Depth of semantic processing and understanding of formulaic sequences in the reading comprehension by Japanese EFL learners

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K00802
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 02100:Foreign language education-related
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Hijikata Yuko 筑波大学, 人文社会系, 助教 (10548390)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: リーディング / 意味的逸脱 / 自己ペース読み / イディオム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to explore the reading processes used by Japanese university students who were learning English as a foreign language. The study focused on determining the depth of their semantic processing by using the semantic anomaly detection paradigm. A paper-and-pencil anomaly detection task and self-paced reading experiments were conducted, and detection rates, confidence toward readers' own judgment, and processing times were recorded. Prior to these experiments, rating studies were conducted to estimate the degree of fit between each anomaly and its context. It was found that the degree of fit to context influenced the detection rates of semantic anomalies, not only in the participants' first language but also in their second language. Furthermore, the difference in research methods, that is, whether participants were able to read the same passage again or not, affected the detection rates.

Free Research Field

英語教育学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

母語の読解と第二言語の読解には，共通するプロセスと異なるプロセスがある。本研究の意義は，日本人英語学習者の日本語と英語における文章読解を比較し，意味処理の深さを検証したことにある。一連の調査から，文脈の影響で意味処理の深さが異なることが示された。また，読み手が自身の処理についてどの程度正確に認識できていたかも検証した。この結果は，第二言語読解の指導およびテスト作成へ応用が可能である。読解指導においては，学習者が文章中のどの語で処理が浅くなる傾向があるのかを踏まえた上での指導が可能になる。テスト問題を作成する場合は，語と文脈との合致度を考慮することで，項目難易度を調整することができる。