Difficulties in L2 Hebrew Reading in Russian-speaking Second Graders

The present study examined factors that influence the process of learning to read in a second language. The Hebrew reading comprehension skills of 68 Russian-speaking children (mean age 7 years 6 months) were screened at the start of Grade 2. From this sample, 40 participants were selected: 20 successful learners and 20 unsuccessful learners. These two groups were then tested on a wide range of language skills (e.g., phonological processing, vocabulary, syntactic and morphological awareness) in both languages (Hebrew and Russian) and reading skills in Hebrew (e.g., reading speed and accuracy). Two factors, level of spoken Hebrew and phonological awareness deficits in both languages, were significant. Phonological awareness difficulties constituted the key factor associated with poor decoding whereas insufficient mastery of spoken Hebrew was important in the case of reading comprehension. An interesting dissociation was also found in our poor readers between impaired phonological awareness and other unimpaired phonological processing abilities such as oral pseudoword repetition and working memory. These findings suggest that, in addition to poor spoken L2 proficiency, poor readers are characterized more by a metalinguistic rather than a linguistic deficit in their native tongue.     

英语口语提高新论

英语口语表达是一种语言综合能力的运用 ,在缺乏语言习得环境的情况下 ,如果不具备相当的听力及阅读能力就很难谈及提高英语口语这一问题。英语口语能力不是教出来的 ,它随着英语阅读及听力能力的提高油然而生     

英语教学中的英美文化教学

在英语教学中,教学既要以传授语言技能为基础,又要走出纯语言技能的教学,注重对每一技能中所涉及英美文化内容进行同等教学,以提高学生的跨文化交际及对文化的敏锐性。处理好语言教学与文化教学的关系,在实际教学中,课堂教师应对语言共核及文化的进行讲解、介绍,并结合课外举办英语演讲、讲座、英语角、播放影片等各种语言文化活动,让学生产生兴趣,提高英语语言交际能力,增加交际文化知识。     

论英语教学中的语言能力与交际能力

交际能力包含语言能力,语言能力是交际能力的基础,两者处于不同层面。交际能力和语言能力是相互依存的,脱离了语言能力的交际能力在理论上是不存在的,在实践中是行不通的;而脱离了交际能力的语言能力只是一堆规则,毫无实际运用意义。没有获得语言能力就不可能获得交际能力,而语言能力不可能自动发展成为交际能力。在以培养实际运用语言能力作为最终目的的英语课堂教学中,应该首先培养语言技能,在语盲能力的基础上培养交际技能。     

Brain activity of regular and dyslexic readers while reading Hebrew as compared to English sentences

The aim of the present study was to examine differences among regular and dyslexic adult bilingual readers when processing reading and reading related skills in their first (L1 Hebrew) and second (L2 English) languages. Brain activity during reading Hebrew and English unexpected sentence endings was also studied. Behavioral and electrophysiological measures including event-related potentials (ERP) and low resolution electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) methodology were employed. Results indicated discrepancies in the processing profiles of dyslexic and regular bilingual readers in both first and second languages. In general, the amplitudes of the evoked potentials were higher and the latencies longer among dyslexic readers during processing of information in first and second languages (L1 and L2), but were more pronounced in English (L2). LORETA analysis indicated evidence that the source of brain activity measured by current density of brain activation is different when reading Hebrew as compared to English sentences mainly among dyslexics and not among regular readers. The data from the present study supports the dominanat bilingual hypothesis for defining bilinguals. A discrepancy between achievement in performing various L1 and L2 tasks was consistent across groups. Both groups were better in there mother tongue, which was Hebrew as compared to English.     

谈影响英语阅读理解能力的制约因素

阅读是人们获取信息的重要途径之一,阅读理解能力的培养是英语教学中的一个重要内容。而影响阅读理解能力的因素是多方面的,本文主要从语言因素和非语言因素两个方面进行分析和探讨,指出提高阅读理解能力需要扩大词汇量、掌握语法知识、运用正确的阅读方法并不断丰富文化背景知识。     

Using Primary Language Support via Computer to Improve Reading Comprehension Skills of First-Grade English Language Learners

Through this exploratory study the authors investigated the effects of primary language support delivered via computer on the English reading comprehension skills of English language learners. Participants were 28 First-grade students identified as Limited English Proficient. The primary language of all participants was Spanish. Students were assigned to two groups for an 8-week intervention period. Treatment Group 1 used a computer-based literacy program with English oral language instructions. Treatment Group 2 used a computer-based literacy program with Spanish oral language instructions. Data indicated that all participants experienced significant growth in fluency, word reading, and passage comprehension. Results revealed no significant difference between the two groups in the areas of fluency or word reading. However, the students who received Spanish language support via the computer had significantly higher scores in the area of reading comprehension.     

我国现当代基础教育英语课程之语言目标的历时研究

我国现当代基础教育英语课程之语言目标经历了重视＂四会＂的模糊目标时期;突出阅读和翻译能力的基本目标时期;强调提高初步运用英语能力的科学目标时期以及综合语言运用能力的标准化目标时期。随着社会的进步和英语课程改革的深入开展,可以预见,＂双基＂将在基础教育英语课程目标中的基础性地位更加巩固,而培养用语言做事的能力乃至交际能力将成为英语课程的最终目标,同时,语言目标的人文内涵将更加受到重视,语言目标将更加科学、明确、灵活、开放。     

‘Photo-words’: promoting language skills using photographs

Abstract

This study, using a mixed methods design, examined the use of a photograph-based model to improve students’ language and writing skills. Classes were assigned to receive the photograph-based intervention (experimental) or to receive the regular language-based curriculum (control). Both second and fifth grade students in the experimental group significantly improved their language and writing skills compared to the control group. Second grade students improved significantly more than fifth grade students. The findings also enabled the research team to identify deficiencies that required specific modifications in language curriculum design.     

Linguistic analysis and reading skills of first graders in partial French and Hebrew immersion programs

This study compared the performance of 45 first graders in partial French immersion, partial Hebrew immersion, and traditional English programs on measures of linguistic analysis ability and early reading skills in English. A modified version of the Auditory Analysis Test (Rosner and Simon, 1971) established that both French and Hebrew immersion children were more proficient than their English program peers at explicity analyzing the internal structure of spoken words. Subjects in the Hebrew program read non-words more successfully than either of the other two groups, and read orthographically regular real words better than the control subjects. These results suggest that second language learning, even in a partial immersion setting, enhances linguistic awareness. The potential implications for reading skill acquisition are discussed.This research was funded by Grant A2008 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.     

培养语言能力改进阅读教学

本文阐述了影响阅读教学的原因;探讨了大学英语教学中培养英语交际能力和英语语言能力相辅相成的关系;及如何改进阅读教学的几点做法。     

掌握英语阅读技巧提高英语阅读能力

在英语阅读过程中，读者应当摒弃一些贯用而不太合理的阅读方式，寻找到省时，省力并能准确领会文章的适合于自己的阅读方式，这就要求读者掌握一定的的阅读技巧，以提高自己的阅读能力。     

Reading improvement in English- and Hebrew-speaking children with reading difficulties after reading acceleration training

A reading acceleration program known to improve reading fluency in Hebrew-speaking adults was tested for its effect on children. Eighty-nine Hebrew- and English-speaking children with reading difficulties were divided into a waiting list group and two training groups (Hebrew and English) and underwent 4 weeks of reading acceleration training. Results of pre- and post-testing of reading abilities point to a significant main effect of the test, demonstrating improvements in silent contextual reading speed, reading comprehension, and speed of processing in both Hebrew and English training groups as compared to their performance before the intervention. This study indicates that the Reading Acceleration Program might be an effective program for improving reading abilities in children, independent of language.     

The Universal and the unique in dyslexia: A cross-linguistic investigation of reading and reading fluency in Hebrew-and English-speaking children with reading disorders

Cross-linguistic studies provide a unique tool for the identification of universal processes in oral and written language, both in development and in breakdown (Annual Review of psychology, 52, 369–396). Examining the differential strengths and weaknesses of children with dyslexia in contrasting orthographies can help illumine both the more universal aspects of reading disabilities, as well as their individual language-specific attributes. The aim of this study, was to investigate the shared and distinctive characteristics of readers with dyslexia on reading and reading fluency across Hebrew and English orthographies. Differences between 60 Hebrew and English-speaking children with dyslexia on a battery of cognitive, linguistic, and reading measures will be discussed along with theoretical implications.     

