Developmental interrelationships among reading comprehension ability in English and its components: A longitudinal study

• Project/Area Number: 26370697
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Foreign language education
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Yamashita Junko 名古屋大学, 人文学研究科, 教授 (00220335)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): Shiotsu Toshihiko 久留米大学, 教授 (00259730)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2017)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,420,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,020,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
• Keywords: 第二言語読解力 / 母語の読解力 / 語彙文法力 / 聴解力 / コンポーネント / 言語処理効率 / 縦断的研究 / 中等教育レベル / 第二言語 / 読解力 / 正書法処理 / 音韻処理 / 読解

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study longitudinally investigated components that explain reading comprehension in English as a foreign language among students from grade 9 to 11 who were learning English in Japan. Commonly across all grades, the contribution of linguistic knowledge (vocabulary and grammar) was the largest, followed by listening comprehension and L1 (first language) reading comprehension. However, when indirect effects were considered, the influence of L1 reading comprehension increased. Also, although its effect gradually diminished with the advancement of the year, we observed the influence of L1 writing system on the English word recognition. These results indicate the importance of literacy skills acquired in L1. Regarding the reading rate, the significance of phonological processing, as well as word recognition, was identified.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Possibility of semantic involvement in the L1-L2 congruency effect in the processing of L2 collocations. (2018)
  • Author(s): Yamashita, J.
  • Journal Title: Journal of Second Language Studies Volume: in press
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Word frequency, collocational frequency, L1 congruency, and proficiency in L2 collocational processing: What accounts for L2 performance? (2017)
  • Author(s): Wolter, B., & Yamashita, J.
  • Journal Title: Studies in Second Language Acquisition. Volume: First view Issue: 2 Pages: 395-416
  • DOI: 10.1017/s0272263117000237
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Comprehension and Knowledge Components That Predict L2 Reading: A Latent-Trait Approach (2015)
  • Author(s): JUNKO YAMASHITA and TOSHIHIKO SHIOTSU
  • Journal Title: Applied Linguistics Volume: online advance access Issue: 1 Pages: 1-26
  • DOI: 10.1093/applin/amu079
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] Conceptual distinctions in translation equivalents: evidence from eye-tracking (2018)
  • Author(s): Wolter, B., Yamashita, J., & Leung, Chi Yui.
  • Organizer: American Association of Applied Linguistics
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Knowledge and skill factors that account for EFL reading: The case of Japanese learners from Grade 9 to 11. (2018)
  • Author(s): Yamashita, J., & Shiotsu, T.
  • Organizer: American Association of Applied Linguistics
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Relationship between L2 reading comprehension and its predictors: A meta-analysis of correlation coefficients (2017)
  • Author(s): Jeon, E. H., & Yamashita, J.
  • Organizer: International Symposium on Bilingualism
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] What Account for L2 Reading Performance? : A Case of Secondary School EFL Learners in Japan (2016)
  • Author(s): Yamashita, J., & Shiotsu, T.
  • Organizer: European Second Language Association Annual Conference
  • Place of Presentation: Jyvaskyla, Finland
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Longitudinal and concurrent predictors of reading comprehension in English as a foreign language: An examination of longitudinal data from Grade 9 to 10 (2016)
  • Author(s): Yamashita, J.
  • Organizer: Second Language Research Forum
  • Place of Presentation: Tokyo, Japan
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Prompts in a phrasal decision task for investigating L1 effects on the acquisition of L2 collocations (2015)
  • Author(s): Yamashita, J.
  • Organizer: European Second Language Association Annual Conference
  • Place of Presentation: Aix-en-Provence, France
  • Year and Date: 2015-08-27
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Components Predicting Reading Comprehension in English as a Foreign Language: A Study from Grade 9 to 11 (2015)
  • Author(s): Yamashita, J.
  • Organizer: Twenty-Second Annual Meeting: Society for the Scientific Study of Reading
  • Place of Presentation: Hawaii, USA
  • Year and Date: 2015-07-15
• [Presentation] 第二言語読解のコンポーネント：メタ分析と日本の中等教育レベルの横断的研究から (2015)
  • Author(s): 山下淳子
  • Organizer: 外国語教育メディア学会新人賞奨励受賞記念講演会
  • Place of Presentation: 名古屋大学、名古屋
  • Year and Date: 2015-02-21
  • Invited
• [Presentation] 語彙と読解の相互関係 [Reciprocal Relationships between Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension] (2014)
  • Author(s): 山下淳子
  • Organizer: The 7th Annual Extensive reading seminar
  • Place of Presentation: 恵泉女学園大学[Keisen University]、東京
  • Year and Date: 2014-09-28
  • Invited
• [Book] Useful assessment and evaluation in language education (2018)
  • Author(s): Koda, K. & Yamashita, J.
  • Total Pages: 264
  • Publisher: Georgetown University Press
  • ISBN: 9781626165403
• [Book] Writing systems, reading processes, and cross-linguistic influences: Reflections from the Chinese, Japanese and Korean languages (2018)
  • Author(s): Yamashita, J.
  • Total Pages: 458
  • Publisher: John Benjamins