Volume 26, No. 1

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    From the Editors
    (University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2014-04) RFL Staff
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    How effective can extensive reading be? Comments on Robb and Kano (2013)
    (University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2014-04) Taylor, Alan
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    Measuring reading comprehension in an L2 speed reading course: Response to McLean
    (University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2014-04) Chang, Anna C-S
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    Addressing the importance of comprehension to reading: Learning lessons from Chang (2012)
    (University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2014-04) McLean, Stuart
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    New Ways in Teaching Reading, Revised by Richard R. Day (Ed.)
    (University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2014-04) Larson, Kasey
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    Teacher's Sourcebook for Extensive Reading by George Jacobs and Thomas, S. C. Farrell
    (University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2014-04) Misner, Mike
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    Cognitive and linguistic factors affecting alphasyllabary language users comprehending Chinese text
    (University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2014-04) Shum, Mark Shiu Kee ; Ki, Wing Wah ; Leong, Che Kan
    Two groups of 13 to14-year-old alphasyllabary language users (mainly Hindi and Urdu), in integrated or designated school settings (respectively 40 and 48 students), were compared with 59 Chinese students in comprehending 4 elementary Chinese texts, each with three inferential questions requiring short open-ended written answers. Three constructs each with two indicators were hypothesized to predict text comprehension differentially in the three groups: verbal working memory, orthographic processing and sentence processing. The 147 students also completed a short questionnaire on their reading and writing of Chinese, a 43-item Students’ Approaches to Learning and a non-verbal general intelligence test. Multivariate analyses of variance and hierarchical multiple regression analyses point to the significant contribution of verbal span working memory, orthographic choice in context and sentence processing in Chinese to Chinese text comprehension. Educational implications include strengthening teaching the structure and function of Chinese characters and words to enhance text comprehension.
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    Semantic radical knowledge and word recognition in Chinese for Chinese as foreign language learners
    (University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2014-04) Su, Xiaoxiang ; Kim, Young-Suk
    In the present study, we examined the relation of knowledge of semantic radicals to students’ language proficiency and word reading for adult Chinese-as-a-foreign language students. Ninety-seven college students rated their proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing in Chinese, and were administered measures of receptive and productive knowledge of semantic radical position and function. A latent variable for language proficiency was constructed based on the number of semesters in Chinese courses, and students’ self-rating in Chinese. Two language proficiency groups were reliably formed. Students with higher language proficiency had significantly better performances on all the measures of knowledge of semantic radicals and word recognition. Furthermore, the receptive and productive knowledge of semantic radical position and productive knowledge of semantic radical function were positively related to word reading after controlling for proficiency level. Productive knowledge of semantic radical function was uniquely and positively related to word reading after accounting for proficiency level and other measures of semantic radical knowledge.
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    Scoring recalls for L2 readers of English in China: Pausal or idea units
    (University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2014-04) Brantmeier, Cindy ; Strube, Mike ; Yu, Xiucheng
    Written recall may be a powerful tool used to address reading deficiencies in China. With 180 students enrolled in a third-year English class at a large university in northeastern China, the present investigation studies the relationship between pausal and idea units used to codify written recalls, and it investigates whether the strength of the relationship between pausal and idea units depends on other variables, such as length of time spent studying English, the amount of leisure reading done in English, or the version of passage. Findings indicate a strong correlation between idea units and pausal units for written recalls. This correlation underscores prior findings by Bernhardt (1991), and it reveals that the strength of the relationship between pausal and idea units does not depend on the moderating variables examined. Results are discussed in light of prior research and a detailed discussion of future directions for experiments of this type is offered.
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    What's so simple about simplified texts? A computational and psycholinguistic investigation of text comprehension and text processing
    (University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center, 2014-04) Crossley, Scott A. ; Yang, Hae Sung ; McNamara, Danielle S.
    This study uses a moving windows self-paced reading task to assess both text comprehension and processing time of authentic texts and these same texts simplified to beginning and intermediate levels. Forty-eight second language learners each read 9 texts (3 different authentic, beginning, and intermediate level texts). Repeated measures ANOVAs reported linear effects of text type on reading time (normalized for text length) and true/false comprehension scores indicating that beginning level texts were processed faster and were more comprehensible than intermediate level and authentic texts. The linear effect of text type on comprehension remained significant within an ANCOVA controlling for language proficiency (i.e., TOEFL scores), reading proficiency (i.e., Gates-MacGinitie scores), and background knowledge, but not for reading time. Implications of these findings for materials design, reading pedagogy, and text processing and comprehension are discussed.