Off-campus UMass Amherst users: If this thesis is NOT open access, please use the following link to log into our proxy server and download this thesis.
Novel Lexical Item Decoding in L2 Reading Acquisition: A Socio-schematic Approach
Document Type: Open Access
Degree Program
Hispanic Literatures & Linguistics
Degree Type
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Year Degree Awarded
2008
Month Degree Awarded
September
Primary Subject Category
Linguistics
Secondary Subject Category
Teacher education
Keywords
Hispanic Linguistics, Foreign Language Education, Foreign Language Learning, Spanish, Applied Linguistics
Advisor(s) or Committee Chair
Weston-Gil, Rosemary
Abstract
Past theorists have shown through their work the versatility and advantages of utilizing pre-established schemata to form a novice’s interaction with and comprehension of a text. Schemata have shown to contribute to comprehension by means of four purposes: to disambiguate, to elaborate, to filter, and to compensate (Lee & VanPatten 1999). Furthermore, we see that these schemata, or formerly attained background knowledge, are integral parts of Coady’s ESL psycholinguistic reading model (1979) , as well as Carrel’s schema theory (1984).
Previous studies done by Jimenez (2000) and that of Valdés (2001) with ESL/LEP students show that motivation for learning a second language is partly derived from the social environment in which students are participants. Valdés’ study in particular supports a Funds of Knowledge Approach (Moll et. al. 1994), which stresses the need for increased attention on the social environment of the student.
The present study focuses on novel L2 lexical item decoding. Students will be given a “pre-study” questionnaire in order to ascertain knowledge of and ability level of Spanish. Novices will encounter the lexical items in two different short texts. One will activate a known “social schema”, while the other will be a text for which students will not have a background structure. There will be the same amount of novel lexical items in both texts, and each text will be of the same level. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to investigate whether, and how, students interpret the meanings of novel lexical items when they are presented in a “socially tailored” text.
This new “socio-schematic approach” to L2 lexical item decoding can contribute to the stages of Reading Skill and Acquisition outlined by ACTFL. By applying this “socio-schematic approach”, implications for foreign language learning can be linked to the stages of ACTFL.
Recommended Citation
Enkin, Elizabeth B., "Novel Lexical Item Decoding in L2 Reading Acquisition: A Socio-schematic Approach" (2008). Masters Theses. Paper 207.
http://scholarworks.umass.edu/theses/207
Download 