Reviews research demonstrating that reading texts with a particular perspective facilitates comprehension and increases reader interest. Suggests approaches to the teaching of texts that provide learners with purpose, including student-generated text collections, communicative tasks with reading components and interest tasks. (31 references)…

Examines the types of readings students are likely to encounter in the "real" world and how they will interact with them. The four approaches discussed include reading in a daily-life context, reading for information, reading for pleasure, and participatory reading. (21 references) (Author/CK)

Current methodologies of foreign language instruction have, for different reasons, proven to be lacking. This article makes a plea for computer-supported instruction that can efficiently take over purely cognitive and mechanical tasks (pronunciation and listening comprehension exercises, grammar and reading lessons). Difficulties that hinder…

Examined the extent to which native-English speaking and English-as-a-Second-Language listeners performed better on a test when the speaker shared their native language. Four groups of listeners with different native languages heard lectures presented in English by speakers of different native languages. Both native and nonnative listeners scored…

Describes exploratory classroom research with a group of Italian university students to gain insight into the effect of metadiscourse on English for specific purposes reading comprehension. Findings suggest that a more pronounced use of metadiscourse may be associated with improved comprehension in some cases. (Author/VWL)

Examined the role of text structure awareness in the recall of information of four expository text types: description/collection, comparison/contrast, cause/effect, and problem/solution. University-bound students of English-as-a-Foreign-Language participated in the study. Results revealed participants were most aware of the comparison/contrast,…

Investigates how effectively multimedia learning environments can assist second language (L2) students in the process of listening comprehension. Looks specifically at how written and pictorial annotations can aid learners in the acquisition of new vocabulary and in comprehension when they listen to an aural L2 passage. (Author/VWL)

Uses structural equation modeling to investigate the development of and interrelations between the language proficiencies and reading abilities of children learning to read a first or second language. Compares the reading-comprehension, word-decoding, and oral-language skills of Dutch and minority third and fourth grade students. Shows oral…

Explored the relative impact of the test-developer on the performance of test takers using multiple-choice reading comprehension tests that had no specifications. Six passages each with three different sets of multiple-choice items constructed by three groups of individuals were trialled on 335 Iranian English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) learners.…

Discusses reading as a receptive skill in relation to current foreign language learning and teaching theory. Three types of reference in texts are defined (reference to the outside world, textual reference, and situational reference), and selected examples of these types in adapted texts are reported and analyzed. (26 references) (GLR)

Describes a microcomputer program aimed at making reading comprehension exercises more efficient. The program is based on the ideas of hypermedia, a new computer science paradigm. (Author/VWL)

Reviews the literature on the role of background knowledge in second-language listening comprehension, presents findings of pertinent first- and second-language research, and reports on a study showing the importance of schemata in second-language listening comprehension and the role of linguistic knowledge. (34 references) (Author/CB)

Argues that the most readily available source of input for the independent-minded second language learner comes in the form of radio broadcasts. An approach to the independent study of French, with the use of broadcast radio, emphasizing frequent input, working at home, self-monitoring and immediate feedback, and attention to detail is described.…

First-year students of Chinese at the United States Air Force Academy (n=60) were tested for reading speed and comprehension of Chinese passages presented either in characters or romanization. Students read faster and understood more in romanization than in characters. (LMO)

A native speaker-nonnative speaker conversational adjustment in the relative proportions of information type was examined for its relation to communicative success. Analyses indicated that an increase in the proportion of background detail correlated with comprehension problems for second-language learners. (22 references) (Author/VWL)