The Role of Oral Reading in EFL Reading Comprehension

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K14252
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 09040:Education on school subjects and primary/secondary education-related
• Research Institution: Kindai University
• Principal Investigator: Fujinaga Fumihisa 近畿大学, 文芸学部, 准教授 (60781060)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 音読 / 黙読 / 読解 / 外国語（英語）

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study discussed oral reading (or reading aloud) for EFL text comprehension purposes in comparison with silent reading. The findings from an empirical investigation conducted with a group of Japanese EFL learners and an extensive review of related literature were examined and discussed from the following perspectives: form and method of oral reading, reader, text type and reader's text comprehension. It was suggested that oral reading comprehension could be influenced by pre-reading instructions (e.g., on reading speed and attention), the reader's English proficiency and the type of comprehension required by the reading task. However, it was unclear how the text-type difference could affect oral reading comprehension.

Free Research Field

英語教育

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

外国語（英語）における読解において内容理解を目的とした音読が機能しうる条件を整理することによって、テクストの読み方の１つとして、読解指導のなかで黙読と共に音読を活用しうる可能性を示唆した。また、先行研究をその手法的側面に着目して整理することによって、今後の研究への展望を示した。