Repeated-Reading-Based Instructional Strategy and Vocabulary Acquisition: a Case Study of a Heritage Speaker of Chinese
Reading in a Foreign Language ISSN 1539-0578
October 2010, Volume 22, No. 2 pp. 242–262
Repeated-reading-based instructional strategy and vocabulary acquisition: A case study of a heritage speaker of Chinese
ZhaoHong Han and Cheng-ling Alice Chen Teachers College, Columbia University United States Abstract Repeated reading, a procedure involving repetition of the same text, has received copious attention from first language reading research providing highly converging evidence of its potency for reading fluency, accuracy, and comprehension. In contrast, second language research on repeated reading has been scarce. The very few studies extant have, nevertheless, shown similar, albeit inconclusive, findings. The present study was an attempt to foray into a hitherto uncharted area in both first and second language research, by investigating vocabulary gains from implementing a set of repeated-reading-based pedagogical and learning procedures. Using one heritage speaker of Chinese as its subject, the study administered 20 sessions of assisted repeated reading over three weeks. Results indicated both intentional and incidental vocabulary gains that would not otherwise have been possible through conventional reading or vocabulary instruction.
Keywords: repeated reading, second language vocabulary acquisition, Chinese, heritage speaker
It is trivial to point out that reading and vocabulary are closely related. In fact, they are mutually constraining and complimentary: On the one hand, reading ability depends on vocabulary knowledge. “Semantic processing is central to reading comprehension ... Ultimately, it is vocabulary that largely controls semantic processing” (Koda, 1994, p. 10). On the other hand, reading is a critical source of vocabulary growth (Krashen, 1989; Zahar, Cobb, & Spada, 2001). It therefore is no surprise that vocabulary instruction has taken a central place in all existing approaches to the development of reading ability (e.g., phonic,
October 2010, Volume 22, No. 2 pp. 242–262
Repeated-reading-based instructional strategy and vocabulary acquisition: A case study of a heritage speaker of Chinese
ZhaoHong Han and Cheng-ling Alice Chen Teachers College, Columbia University United States Abstract Repeated reading, a procedure involving repetition of the same text, has received copious attention from first language reading research providing highly converging evidence of its potency for reading fluency, accuracy, and comprehension. In contrast, second language research on repeated reading has been scarce. The very few studies extant have, nevertheless, shown similar, albeit inconclusive, findings. The present study was an attempt to foray into a hitherto uncharted area in both first and second language research, by investigating vocabulary gains from implementing a set of repeated-reading-based pedagogical and learning procedures. Using one heritage speaker of Chinese as its subject, the study administered 20 sessions of assisted repeated reading over three weeks. Results indicated both intentional and incidental vocabulary gains that would not otherwise have been possible through conventional reading or vocabulary instruction.
Keywords: repeated reading, second language vocabulary acquisition, Chinese, heritage speaker
It is trivial to point out that reading and vocabulary are closely related. In fact, they are mutually constraining and complimentary: On the one hand, reading ability depends on vocabulary knowledge. “Semantic processing is central to reading comprehension ... Ultimately, it is vocabulary that largely controls semantic processing” (Koda, 1994, p. 10). On the other hand, reading is a critical source of vocabulary growth (Krashen, 1989; Zahar, Cobb, & Spada, 2001). It therefore is no surprise that vocabulary instruction has taken a central place in all existing approaches to the development of reading ability (e.g., phonic,
References: Anderson, N. (1993). Repeated reading. In R. R. Day (Ed.), New ways in teaching reading (pp. 190–191). Alexandria, VA: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages.