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Some Hypotheses on the Nature of Difficulty and Ease in Second Language Reading: An Application of Schema Theory
Author(s) -
Hauptman Philip C.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
foreign language annals
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.258
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1944-9720
pISSN - 0015-718X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1944-9720.2000.tb00931.x
Subject(s) - schema (genetic algorithms) , grammar , reading (process) , vocabulary , linguistics , computer science , usability , psychology , empirical research , factor (programming language) , information retrieval , human–computer interaction , philosophy , epistemology , programming language
This article reviews the empirical and pedagogical literature on the concept of “difficulty” (or “ease”) in second language (L2) reading at the university or adult level and discusses it within the framework of schema theory. A traditional view of difficulty/ease is explained as consisting of two factors: (1) Language (grammar and vocabulary) and (2) Text Length. A modern view of difficulty/ease is then proposed via four hypotheses: (1) The first Primary Ease Factor in L2 reading is background knowledge; (2) Signalling becomes the Primary Ease Factor in L2 reading when background knowledge is not useful for accessing content schemata; (3) Other factors being equal, the degree of signalling determines the degree of accessibility of a text for the L2 reader; and (4) Other factors being equal, Language, Discourse, and Length are of secondary importance — after Background Knowledge and Signalling — for accessing a text by L2 readers.