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Psycholinguistic and Sociolinguistic Perspectives on Second Language Learning and Teaching pp 73–88Cite as

Dual Focus on Language and Content as an Issue in L2/FL Reading Development

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Part of the book series: Second Language Learning and Teaching ((SLLT))

Abstract

Research into L2/FL reading and its instruction conducted over the last decades has made it clear that the development of reading ability cannot be properly defined only with reference to general text comprehension skills. A better explanatory framework is needed to account for the complexity of knowledge/content processing by means of linguistic tools. What is more, one has to bear in mind that reading activities take place in diverse sociocultural contexts, with a range of objectives set for them, and remain under the inherent influence of text and learner variables. Recent literature has also recognized the fact that, immersed in the educational system, both native and non-native learners struggle with the acquisition and expansion of subject matter knowledge. As part of literacy, reading substantially contributes to the acquisition of new informational content by the learner, the restructuring of general knowledge, as well as language proficiency enhancement. This paper is intended to seek some emerging theoretical foundations which would be helpful in approaching reading development with a dual focus on language and content which, as it is claimed, should form the basis for L2/FL reading instruction in formal educational settings. With this goal in mind, the paper tackles the following four areas of concern: (1) the conceptualization of reading by basic models of text comprehension, (2) the relationship between reading development and language acquisition, (3) the impact of the schema theory on understanding reading comprehension, and the weaknesses of this theory, (4) the implementation of language-content integration within content-based teaching frameworks.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland

    Halina Chodkiewicz

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  1. Halina Chodkiewicz
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Correspondence to Halina Chodkiewicz .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , School of English, Adam Mickiewicz University, Al. Niepodleglosci 4, Poznan, 61-874, Poland

    Krystyna Drozdzial-Szelest

  2. , Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts, Adam Mickiewicz University, Nowy Swiat 28-30, Kalisz, 62-800, Poland

    Mirosław Pawlak

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Chodkiewicz, H. (2013). Dual Focus on Language and Content as an Issue in L2/FL Reading Development. In: Drozdzial-Szelest, K., Pawlak, M. (eds) Psycholinguistic and Sociolinguistic Perspectives on Second Language Learning and Teaching. Second Language Learning and Teaching. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-23547-4_5

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