The impact of lexical processing strategy instruction on L2 readers' strategy use, reading rate, reading comprehension, and vocabulary learning

This study described the lexical processing strategies (LPSs, ignore, infer, consult) that second language (L2) readers use when encountering unfamiliar words, and examined the effect of focused instruction (metacognitive strategy training followed by language instruction) on strategy use, reading rate, reading comprehension, and vocabulary learning.;A quasi-experimental, interrupted, time-series with repeated-measures design was used. Eight francophone university students in an intermediate level English for Academic Purposes course were selected to represent lower and higher levels of L2 reading proficiency. The instructional treatment (16 hours over 8 weeks) was separated into 2 phases to investigate the differential effect of strategy training alone versus strategy training with language-focused instruction. Data were gathered individually in 8 sessions representing 4 measurement periods: baseline, post-metacognitive strategy training, post-language instruction, and a delayed measure (4 weeks after instruction). Participants' progress was monitored through the repeated measurement of the dependent variables: strategy use (retrospective think-aloud protocol), reading rate (timed reading), reading comprehension (T/F questions with justification), and word learning (cued recall). Frequency distributions based on total encounters with unfamiliar words (N = 878) were examined to determine overall patterns of LPS use and associated knowledge resources. Multivariate repeated-measures ANOVAs investigated instructional treatment and L2 reading proficiency effects. Case studies of 4 participants examined individual differences.;Inferencing was the preferred and primary LPS used. Both consulting and inferencing were effective strategies for determining word meaning adequate for text comprehension. The two instructional phases had a complementary and positive impact on LPS use; the amount of ignoring decreased and the amount and quality of inferencing increased. Instruction had little effect on reading rate, global reading comprehension, or vocabulary learning. L2 reading proficiency exerted no effect on reading rate and vocabulary learning, but was positively related to reading comprehension and the amount and effectiveness of inferencing. While L2 reading proficiency did not affect the kind of response to instruction, it did impact on the magnitude and timing of that response. Results support the benefit for instruction on enhancing L2 readers' inferencing abilities and the inclusion of components on the effective use of the other LPS options, consulting and ignoring.