A prospective study of the relationship between phonological,semantic and syntactic skills and specific reading disability

Although it is well established that a relationship exists between specific reading disability and spoken language difficulties, the nature of that relationship remains controversial. In the study reported here, the performance of poor readers was firstly compared with that of matched good readers on a series of spoken and written language tasks on three assessment trials 12 months apart, and secondly to that of younger average readers. Five experimental tasks were used to measure the readers' phonological processing skills, and three subtests from the CELF-R were selected to measure the students' syntactic and semantic skills. Reading accuracy and comprehension ability were assessed by the Neale Analysis of Reading Ability-Revised. The results showed that 8–10-year-old poor readers performed poorly in all three linguistic areas concurrently, and that these difficulties persisted. However, the important finding from this study was that while the good readers demonstrated no significant difference between their phonological processing skills and their semantic/syntactic skills, the poor readers' ability did differ according to skill area. The poor readers' phonological processing skills appeared to be particularly impaired, a finding which was further enhanced by results from the reading-match comparison. The results are discussed in terms of current theories of reading disability.     

Component reading skills in Down Syndrome

This study investigates word reading skill in Down Syndrome (DS). Two main questions are addressed: (1) Is reading an island of ability in DS? and (2) What are the cognitive correlates of word reading ability in DS? In particular, how do language versus visual-spatial skills relate to individual differences in reading ability in DS? Participants were 19 individuals with DS, ranging in age from 10 to 19 years, and 19 typically developing children (mean age = 4.9 years) matched with the DS individuals for mental age. Overall, reading ability in DS was very poor. There was no evidence that reading represents an “island of ability” in DS; instead, the average reading level of DS participants was even lower than would be predicted by their IQ. However, there were substantial individual differences in literacy among DS participants. DS word reading and spelling skill correlated strongly with the ability to read by phonological recoding. It also correlated with several language measures. As a matter of fact, the often reported language-mental age gap was found only among the poor readers with DS.     

Qualitative and quantitative differences among dyslexic,normal, and nondyslexic poor readers

This study tested the hypothesis that when a stringent criterion of normal IQ is applied in the selection of dyslexic readers, and when dyslexics, nondyslexic poor readers, and normal readers are matched on reading comprehension — rather than word reading — significant differences among these groups can be demonstrated. Two groups of poor readers from primary grades, one with normal IQ (dyslexics) and the other with below-average IQ (nonspecific reading disabled, NSRD) were matched for reading comprehension with a group of younger normal readers. The dyslexic group was found to be inferior to the other two groups in tests of decoding and spelling. The dyslexic readers were more context-dependent for word recognition than the other two groups. The NSRD group did not differ from the normal readers in these aspects but had the worst performance on a test of inferential comprehension. It was concluded that dyslexics differ from normal readers and low-IQ poor readers in word and nonword reading skills and context-dependency for reading. A group of six adult dyslexics were also found to be deficient in decoding skills. A lack of unanimity in the use of certain terminology, a substantial age difference between low-IQ poor readers and normals, and the difference in the criteria used for matching the different groups could be factors that can explain the disagreements seen between the findings of the present study and those reported by some other studies. Potential problems associated with reading-age matched experimental design are discussed.     

Accelerating decoding-related skills in poor readers learning a foreign language: a computer-based intervention

The results of Fast ForWord® training on English decoding-related skills were examined. Finnish fifth-grade students were identified as having reading fluency problems and poor skills in English as a foreign language learned at school and were randomly assigned to either a training group (TRG) or a control group. The TRG (n?=?13) received 50?min of daily computer program-based training for a period of approximately 10 weeks. Students in the first control group (n?=?11) received the school’s regular instructional programme. A second control group was composed of 14 average readers. The students’ English skills were examined in pre-test, post-test and follow-up measurements. The TRG students saw an acceleration in decoding-related skills. The educational implications of the results are discussed.     

The effects of developing English language and literacy on Spanish reading comprehension

In this longitudinal study, the cross-language transfer from second language (L2) to first language (L1) was examined among Spanish-speaking English-language learners in an English intervention (Grades 1–3) in the southwest United States. Path analysis revealed statistically significant transfers (ps < .05) for the treatment group from English reading comprehension to Spanish reading comprehension. English vocabulary and English grammar also had an indirect influence on Spanish reading comprehension through English reading comprehension. For the comparison group, no English to Spanish paths were statistically significant. We concluded that intervention activities in L2 influenced L1 reading even when L1 instructional time was reduced.