Language Proficiency, Reading Development, and Learning Context
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v24i1.337Keywords:
Proficiency, Reading, Study-abroad, Learning context, Learners of Chinese, Study abroad, Education abroadAbstract
Language learning context plays an important role in second language acquisition. Yet little research has been done to find out the effects of contexts on second language reading development. This study compared the reading development of students at three proficiency levels in two learning contexts: the study abroad context and the at homeland context. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to measure the students’ progress. The results indicate that learning contexts play a role in learners’ reading development. The facilitative effects of the study-abroad context are more pronounced at the intermediate level.
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Baker, L. & Brown, A. (1984). Metacognitive skills and reading. In D. Pearson (Ed.), Handbook of Reading Research. (pp. 353-394). New York: Longman.
Brecht, R., & Robinson, J. (1995). On the value of formal instruction in study abroad: Student reactions
in context. In B. F. Freed (Ed.), Second language acquisition in a study abroad context (pp. 317-334). Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Brown, A. (1981). Metacognition in reading and writing: The development and facilitation of selective
attention strategies for learning from texts. In M. Kamil (Ed.), Directions in reading research and instruction. (pp. 21-43). Washington D.C. National Reading Conference.
Brown, A., Armbruster, B. & Baker, L. (1986). The role of metacognition in reading and studying . In J.
Orsany (Ed.) Reading comprehension: From research to practice. (pp. 49-75). Hillsdale, NJ : Lawrence
Erlbaun.
Carrol, J. B. (1967). Foreign language proficiency levels attained by language majors near graduation
from college. Foreign Language Annals, 1, 131-151.
Coleman, J. (1997a). Supporting language students during their year abroad. The Linguist, 36, 2-5.
Coleman, J. (1997b). Residence abroad within language study, Language Teaching, 30, 1-20.
Dewey, D. (2002). The effects of study context and environment in the acquisition of reading by students of Japanese as a second language during study-abroad and intensive domestic immersion. Unpublished
doctoral dissertation. Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA.
Dewey, D. P. (2004). A comparison of reading development by learners of Japanese in intensive domestic
immersion and study abroad contexts. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 26, 303–328.
Ellis, R. (1994). The study of second language acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Freed, B. F. (1990). Language learning in a study abroad context: The effects of interactive and noninteractive
out-of-class contact on grammatical achievement and oral proficiency. In J. Alatics. (Ed.),
Linguistics, language teaching and language acquisition: The interdependence of theory, practice and
research (Georgetown Round Table on Linguistics). Washington DC: Georgetown University Press.
Freed, B. 1993. Assessing the linguistic impact of study abroad: What we currently know - what we need
to learn. Journal of Asian Pacific Communication 4:4, 151-166.
Freed, B. F. (1995a). What makes us think that students who study abroad become fluent? In B. F. Freed
(Ed.), Second language acquisition in a study abroad context (pp. 123-148). Philadelphia: John
Benjamin’s.
Freed, B. F. (1995b). Language learning and study abroad. In B. F. Freed (Ed.), Second language
acquisition in a study abroad context (pp.3-33). Amsterdam: Benjamins.
Freed, B. F. (1998). An overview of issue and research in language learning in a study abroad setting.
Frontiers: the Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 4, 31-62.
Freed, B. Dewey, D. Segalowitz, N. & R. Halter. (2004). The language contact profile. Studies in Second
Language Acquisition, 26, 2, 349-356.
Garner, R. (1987). Metacognition and reading comprehension. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
Huebner, T. (19950. The Effects of Overseas Language Programs: Report on a Case Study of an Intensive
Japanese Course. In B.F. Freed (Ed.), Second Language Acquisition in a Study Abroad Context.
Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Kline, R. R. (1998). Literacy and language learning in a study abroad context. Frontiers, the
Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 4, 139–166.
