EFL learners’ use of online reading strategies and comprehension of texts: An exploratory study

Understanding online reading through the eyes of first and second language readers: An exploratory study

“…Reading comprehension comprises of three major operations including the decoding of lexical information, extraction of ideas, and construction of new meaning (Koda, 2005(Koda, , 2010. While Koda thinks that the decoding process is especially critical and challenging to L2 readers because of their limited linguistic knowledge (2005), other researchers have found the other two processes are equally important to L2 readers' reading comprehension (Akyel & Ercetin, 2009;Dommes, Chevalier & Lia, 2011;Hill et al, 2011;Huang et al, 2009;Maarof & Yaacob, 2011;Mayer, 1997;Park & Kim, 2011;Yang, 2010). Koda (2010) attributes these various perspectives to L2 reading comprehension to "three implicit assumptions" that underlie most research studies and conventional foreign language learning practices.…”

“…Park and Kim's study (2011) added a socio-cultural lens to our understanding of online reading by arguing that dialogue is an important reading strategy because interacting with the object and the context is a human nature and that their research participants dialogued with themselves, with others, and with online resources throughout their whole reading processes. Some new reading strategies unique to online reading were identified as well, including hypermedia reading, the use of computer accessories, the use of annotations and navigation (Akyel & Ercetin, 2009;Huang, 2012;Huang et al, 2009;Park & Kim, 2011;Sakar & Ercetin, 2005). It is also indicated that online readers tend to transfer the reading strategies they already have from one medium to another (Akyel & Ercetin, 2009;Elshair, 2002;Foltz, 1993;Huang, 2012).…”

“…But that might be because of the fact that L1 readers in this study had much larger vocabulary and could identify the vast majority of words automatically. This might also mean that L1 readers used general strategies or global strategies frequently while L2 readers attended to local strategies (Huang et al, 2009). …”

“…Huang et al (2009) reviewed research studies on L2 readers' reading strategies and developed a reading strategy typology that put most commonly used reading strategies into two categories, namely "top-down" and "bottom-up" strategies. Strategies such as general or global reading strategies are labeled as "top-down" approach that the reader uses to "predict text content, construct a goal for reading, and self-monitor the reading process" (p.14); strategies such as local, problem-solving and support strategies are treated as "bottom-up" approach that the reader uses to "understand specific linguistic units" (p.14).…”

Efficiency of Using a Web-Based Approach to Teach Reading Strategies to Iranian EFL Learners

“…Researchers have commonly investigated what kind of reading strategies L2 learners utilize in the reading process (e.g., Chinwonno, 2001;Huang, Chern, & Lin, 2009;Lin & Chen, 2006) and have found out the extent of their influence on L2 learners' reading comprehension. Several reading strategies have proved to be influential in advancing L2 learners' reading comprehension (Anderson, 2003;O'Malley & Chamot, 1990;Oxford, 1990Oxford, , 2001, which include cognitive strategies such as repeating what one has learned, identifying and applying regular patterns (i.e., identifying core sentences), as well as getting main ideas quickly by skimming and scanning texts.…”