention was particularly effective in enhancing metalinguistic awareness, enabling L2 children to perform similarly to L1 children in post-tests. Additionally, fathers’ oral proficiency in Chinese and children’s use of ethnic languages positively impacted word and text reading. This study enriches the bioecological framework and offers insights for promoting L2 Chinese reading.Item The impact of structural support and individual differences on incidental collocation learning and reading from task-based reading(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-06-16) Jung, Jookyoung; Lee, Minjin; Sze-to, Hiu-YuetThis study investigated if second language (L2) learners’ incidental collocation learning from engaging in task-based reading would be moderated by their individual differences in cognitive abilities. Eighty-one Cantonese speakers were invited to review three English articles and determine if they were acceptable for publication in a lifestyle magazine. Half of the participants had to make the acceptance decision independently, whereas the other half received structural support containing a list of reviewing criteria. Each article contained four target collocations, and participants’ knowledge about them was measured with immediate and two-week delayed form recall and recognition tests. Participants’ cognitive abilities were measured in terms of their language aptitude (LLAMA B and F tests), working memory, and attentional control (operation span task, forward digit span task, and three-squared tasks). The results revealed that structural support did not affect reading comprehension scores. It was also found that higher scores in the LLAMA B test and the three-squared task significantly promoted collocation recall and recognition scores. Additionally, structural support was shown to neutralize the role of learners’ phonological short-term memory in the immediate collocation recall test. The findings indicate that careful task design is important to help learners overcome their limited phonological memory in acquiring new L2 features from engaging in L2 reading task.Item Individual differences in reading development of bilingual children in early grades: Effects of gender and socioeconomic status(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-06-16) Li, Guofang Li; Zhen, FubiaoResearchers have explored a host of individual differences factors that may be critical to language development. However, evidence on the impact of sociocultural and demographic factors such as gender and socioeconomic status (SES) on early language development among bilingual children has been limited. This study aimed to understand the role of gender and SES variables in early English reading development among Chinese-English bilinguals in the Canadian context. Chinese-Canadian children (N = 143) in grade 1 and grade 2 were investigated by assessing their early English reading skills, including receptive vocabulary, letter and word recognition, and reading comprehension. The descriptive statistics revealed a gender difference in favor of girls in all three tests and the children from low-SES families scored lower in all reading-related skills across grades. Multivariate analysis of variance results further evidenced the robustness of SES in affecting early reading development, as significant effects of SES were found in receptive vocabulary in grade 1 and all three tests in grade 2.Item Vocabulary knowledge towards L2 reading and listening performance(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-06-16) Zhang, XianThe current study investigates whether vocabulary breadth, vocabulary depth, and vocabulary fluency contribute differentially to L2 reading and listening comprehension. One hundred and thirty-eight EFL learners first took three vocabulary knowledge tests that measured vocabulary fluency, vocabulary breadth, and vocabulary depth. Subsequently, they completed the reading and listening components of an IELTS practice test. The structural equation model reveals that vocabulary breadth explained a significant proportion of the variance in both reading and listening scores. Vocabulary fluency demonstrates a significant predictive power over listening comprehension but not reading comprehension. Vocabulary depth has a significant predictive power for listening but not for reading. Pedagogical implications of the results were discussed.Item Enjoyment and challenges of advanced EFL learners in online extensive reading(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-06-16) Zhou, JingThis study examined the impact of extensive reading (ER) on Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) among advanced-level Chinese EFL learners, the interplay between reading enjoyment and material difficulty, and the challenges and strategies related to online ER. The following research questions are addressed: (a) what are the effects of a semester-long ER program on learners’ FLE, (b) what are the bi-weekly patterns of reading enjoyment and their relationship with material difficulty, and (c) what are the challenges and coping strategies for online reading? 