Improving reading fluency and comprehension in adult ESL learners using bottom-up and top-down vocabulary training

The current research examines the effect of two methods of vocabulary training on reading fluency and comprehension of adult English as second language (ESL) tertiary-bound students. The methods used were isolated vocabulary training (bottom-up reading) and vocabulary training in context (topdown re...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Oliver, Rhonda, Young, S.
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2016
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/50004
_version_ 1848758371046391808
author Oliver, Rhonda
Young, S.
author_facet Oliver, Rhonda
Young, S.
author_sort Oliver, Rhonda
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description The current research examines the effect of two methods of vocabulary training on reading fluency and comprehension of adult English as second language (ESL) tertiary-bound students. The methods used were isolated vocabulary training (bottom-up reading) and vocabulary training in context (topdown reading). The current exploratory and quasi-experimental study examines the effectiveness of these methods in two intact classes using preand posttest measures of students’ reading fluency and comprehension. The results show that bottom-up training had a negative impact on fluency and comprehension. In contrast, top-down training positively affected fluency but had no impact on comprehension. Further, the results do suggest that fast-paced reading may potentially lead to improved comprehension. These findings have implications for the type of language instruction used in classrooms and, therefore, for teachers of adult ESL learners.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T09:42:55Z
format Journal Article
id curtin-20.500.11937-50004
institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T09:42:55Z
publishDate 2016
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling curtin-20.500.11937-500042017-09-13T16:11:44Z Improving reading fluency and comprehension in adult ESL learners using bottom-up and top-down vocabulary training Oliver, Rhonda Young, S. The current research examines the effect of two methods of vocabulary training on reading fluency and comprehension of adult English as second language (ESL) tertiary-bound students. The methods used were isolated vocabulary training (bottom-up reading) and vocabulary training in context (topdown reading). The current exploratory and quasi-experimental study examines the effectiveness of these methods in two intact classes using preand posttest measures of students’ reading fluency and comprehension. The results show that bottom-up training had a negative impact on fluency and comprehension. In contrast, top-down training positively affected fluency but had no impact on comprehension. Further, the results do suggest that fast-paced reading may potentially lead to improved comprehension. These findings have implications for the type of language instruction used in classrooms and, therefore, for teachers of adult ESL learners. 2016 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/50004 10.14746/ssllt.2016.6.1.6 fulltext
spellingShingle Oliver, Rhonda
Young, S.
Improving reading fluency and comprehension in adult ESL learners using bottom-up and top-down vocabulary training
title Improving reading fluency and comprehension in adult ESL learners using bottom-up and top-down vocabulary training
title_full Improving reading fluency and comprehension in adult ESL learners using bottom-up and top-down vocabulary training
title_fullStr Improving reading fluency and comprehension in adult ESL learners using bottom-up and top-down vocabulary training
title_full_unstemmed Improving reading fluency and comprehension in adult ESL learners using bottom-up and top-down vocabulary training
title_short Improving reading fluency and comprehension in adult ESL learners using bottom-up and top-down vocabulary training
title_sort improving reading fluency and comprehension in adult esl learners using bottom-up and top-down vocabulary training
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/50004