ABSTRACT

This experiment investigated comprehension monitoring in children learning English as an additional language (EAL) compared to monolinguals. Sixty-three 9–10-year-old children read texts containing an internal inconsistency (e.g. a barking kitten vs. barking puppy) while their eye movements were monitored. Standardized tests measured word reading fluency and vocabulary size and the children completed a questionnaire tapping rereading behavior. There was no overall difference between EAL and monolingual children. Regardless of EAL status, children with larger vocabularies were more efficient in their re-analysis of inconsistent information, as revealed by regressive eye movements. As efficient re-analysis of inconsistent information is essential for comprehension and is ubiquitous in proficient readers, the presence of this pattern in the children is indicative of successful online monitoring. However, rereading of inconsistent vs consistent words in the eye movement record was not related to children’s self-reported rereading, not providing any support for deliberate rereading. Our findings indicate that successful online monitoring relies on strong word knowledge leading to efficient processing of texts, both for bilingual and monolingual children, and beyond deliberate rereading.

抽象的

与单语者相比，该实验调查了学习英语作为另一种语言（EAL）的儿童的理解监控。在监视他们的眼动时，有63名9-10岁的儿童阅读了包含内部不一致的文本（例如，吠叫的小猫和吠叫的小狗）。标准化测试测量了单词阅读的流利度和词汇量，孩子们完成了问卷调查，挖掘了孩子的重读行为。EAL和单语儿童之间没有总体差异。不管EAL身份如何，词汇量较大的孩子在重新分析不一致的信息方面都更有效率，这可以通过眼球运动的退步来发现。由于对于不一致的信息进行有效的重新分析对于理解至关重要，并且在熟练的读者中无处不在，儿童中这种模式的存在表明成功进行了在线监控。但是，重读眼动记录中不一致和前后一致的单词与孩子自我报告的重读无关，没有为故意重读提供​​任何支持。我们的研究结果表明，成功的在线监控依赖于强大的单词知识，从而可以有效地处理双语和单语儿童的文本，并且无需故意重读。