55 first-year English majors at a Chinese university participated in the study, engaging in ER through an adaptive online platform, ReadTheory,over 18 weeks. Data were collected through questionnaires, bi-weekly reading reports, and final reflections. The data analyses were quantitatively performed using SPSS and qualitatively conducted by thematic coding. Results revealed a significant increase in FLE. This study showed a significant negative correlation between bi-weekly reading enjoyment and perceived material difficulty. Despite this, learners faced challenges with specialized vocabulary, long and complex sentence structures, time management, driving force, and comprehension of quizzes. Participants employed diverse strategies to overcome these obstacles, including rereading, translating texts into their L1, using dictionaries, setting reading goals, and adopting time management techniques. These findings underscore the pedagogical value of integrating ER into language programs and highlight the necessity of balancing material difficulty to maintain learner motivation and enjoyment.Item Contribution of different aspects of vocabulary depth knowledge to reading comprehension in advanced English L2 readers(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-06-16) Liu, Yichang; Zhang, DongboFew studies aimed to disentangle different aspects of vocabulary depth (VD) knowledge and examine their contribution to second-language (L2) reading comprehension. To fill this gap, this study distinguished between two VD aspects, that is, semantic network knowledge and polysemous knowledge; and tested how they, together with vocabulary size (VS), predicted reading comprehension in advanced English L2 readers who were international students at UK universities. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that both VD aspects were a significant, unique predictor of reading comprehension, while VS was the dominant predictor. Differential patterns, however, were revealed when VD and VS were regressed on different reading comprehension tasks. For the “banked cloze” and “sentence matching” tasks, while VS remained as a dominant predictor, the unique effect of neither VD aspect was significant. In contrast, for the “passage comprehension” task, all three VS and VD measures were significant, unique predictors, showing a relatively balanced contribution to reading comprehension. The two VD aspects collectively demonstrated a stronger effect on reading comprehension than did vocabulary size. These findings underscored the importance of VD in L2 reading comprehension and also suggested that L2 readers may utilize their lexical repertoire differentially to cope with varied task demands and comprehension needs.Item Long-term impact of L1 reading achievement on later L2 reading achievement: The mediating role of L2 aptitude and L1 print exposure(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-06-16) Sparks, Richard; Alamer, Abdullah; Dale, PhilipThis study examined the long-term effect of L1 reading achievement on L2 reading achievement while assessing the mediating roles of L1 print exposure and L2 aptitude measured by the Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT). Structural equation modeling was used to determine the direct and indirect effects of L1 reading achievement on L2 reading achievement for 307 U.S. secondary-level Spanish students. Results showed that L1 reading achievement directly predicted students’ initial level of L2 reading achievement, but not growth in L2 reading achievement over time. L1 print exposure was found to be a significant mediator between L1 and both initial level and L2 reading achievement and predicted growth of L2 reading achievement. Likewise, L2 aptitude (MLAT) was a significant mediator between L1 reading achievement and initial level and growth of L2 reading achievement over three years of Spanish. The results suggest that reading volume in L1 may play an important role in the development of L2 literacy and that the MLAT measures skills important for literacy development. Implications focus on how L2 teachers can improve learners’ L2 reading achievement.Item Longitudinal analysis of breadth of vocabulary knowledge in mediating metacognitive knowledge and reading in foreign language young learners(University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2025-06-16) Teng, Mark FengMetacognitive knowledge is essential to vocabulary learning and reading. However, there have been few longitudinal studies investigating how the breadth of vocabulary knowledge mediates the relationship between metacognitive knowledge and reading over time in a foreign language context. This study involved 361 primary school students, who were observed from third grade to fifth grade. They were given tests on metacognitive knowledge, breadth of vocabulary knowledge, and reading comprehension three times over three years. The metacognitive knowledge test assessed students’ understanding of cognitive activities. Vocabulary knowledge test focused on learners’ receptive vocabulary knowledge. Reading comprehension test focused on their ability to understand sentences and texts. A longitudinal mediation analysis was conducted to explore the mediating role of breadth of vocabulary knowledge in the relationship between metacognitive knowledge and reading. The results supported a significant and positive correlation among the variables studied. Additionally, the findings supported the mediating role of breadth of vocabulary knowledge in metacognitive knowledge and reading comprehension. Implications for developing metacognitive knowledge, vocabulary knowledge, and reading in young learners were discussed.