Middle school French immersion teachers often report that they have a difficult time engaging their students in second language reading. This research used a constructivist, critical, and pragmatic approach to case study to explore middle school French immersion students’ perceptions of themselves as readers of French and of their experiences with reading in French. The research sought to understand, through thematic cross-case analysis, which themes appear most prominently in student accounts of their experiences with reading in French. Four major themes were identified: choice, assigned work, understanding, and interest. Additionally, the research sought to identify which instructional strategies might be most effective in promoting student engagement in reading in an additional language. The findings suggest a need for highly differentiated instructional models that emphasize teaching students how to assess a text for its appropriateness to their interests and reading level and providing students with ample time for free, independent reading. / Graduate / 0515 / 0282 / 0279 / 0535 / 0727 / 0525 / jwhittin@uvic.ca

Due to the internationalisation of higher education, the use of English at higher education institutions has become widespread. Today an increasing number of students participate in courses with the local language as medium of instruction but with textbooks in English. These have been called parallel-language courses, because they are expected to facilitate learning disciplinary discourse in two languages: the local language and English. This thesis reports an exploration of Swedish students' reading and learning from English textbooks in parallel-language courses. The overarching aim was to investigate the relationship between the students' Swedish and English reading habits and reading proficiency, their academic biliteracy, and incidental learning of subject-specific terminology in English from reading. The study also set out to identify pedagogical solutions to facilitate students' reading and learning from reading in English. The investigation comprised four studies which utilised a variety of methods and approaches, both qualitative and quantitative. Participants were Swedish and British students of biology and Swedish students of English. The results show that many Swedish students are capable of reading and learning from texts in Swedish and English without experiencing serious difficulties, although additional support is required for the learning of English terminology. The findings also indicate that some students' difficulty when reading in English is not due to poor English language proficiency, but rather a range of other factors such as weak general literacy skills, low motivation, low subject and vocabulary knowledge, note-taking strategies, slow reading speed, and time. For some students, learning is also rendered difficult by their self-perceptions and beliefs about reading and learning. Based on my findings, I propose a range of practices for EAP and subject teachers to adopt in order to improve reading and learning in parallel-language courses. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: Submitted. Paper 4: Submitted.</p><p> </p>

L'objet de cette thèse est de cerner les mécanismes de la lecture en langue 2 (L2, c'est-à-dire une langue étrangère apprise à un niveau avancé en dehors du pays où la langue se pratique) et seconde (LS, apprise dans un pays où elle est utilisée) pour proposer une intervention pédagogique spécifique qui soutienne l'effort de compréhension des lecteurs. Cette recherche interdisciplinaire relève des domaines de la Psychologie et des Sciences du langage (plus particulièrement de la didactique des langues). Elle s'ouvre aussi sur les nouvelles technologies, propices au développement de la compréhension écrite. Dans la partie théorique, nous résumons les connaissances actuelles dans le domaine de la compréhension de textes et de l'ingénierie des L2 et LS. Dans la partie expérimentale, un outil pédagogique a été créé et testé à travers trois études (menées en anglais L2, puis en français LS). Cet outil de type méthodologique consiste à guider la lecture de plusieurs documents qui portent sur un même thème. Les méthodes pédagogiques et expérimentales ont été améliorées au fil de ces trois études. L'utilisation de l'outil pédagogique a eu des répercussions bénéfiques sur la compréhension. En conclusion, un modèle pédagogique sur la compréhension écrite en langue 2 / seconde fait ressortir l'intérêt de certains principes didactiques tels que l'approche globale des textes, la lecture en plusieurs phases, et un soutien de l'attention portée aux sources et aux idées-clés des textes. Enfin, nous présentons le cahier des charges d'une version informatisée de notre outil pédagogique pour un développement approfondi et individualisé de la compréhension écrite / The purpose of this study is to understand the processes involved in the comprehension of texts in a second language, and to propose an intervention that enhances readers' comprehension strategies. This work draws on theories of Psychology and Language Science (language didactics in particular), but it also includes some interest for language learning in virtual environments, that can be relevant to promote text comprehension. Three experiments were conducted to analyse the impact of a pedagogical tool created to support reading comprehension at a methodological level. More exactly, the tool aimed to guide the reader when facing several texts that treat the same topic. Its effectiveness was tested in English and French as a second language. As anticipated, the use of the tool led to to positive outcomes on the comprehension of the texts as evidenced in essay writing and question answering tasks. To conclude that research, a pedagogical model about second language reading is proposed. The model highlights the relevance of some didactical principles like global approach, reading by stages, but also supporting attention to texts' sources and main ideas. Moreover, a computerized version of the tool, which would place readers in an individualized learning context, is described. Its implementation is considered as a follow up of the present research.

No description available.

Research into the effects of extensive reading (ER) in second language acquisition has surged over the past few decades. Many studies report several benefits that come from engaging in ER, including reading rate gains. However, these studies almost exclusively focus on English language learners and tend to be limited by their lack of control over how the ER treatment is conducted. Furthermore, experimental and quantitative studies that investigate the possible effects of ER on the reading skills of learners of Japanese have yet to be fully explored. The goal of this study was to investigate the possible effects of ER on the reading rate development of learners of Japanese as a foreign language. This study also aimed to examine the level of comprehension learners were able to maintain as their reading rates increased as well as the feasibility of a 12,000 character (7,200 standard word) per week reading goal. Finally, this study also surveyed learner perceptions of ER.<br><br>Using a quantitative single-case experiment design, eight intermediate-level learners of Japanese were monitored engaging in ER following strict adherence to ER principles over two and a half to four months. Longitudinal reading rate data as well as reading comprehension, ER, and survey data were collected over the course of the study. Results showed that participants’ reading rates increased significantly following the ER treatment. Furthermore, participants’ comprehension abilities were not hampered by an increase in their reading rates. Results also indicate that a weekly reading goal of 12,000 characters is likely feasible for intermediate-level learners. Finally, it was found that participants had overwhelmingly positive attitudes towards ER. This study provides evidence that ER has the potential to provide a highly enjoyable activity while substantially increasing learner reading rates without hindering comprehension.<p></p>

No description available.