Koda, K. (2005). Insight into second language reading: A cross-linguistic approach. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Lafford, B. (1995). Getting into, through and out of a survival situation: A comparison of
communicative strategies used by students studying Spanish abroad and at home. In B. F. Freed
(Ed.), Second language acquisition in a study abroad context (pp.123-148). Philadelphia: John
Benjamin’s.
Lafford, B. (2004). The effect of the context of learning on the use of communication strategies by
learners of Spanish as a second language. Studies in Second Language Acquisition 26, 201-225.
Lapkin, S., D. Hart, and M. Swain. 1995. A Canadian Interprovincial Exchange: Evaluating the Linguistic Impact of a Three-Month Stay in Quebec. In B.F. Freed (Ed.), Second Language
Acquisition in a Study Abroad Context. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamin’s.
Oxford, R.L., & Crookall, D. (1989). Research on language learning strategies: Methods, findings, and
instructional issues. Modern Language Journal, 73, 404-419.
Palinscar, A. and Brown, A. (1984). Reciprocal teaching: A means to a meaningful end. In J. Osborn and
P.T. Wilson (Eds.), Reading education: Foundations for a literate America, 310. Cambridge,
Massachusetts: Lexington.
Pressley, M. (2002). Comprehension strategy instruction: A turn-of-the-century status report. In C.
Block & M. Pressley (Eds.), Comprehension instruction: Research-based best practices. (pp. 11-27).
New York: Gulford Press.
Segolowits, N., & Freed, B. (2004). Context, contact, and cognition in oral proficiency acquisition:
Learning Spanish in at home and study abroad contexts. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 26,
173-199.
Serrano, S. L. (2010). Learning languages in study abroad and at home contexts: A critical review of
comparative studies. Porta Linguarum, 13, 149-163.
Singhal, M (2001). Reading proficiency, reading strategies, metacognitive awareness and L2 readers. The
Reading Matrix, 1(1).
Taillefer, G. (2005). Foreign language reading and study abroad: Cross-culture and cross-linguistic
questions. Modern Language Journal, 89(4), 503-528.
Urquhart, S. & Weir, C. (1998). Reading in a second language: Process, product and practice. New York:
Longman.
Waxman, H.C & Padron, Y. (1987). The effect of ESL students' perceptions of their cognitive strategies
on reading achievement. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Southwest Educational Research
Association, Dallas.
Brecht, R., & Robinson, J. (1995). On the value of formal instruction in study abroad: Student reactions
in context. In B. F. Freed (Ed.), Second language acquisition in a study abroad context (pp. 317-334). Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Brown, A. (1981). Metacognition in reading and writing: The development and facilitation of selective
attention strategies for learning from texts. In M. Kamil (Ed.), Directions in reading research and instruction. (pp. 21-43). Washington D.C. National Reading Conference.
Brown, A., Armbruster, B. & Baker, L. (1986). The role of metacognition in reading and studying . In J.
Orsany (Ed.) Reading comprehension: From research to practice. (pp. 49-75). Hillsdale, NJ : Lawrence
Erlbaun.
Carrol, J. B. (1967). Foreign language proficiency levels attained by language majors near graduation
from college. Foreign Language Annals, 1, 131-151.
Coleman, J. (1997a). Supporting language students during their year abroad. The Linguist, 36, 2-5.
Coleman, J. (1997b). Residence abroad within language study, Language Teaching, 30, 1-20.
Dewey, D. (2002). The effects of study context and environment in the acquisition of reading by students of Japanese as a second language during study-abroad and intensive domestic immersion. Unpublished
doctoral dissertation. Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA.
Dewey, D. P. (2004). A comparison of reading development by learners of Japanese in intensive domestic
immersion and study abroad contexts. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 26, 303–328.
Ellis, R. (1994). The study of second language acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Freed, B. F. (1990). Language learning in a study abroad context: The effects of interactive and noninteractive
out-of-class contact on grammatical achievement and oral proficiency. In J. Alatics. (Ed.),
Linguistics, language teaching and language acquisition: The interdependence of theory, practice and
research (Georgetown Round Table on Linguistics). Washington DC: Georgetown University Press.
