Improving reading fluency and comprehension in adult ESL learners using bottom-up and top-down vocabulary training
Journal Title: Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching - Year 2016, Vol 6, Issue 1
Abstract
The current research examines the effect of two methods of vocabulary training on reading fluency and comprehension of adult English as second language (ESL) tertiary-bound students. The methods used were isolated vocabulary training (bottom-up reading) and vocabulary training in context (topdown reading). The current exploratory and quasi-experimental study examines the effectiveness of these methods in two intact classes using pre- and posttest measures of students’ reading fluency and comprehension. The results show that bottom-up training had a negative impact on fluency and comprehension. In contrast, top-down training positively affected fluency but had no impact on comprehension. Further, the results do suggest that fast-paced reading may potentially lead to improved comprehension. These findings have implications for the type of language instruction used in classrooms and, therefore, for teachers of adult ESL learners.
Authors and Affiliations
Rhonda Oliver, Shahreen Young
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP256568
- DOI 10.14746/ssllt.2016.6.1.6
- Views 140
- Downloads 0
Affordances perspective and grammaticalization: Incorporation of language, environment and users in the model of semantic paths
The present paper demonstrates that insights from the affordances perspective can contribute to developing a more comprehensive model of grammaticalization. The authors argue that the grammaticalization process is afford...
Re-telling a story in a second language: How well do adult learners mine an input text for multiword expressions?
Adult second language (L2) learners have often been found to produce discourse that manifests limited and non-native-like use of multiword expressions. One explanation for this is that adult L2 learners are relatively un...
Parental visions of their children’s future as a motivator for an early start in a foreign language
This paper reports on the qualitative part of a project investigating parental educational aspirations as manifested by enrolling their children (aged 3-6) into very early L2 instruction. The concept of educational aspir...
Classroom anxiety and enjoyment in CLIL and non-CLIL: Does the target language matter?
This study investigates pupils’ anxiety and enjoyment in the classroom when learning a second or foreign language. The particularity of this study lies in the comparison of two target languages (English and Dutch) in two...
The impact of semester-abroad experiences on post-sojourn L2 motivation
Numerous studies have examined sojourners’ L2 motivation during their stay abroad. Much remains unknown about the impact of study abroad (SA) experiences on their L2 motivation after they return to the home environment....