英文学术文章: 解锁语言学习——EAL 课堂中原版阅读材料的力量

English as an Additional Language (EAL) teachers working with students from elementary to secondary levels and beyond have long recognized the immense value of reading as a means of providing input to the language learner. While graded readers have been a staple in many EAL classrooms, there is growing interest in the potential benefits of incorporating authentic texts. However, questions remain about the extent of these benefits, how to select appropriate authentic texts, and the best ways to incorporate them into daily lessons.

 

Graded readers vs. authentic texts

 

Graded readers and authentic texts differ significantly. Among those differences are:
  • Language complexity: Graded readers use controlled vocabulary and simplified grammatical structures, while authentic texts contain natural, unmodified language (Blue, 2020)1. This means authentic texts often include more advanced vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and varied sentence structures.
  • Purpose: Graded readers are specifically designed for language learners, often focusing on particular grammatical structures or vocabulary sets. Authentic texts, on the other hand, are created for native speakers and serve real-world communicative purposes.
  • Vocabulary distribution: Authentic texts typically have a random distribution of high and low-frequency words, while graded readers often focus on high-frequency vocabulary.

Research on benefits

 

Research has shown that authentic texts can offer significant advantages in language learning. Gilmore (2007)2 argues that authentic materials can increase learner motivation. According to Guariento and Morley (2001)3, authentic texts can help bridge the gap between classroom knowledge and real-world language use. In addition to support for the use of authentic texts with EAL students, research is filled with guidance on both selection and implementation.

  • When selecting authentic texts, teachers should consider several factors:
  1. Student interests and proficiency levels (Berardo, 2006) 4
  2. Cultural appropriateness and relevance (Kilickaya, 2004)5
  • Effective implementation strategies include: 
  1. Pre-teaching vocabulary and scaffolding activities (Walters, 2006)6
  2. Encouraging collaborative reading (Jacobs & Farrell, 2001)7
  3. Focusing on specific language skills (Mishan, 2005)8
  4. Integrating technology to enhance accessibility (Erbaggio et al., 2012)9

In the end, however, what matters is whether the addition of authentic text to the EAL classroom leads to growth in English, which brings us to two recent important studies conducted on the effect of authentic digital books on EAL students.

 

Reseach on efficacy

 

Two separate studies were conducted to examine the effectiveness of using authentic digital books from myON for developing reading skills in beginning EAL students. The studies asked the following key research questions:

  1. Do beginning EAL students demonstrate reading growth when reading authentic books just above and just below their reading ability?
  2. If yes, is the reading growth statistically significant?
  3. Is the reading growth meaningful?

Study 1:

Conducted in 2019, the first study involved 900+ beginning EAL students in grades 2-7 from a country in Southwestern Asia. Over an 8-week period, students read myON books that were 100 Lexiles below and 50 Lexiles above their assessed reading level. Results showed positive gains in reading ability at each grade level, with the gains increasing as grade level increased. For example, 2nd graders gained an average of 17 Lexiles while 7th graders gained an average of 59 Lexiles.

The gains were statistically significant for all grades except 3rd, with effect sizes approaching a medium level. The researchers noted that this makes sense, as students need a minimal level of English proficiency before being expected to read independently. However, a different pattern emerged from 4th grade onward, with gains accelerating each year.

The researchers also found the reading growth to be meaningful. For example, 3rd graders ended the 8 weeks with a higher Lexile score than 4th graders started with, equivalent to a year’s growth from classroom instruction alone in 8 weeks averaging 45 minutes 3 days per week. Similarly, each grade’s post-test score matched or exceeded the pre-test score of the next grade level.

Study 2:

Conducted in 2020, the second study involved 1,100+ beginning and intermediate EAL students in grades 5-8 from a Central European country. Over a 9-month period, students read myON books within their identified “Zone of Proximal Development” – just above and below their assessed reading level. Initially, three groups were formed: an “optimal” group that used the program weekly, a “minimum” group that used it occasionally, and a control group. However, due to the challenges of the COVID shutdown, all three groups were given both pre- and post-tests and provided access to myON books.

Results showed significant reading gains for all three groups, with no statistically significant difference between the groups. On average, students gained 69 scaled score points on the Renaissance Star Reading assessment, equivalent to 4 months growth for native English speakers. Practically speaking, this reflects a change in reading level from 2nd grade 2nd months to 2nd grade 6th months in 6 hours of total myON usage spread over 9 months.

In the end, students in both studies read myON digital books for just over 6 hours – the first study over 8 weeks and the second study spread over 9 months. Additionally, both studies demonstrate the efficacy of using myON authentic digital books for developing reading skills in beginning and intermediate EAL students. The researchers conclude that providing EAL students access to high-interest authentic books, at just the right level, is critical for building reading proficiency and making meaningful progress in English language acquisition.

 

myON authentic books by CEFR levels

 

The two studies clearly demonstrate that for EAL students, myON authentic texts can accelerate language acquisition. This finding is also true for students with beginning levels of English proficiency. Meanwhile, the research shows that integrating authentic texts with classroom instruction remains critical to teachers. To meet this need, Renaissance has recently conducted a complete analysis of every myON book in the International Core Collection (6800+ books).Each book was analyzed to determine its CEFR1 level: 1) vocabulary 90%+, 2) verb tenses, and 3) sentence structures. Based on these three criteria, every book was assigned an overall CEFR level, providing assurance that the book(s) they select are within the appropriate CEFR proficiency level for the classroom teacher as well as the individual student. Additionaly, teachers and students can browse for books by overall CEFR level as well as by CEFR level of vocabulary, verb tenses, and grammatical structures, making it easy to coordinate with lessons.

 

Summary

 

One of the primary challenges faced by EAL learners is the limited exposure to authentic English, especially in foreign language settings. Addressing this challenge, research has demonstrated that reading is a powerful tool that can provide the necessary language input and support EAL students’ overall language development and that authentic texts offer significant advantages in language learning. Bridging the gap between classroom knowledge and real-world language use provides students with the best opportunity to acquire a level of proficiency that can bring future advantages in this globalized world.

 

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