Freed, B. 1993. Assessing the linguistic impact of study abroad: What we currently know - what we need
to learn. Journal of Asian Pacific Communication 4:4, 151-166.
Freed, B. F. (1995a). What makes us think that students who study abroad become fluent? In B. F. Freed
(Ed.), Second language acquisition in a study abroad context (pp. 123-148). Philadelphia: John
Benjamin’s.
Freed, B. F. (1995b). Language learning and study abroad. In B. F. Freed (Ed.), Second language
acquisition in a study abroad context (pp.3-33). Amsterdam: Benjamins.
Freed, B. F. (1998). An overview of issue and research in language learning in a study abroad setting.
Frontiers: the Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 4, 31-62.
Freed, B. Dewey, D. Segalowitz, N. & R. Halter. (2004). The language contact profile. Studies in Second
Language Acquisition, 26, 2, 349-356.
Garner, R. (1987). Metacognition and reading comprehension. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
Huebner, T. (19950. The Effects of Overseas Language Programs: Report on a Case Study of an Intensive
Japanese Course. In B.F. Freed (Ed.), Second Language Acquisition in a Study Abroad Context.
Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Kline, R. R. (1998). Literacy and language learning in a study abroad context. Frontiers, the
Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 4, 139–166.
Koda, K. (2005). Insight into second language reading: A cross-linguistic approach. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Lafford, B. (1995). Getting into, through and out of a survival situation: A comparison of
communicative strategies used by students studying Spanish abroad and at home. In B. F. Freed
(Ed.), Second language acquisition in a study abroad context (pp.123-148). Philadelphia: John
Benjamin’s.
Lafford, B. (2004). The effect of the context of learning on the use of communication strategies by
learners of Spanish as a second language. Studies in Second Language Acquisition 26, 201-225.
Lapkin, S., D. Hart, and M. Swain. 1995. A Canadian Interprovincial Exchange: Evaluating the Linguistic Impact of a Three-Month Stay in Quebec. In B.F. Freed (Ed.), Second Language
Acquisition in a Study Abroad Context. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamin’s.
Oxford, R.L., & Crookall, D. (1989). Research on language learning strategies: Methods, findings, and
instructional issues. Modern Language Journal, 73, 404-419.
Palinscar, A. and Brown, A. (1984). Reciprocal teaching: A means to a meaningful end. In J. Osborn and
P.T. Wilson (Eds.), Reading education: Foundations for a literate America, 310. Cambridge,
Massachusetts: Lexington.
Pressley, M. (2002). Comprehension strategy instruction: A turn-of-the-century status report. In C.
Block & M. Pressley (Eds.), Comprehension instruction: Research-based best practices. (pp. 11-27).
New York: Gulford Press.
Segolowits, N., & Freed, B. (2004). Context, contact, and cognition in oral proficiency acquisition:
Learning Spanish in at home and study abroad contexts. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 26,
173-199.
Serrano, S. L. (2010). Learning languages in study abroad and at home contexts: A critical review of
comparative studies. Porta Linguarum, 13, 149-163.
Singhal, M (2001). Reading proficiency, reading strategies, metacognitive awareness and L2 readers. The
Reading Matrix, 1(1).
Taillefer, G. (2005). Foreign language reading and study abroad: Cross-culture and cross-linguistic
questions. Modern Language Journal, 89(4), 503-528.
Urquhart, S. & Weir, C. (1998). Reading in a second language: Process, product and practice. New York:
Longman.
Waxman, H.C & Padron, Y. (1987). The effect of ESL students' perceptions of their cognitive strategies
on reading achievement. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Southwest Educational Research
Association, Dallas.
Downloads
Published
2014-08-15
How to Cite
Li, L. (2014). Language Proficiency, Reading Development, and Learning Context. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 24(1), 73–92. https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v24i1.337
Issue
Section
Research Articles
