This study investigates how working memory (WM) capacity and L2 linguistic knowledge affect L2 literal and inferential reading comprehension, considering the presence or absence of background knowledge. Eighty upper-intermediate to advanced adult English learners participated, completing tasks to assess WM capacity, background knowledge, L2…

Critical thinking (CT) is essential for survival in the modern knowledge-driven world, and the Thinker's Guide is considered an effective technique to enhance such potential. The investigation of CT potential to enhance the reading comprehension of EFL learners has not received adequate attention in the literature. Accordingly, this study aimed to…

Extensive reading (ER) has been found to have an assortment of positive effects on various aspects of second/foreign language learning. However, few studies have investigated its impacts on learners of Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL), especially early beginning learners. To address this gap, this study reports an intervention of extensive…

Grammatical and vocabulary knowledge (i.e., breadth and depth) are widely acknowledged as key predictors of reading comprehension in a second language (L2). However, it remains unclear how different aspects of vocabulary depth may independently contribute to L2 reading comprehension and how learners' proficiency may moderate the relative…

Background: Second language (L2) reading is a complex process in which two languages constantly interact. L1 reading and L2 proficiency are two well-acknowledged factors contributing to L2 reading comprehension. Other factors, such as strategy use and anxiety, might also predict L2 reading comprehension, but their roles have not been examined in…

Purpose: Most studies about reading development in second-language learners have been carried out on children exposed to the second language from kindergarten. They have shown that decoding skills develop in a similar way to those of monolingual children. We wondered whether this holds for primary school newcomer non-native-speaking children. This…

Because both spelling and reading abilities tap orthographic knowledge, improvements in one ability may lead to improvements in the other. Here, we test whether spelling performance in a second-language (L2) can be improved by a short L2 reading task, as brief exposure to an L2 can increase the activation of L2 representations, making orthographic…

While existing research has extensively explored the theoretical dimensions of translanguaging, there is a notable gap in empirical studies on its pedagogical applications. Specifically, the combined impact of translanguaging and collaborative techniques like the jigsaw technique on language competencies remains under-researched. This study aimed…

A review of the literature on second language learning indicates scanty skill-specific research related to efficacy beliefs and metacognitive strategy use, particularly in students' English reading skills. This study, thus, investigated the influence of metacognitive strategies use and self-efficacy beliefs on EFL reading comprehension of 150…

Studies have disclosed conflicting evidence on the effect of oral reading (i.e., reading aloud in class) on various language measures. However, with online learning and teaching, personalized activities are employed to develop students' reading comprehension, improve motivation, and minimize anxieties. A qualitative research design was deployed to…

This study investigated the relationship between working memory (WM), semantic-encoding (SE) ability, and reading comprehension (RC) within the domain of second language acquisition (L2). 120 L1-Persian EFL learners were placed in three proficiency groups (beginning, intermediate, and advanced) based on their scores on the IELTS test. The…

This study examines how visual thinking may affect Jordanian female ninth-graders reading abilities. The design had an experimental feel about it. The study included 66 ninth-grade female students who were studying English as a foreign language (EFL). An instructional program was created and put into place, and a pre-post reading exam was created…

Immersive virtual reality (iVR) is a novel form of computer technology that promises to transform not only the delivery of language and cultural instruction but also how students produce language. The existing, yet limited, scholarship on the applications of iVR in the language classroom suggests affective and cultural benefits (e.g., increased…

This study aims to explore the correlation between the reading strategies (RSs) and reading self-efficacy (RSE) for the Saudi EFL learners and to what extent this correlation affects reading comprehension (RC). To obtain the objective of this study, 183 EFL learners from the University of Bisha were selected as participants. A questionnaire was…

The study was conducted to investigate the practices of teaching reading skills in grade nine of Dil-Ber Secondary School in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A descriptive case study research design was used to meet this objective. Out of 347 total student population and 4 English teachers, 30% of the students i.e. 104 of them and all the 4 teachers were…