Open AccessReading Accuracy in EFL Students with a Transparent L1 Background – a Case Study from Poland
Author(s) -
Monika Łodej
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of language and education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.177
H-Index - 4
ISSN - 2411-7390
DOI - 10.17323/2411-7390-2015-1-2-35-40
Subject(s) - competence (human resources) , foreign language , first language , english as a foreign language , psychology , reading (process) , linguistics , mathematics education , computer science , social psychology , philosophy
Research indicates that L2 reading competence is influenced by L1 reading ability, L2 proficiency, and L2 decoding competence. The present study investigates the significance of two variables, regularity and frequency, in relation to English as a Foreign Language (EFL) reading accuracy in students with a transparent L1. Fifteen 6th grade students in their sixth year of regular instruction in English took part in this study. Their mother tongue is Polish whereas English is their foreign language; thus, their language competence in L1 and L2 differs substantially. The research design followed Glusko (1979), Plaut (1996), and Wang and Koda (2007). There are four sets of real words. Two features of real words are manipulated for regularity and frequency. The study reveals that both conditions of script, regularity and transparency, affect reading accuracy in EFL students. However, the dimension of regularity is a stronger predicator of accuracy than the frequency with which the students encounter a word. From the pedagogical perspective, the collected data supports the use of structured reading instructions in the EFL classroom in order to restrain negative transfer of L1 to L2 reading strategies.