Second and foreign language reading issues

Second and foreign language reading issues

1. Is it a reading problem or a language problem?

2. Is it a reading problem or a language problem?

3. Good or poor language readers read in the same way in their L1

4. First language reading ability

   • Reading in L1 begins when speaking is advanced in L2
     • There are contrasting views
       • Second language reading performance
         • 1.- Poor reading ability in L2 is due to poor reading ability in L1
           • Bilinguals read well in L1 and L2
             • There is transferability
               • It was proved that they transfer inappropiately due to differences in L1 and L2
         • 2.- Poor reading in L2 is due to inadequate knowledge of the L2
           • Nevertheless, readers' conceptual knowledge and strategy use compensated low knowledge of the L2
         • Jolly & Coady
           • Successful reading depends on one's first language reading ability
         • Yokario & Clarke
           • Reading problems in L2 are the result of imperfect knowledge of the language
             • Readers' knowledge of the L2 is not like that of the L1
         • 2.A.-Poor reading in L2 is due to reading strategies in L1 not being employed in L2, due to inadequate knowledge of the L2
           • Language competence must be developed; thus reading language competence is successful
         • 1.A.- Poor reading in L2 is due to incorrect strategies in L2, strategies which differ from the L1
         • Subjects must be proficient in both, productive and receptive English to get considerable meaning from reading
           • Interpretation of the results (considerations)
             • 1.- L1 and L2 reading ability is purely correlation (lack of uniformity)
             • Subjective terminology. The notion of what a good and a poor reader is
             • Example
               • Relation among L1 reading ability, L2 proficiency and L2 reading ability
                 • Conclusion is that the higher the L2 proficiency, the stronger the relation between L1 and L2 reading ability
               • Conclusions
                 • 1.- L2 proficiency plays a greater role than L1 reading ability
                   • However, it depends upon the reader's level of proficiency and the reading task
                 • 2.- Learners with little exposure to L2 have difficulty in reading
                 • 3.- Trainees can be helped by being applied modified texts and identifying tasks whose difficulty matches readers' ability

5. Second language proficiency

6. Second language reading ability

   • Interrelationships
   • L2 readers are normally literate in their L1
     • They transfer their L1 reading skill to the L2
       • L2 readers do not have the mastery of spoken language when reading begins
       • This can assist
         • When both languages have similar orthographies
       • This can interfere
         • When two languages do not have the same orthographic alphabet