Finding the sweet spot: Strategic reading for fill-in-the-blank items

Abstract

While it has been observed that second language learners selectively read information to answer comprehension questions, the amount of textual information required to correctly answer a question remains unclear. This study sought to identify the effects of this strategic reading on reading comprehension performance and explore how proficiency modulates its effects. A total of 279 Korean high school students across four proficiency levels responded to 18 multiple-choice fill-in-the-blank items from the English section of College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT). Reading passages were modified into four versions with varying amounts of textual information to enforce selective, strategic reading. A multilevel logistic regression analysis revealed that learners with the lowest proficiency performed poorest in the complete passage condition, while those with the highest proficiency performed best, suggesting that the sweet spot of reading for fill-in-the-blank items varies depending on proficiency. The findings are discussed in the context of second language instruction and assessment.