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Reading and Writing

, Volume 31, Issue 8, pp 1821–1841 | Cite as

A multiple-group comparison on the role of morphological awareness in reading: within- and cross-linguistic evidence from Korean ESL and EFL learners

  • Han Suk Bae
  • R. Malatesha Joshi
Article
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Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to explore the role of morphological awareness in reading comprehension in different language learning contexts (ESL and EFL). Korean ESL and Korean EFL learners (50 and 257 respectively) in grades five and six were administered measures of L2 (English) morphological, phonological, and orthographic awareness (MA, PA, and OA), as well as reading comprehension. The participants’ L1 (Korean) MA was also measured. The multiple-group path analysis showed that among both group participants’ L2 MA was the greatest predictor for their L2 reading comprehension, when the effect of PA and OA was controlled (within-linguistic perspective). Concerning cross-linguistic perspective, there was a statistically significant difference between the ESL and the EFL groups: the ESL participants’ L1 MA played a positive role in predicting their L2 reading comprehension, but not for their EFL counterparts. Educational implications and research recommendations are discussed in relation to MA’s contribution to reading comprehension.

Keywords

Morphological awareness Reading comprehension Transfer ESL/EFL 
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Notes

Acknowledgement

We are very grateful to all teachers and parents in the Korean language schools in Southern Texas, the U.S., and the Korean elementary schools in Seoul, Korea, for their cooperation. Special thanks also go to the students for their willing participation.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2017

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of International TourismDong-A UniversityBusanKorea
  2. 2.Department of Teaching, Learning, and CultureTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationUSA

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