Revisiting the role of linguistic complexity in ESL reading comprehension

This study investigated the two linguistic compone nts positioned at the two ends of the continuum that influence ESL reading comprehension: lexical and syntactic features. Specifically, the present study aims to determine these two linguistic features of the texts most comprehensible to pupils. S...

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Main Author: Barrot, Jessie Saraza
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Pusat Pengajian Bahasa dan Linguistik, FSSK, UKM 2013
Online Access:http://journalarticle.ukm.my/6137/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/6137/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/6137/1/1379-5051-1-PB.pdf
id ukm-6137
recordtype eprints
spelling ukm-61372016-12-14T06:40:27Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/6137/ Revisiting the role of linguistic complexity in ESL reading comprehension Barrot, Jessie Saraza This study investigated the two linguistic compone nts positioned at the two ends of the continuum that influence ESL reading comprehension: lexical and syntactic features. Specifically, the present study aims to determine these two linguistic features of the texts most comprehensible to pupils. Sixty pupils from three grade levels (2,4, and 6) were asked to read four texts with varying text difficulty level from which the most comprehensible text per grade level was identified after a comprehension test. The findings revealed that the pupils reading comprehension progressed as they advance in grade level. Moreover, the findings revealed that the lexical feature of the reading texts becomes more complex as grade level advances. This indicates that lexical features is a viable factor in determining the readability of the text; that is, as the lexical features of a reading text becomes more complex, the more difficult it is for learners to process such texts for comprehension. Unlike lexical features, the syntactic features of the selected reading texts exhibited an erratic pattern indicating that such features may not be a crucial factor in text readability and in reading comprehension as a whole. Pusat Pengajian Bahasa dan Linguistik, FSSK, UKM 2013 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/6137/1/1379-5051-1-PB.pdf Barrot, Jessie Saraza (2013) Revisiting the role of linguistic complexity in ESL reading comprehension. 3L; Language,Linguistics and Literature,The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies., 19 (1). pp. 5-18. ISSN 0128-5157 http://www.ukm.my/ppbl/3L/3LHome.html
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Local University
institution Universiti Kebangasaan Malaysia
building UKM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
language English
description This study investigated the two linguistic compone nts positioned at the two ends of the continuum that influence ESL reading comprehension: lexical and syntactic features. Specifically, the present study aims to determine these two linguistic features of the texts most comprehensible to pupils. Sixty pupils from three grade levels (2,4, and 6) were asked to read four texts with varying text difficulty level from which the most comprehensible text per grade level was identified after a comprehension test. The findings revealed that the pupils reading comprehension progressed as they advance in grade level. Moreover, the findings revealed that the lexical feature of the reading texts becomes more complex as grade level advances. This indicates that lexical features is a viable factor in determining the readability of the text; that is, as the lexical features of a reading text becomes more complex, the more difficult it is for learners to process such texts for comprehension. Unlike lexical features, the syntactic features of the selected reading texts exhibited an erratic pattern indicating that such features may not be a crucial factor in text readability and in reading comprehension as a whole.
format Article
author Barrot, Jessie Saraza
spellingShingle Barrot, Jessie Saraza
Revisiting the role of linguistic complexity in ESL reading comprehension
author_facet Barrot, Jessie Saraza
author_sort Barrot, Jessie Saraza
title Revisiting the role of linguistic complexity in ESL reading comprehension
title_short Revisiting the role of linguistic complexity in ESL reading comprehension
title_full Revisiting the role of linguistic complexity in ESL reading comprehension
title_fullStr Revisiting the role of linguistic complexity in ESL reading comprehension
title_full_unstemmed Revisiting the role of linguistic complexity in ESL reading comprehension
title_sort revisiting the role of linguistic complexity in esl reading comprehension
publisher Pusat Pengajian Bahasa dan Linguistik, FSSK, UKM
publishDate 2013
url http://journalarticle.ukm.my/6137/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/6137/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/6137/1/1379-5051-1-PB.pdf
first_indexed 2023-09-18T19:46:02Z
last_indexed 2023-09-18T19:46:02Z
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