L1-assisted reciprocal teaching to improve ESL students’ comprehension of English expository text

Response to a Review and Update on Developing Literacy in Second-language Learners: Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language Minority Children and Youth

“…Our review located 10 studies with reading comprehension outcomes (Denton et al, 2008;Ehri, Dreyr, Flugman, & Gross, 2007;Fung, Wilkinson, & Moore, 2003;Kamps et al, 2007;Liang, Peterson, & Graves, 2005;Lovett et al, 2008;Roberts & Neal, 2004;Sáenz, Fuchs, & Fuchs, 2005;Solari & Gerber, 2008;Swanson, Hodson, & Schommer-Aikins, 2005). Most studies investigated the effect of comprehensive and multi-faceted literacy programs on the comprehension of ELLs.…”

Investigating the contributions of background knowledge and reading comprehension strategies to L2 reading comprehension: an exploratory study

“…Taylor et al suggested that these data support a linguistic threshold hypothesis (e.g., Alderson, 1984;Clarke, 1979), which argues that learners must first acquire a minimum amount of L2 language knowledge before they can effectively use reading strategies with L2 texts. The findings of Taylor et al and others (e.g., Carrell et al, 1989;Fung et al, 2003;Harris, 2007;Ikeda & Takeuchi, 2003;Macaro & Elrer, 2008;Salataci & Akyel, 2002;Zhang, 2008) corroborate to show that L2 learners, especially at low and intermediate L2 language knowledge levels, can be taught reading comprehension strategies and that students benefit from strategy instruction.…”

“…With the exception of Ikeda and Takeuchi (2003), these studies report significant improvements in reading comprehension for students receiving explicit strategy instruction at low (Fung et al, 2003;Song, 1998) and intermediate (Carrell et al, 1989;Salataci & Akyel, 2002;Taylor, Stevens, & Asher, 2006;Zhang, 2008) levels of L2 language knowledge. Song (1998) found significant improvements in reading comprehension for both low and intermediate language knowledge groups.…”

“…In addition to research illustrating differences in strategy use among L2 readers, other research indicates that reading comprehension strategies can be taught and that teaching them enhances comprehension (Carrell, Pharis, & Liberto, 1989;Fung, Wilkinson, & Moore, 2003;Harris, 2007;Ikeda & Takeuchi, 2003;Macaro & Elrer, 2008;Salataci & Akyel, 2002;Zhang, 2008). With the exception of Ikeda and Takeuchi (2003), these studies report significant improvements in reading comprehension for students receiving explicit strategy instruction at low (Fung et al, 2003;Song, 1998) and intermediate (Carrell et al, 1989;Salataci & Akyel, 2002;Taylor, Stevens, & Asher, 2006;Zhang, 2008) levels of L2 language knowledge.…”

Effects of Metacognitive Strategy Instruction on the Reading Comprehension of English Language Learners through Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach (CALLA)

“…Perhaps, without efficient use of reading comprehension strategies, the ultimate goal of learning to read may not be attained (Yalcin & Sengul, 2004). More recent studies have begun to focus on metacognition, i.e., cognition of cognition (e.g., Alsheikh & Mokhtari, 2011;Fung, Wilkinson & Moore, 2003;Pressley, 2002;Sheorey & Mokhtari, 2001) in quest for exploring potential associations among metacognitive awareness, strategy use, and reading comprehension. Discovering the best methods or techniques that the learners choose to implement while reading, is the major goal of research in the areas related to the reading strategies (Baker, 2008;Demmrich, 2005;Eilers & Pinkley, 2006;Ikeda, & Takeuchi;2003;Mokhtari & Reichard, 2002;Philip & Hua, 2006;Pressley, 2002;Soleimani & Hajghani, 2013) English as a foreign language is formally taught to the Iranian students from the first year of junior high school for three years, during high school for another three years, and for another year during the pre-university level.…”