Exploring Reading Strategy Use in Native and L2 Readers

ABSTRACT

Research comparing the reading strategy use of native and second language (L2) readers has often relied on self-report measures and has, at times, been conducted without measures of reading proficiency. In the present study we used regression and Bayes’ factors to explore how L2 reader status and reading proficiency relate to self-report reading strategy use and the use of situated text processing strategies (i.e., paraphrasing, bridging, and elaboration). Data were collected from a South Central community college district as part of an ongoing study. L2 status did not predict self-reported strategy use, bridging, or elaboration but was associated with increased paraphrasing (in the regression analysis only). Reading proficiency was negatively associated with self-reported use of support strategies but positively predicted the use of all situated processing strategies. Results have important implications for L2 learning and instruction and provide insights into aspects of assessment for L2 readers.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Like others, we define “L2 reader” broadly to mean any reader whose self-reported primary language was not English (e.g., Ferris, 2011).

2. The fact that synonyms are not currently accounted for in elaboration scores may help explain the lower correlation with human judgments. The automatic detection of elaborations has been a challenge for natural language processing tools (e.g., McNamara et al., 2007) and should be explored in future work.

3. In the analyses presented here, L2 status refers to reported first language. We also examined these analyses using primary home language as our measure of L2 status and found the same results. We therefore only discuss L2 status in terms of first language.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Institute of Educational Sciences under grant R305A150193. All opinions expressed in this manuscript are those of the authors and not the funding agencies.