University Level Second Language Readers' Online Reading and Comprehension Strategies

With the growing prevalence of Web 2.0 technologies and use of online resources in their classrooms, language learners have increasing exposure to online texts. In this study we attempted to understand how university level second language (L2) readers construct meaning when reading online. We invest...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inLanguage learning & technology Vol. 18; no. 3; pp. 148 - 172
Main Authors Park, Jaehan, Yang, Jaeseok, Hsieh, Yi Chin
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center 01.10.2014
Subjects
Asians
Cognitive Processes
College Students
Foreign Students
Graduate Students
Information Seeking
Internet
Literacy
Metacognition
Observation
Prior Learning
Protocol Analysis
Reading Comprehension
Reading Processes
Reading Strategies
Second Language Learning
Student Characteristics
Test of English as a Foreign Language
United States (Midwest)
Web 2.0 Technologies
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Summary:With the growing prevalence of Web 2.0 technologies and use of online resources in their classrooms, language learners have increasing exposure to online texts. In this study we attempted to understand how university level second language (L2) readers construct meaning when reading online. We investigated L2 readers' information-seeking strategies and decision-making processes as they read online. Seven participants were asked to read two online texts and answer comprehension questions. Observation, think-aloud protocols, and interviews were our main sources of data. Through careful thematic coding analysis, we were able to characterize L2 readers' processes of constructing meaning while reading online using Internet resources. The findings indicate that L2 readers employ considerable prior knowledge of the structure of both offline and online resources to aid their online reading. Also, they follow a recursive pattern of self-regulated reading strategies when they construct meanings. Some themes highlighted by the study include L2 readers' online knowledge construction, their demonstration of cognitive flexibility, and the emergence of new literacy skills.
ISSN:1094-3501
1094-3501