Learning from expository texts demands the processing of metatextual cues (rhetorical devices) and the activating of reading strategies. The main objective of this study was to examine whether profiting from written metatextual cues to launch reading strategies needs higher level of rhetorical competence than profiting from oral cues. Specifically, this study addresses two questions: (1) Is there a gap between the sensitivity to oral versus written metatextual cues depending on the student’s reading skill level? (2) Do the reader’s rhetorical competence, general reading comprehension, and decoding levels interact with the processing of each type of metatextual cue? Three hundred sixty-seven students (11–13 years old) summarized an expository text after reading it under one of the following four conditions: with written cues, with oral cues, with both cues combined, or with no cues. The less skilled readers who received oral or combined cues provided better summaries (they selected and organized the main ideas better) than the less skilled readers who received written cues or no cues. However, the performance of the more skilled readers was equal under the conditions with written cues, oral cues, and combined cues; these three groups outperformed the readers from the no-cues condition group. A multicategorical moderator analysis showed that following written cues demanded higher levels of general comprehension and rhetorical competence than following oral and combined cues. These data confirm that rhetorical competence is a specific capability for processing, especially written metatextual cues, and for overcoming the gap between the sensitivity to oral versus written cues.

中文翻译：

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书面与口头提示：修辞能力在文本学习中的作用

从说明性文本中学习需要处理元文本线索（修辞手段）和激活阅读策略。本研究的主要目的是检验从书面元文本线索中获益来启动阅读策略是否需要比从口头线索中获益更高水平的修辞能力。具体来说，这项研究解决了两个问题：（1）根据学生的阅读技能水平，对口头和书面元文本线索的敏感性之间是否存在差距？(2) 读者的修辞能力、一般阅读理解和解码水平是否与每种元文本线索的处理相互作用？三百六十七名学生（11-13 岁）在以下四种情况之一阅读说明文后对其进行总结：有书面提示，有口头提示，两个线索结合在一起，或者没有线索。接受口头提示或组合提示的技能较低的读者比收到书面提示或没有提示的技能较低的读者提供了更好的摘要（他们更好地选择和组织了主要思想）。然而，在书面线索、口头线索和组合线索的条件下，更熟练的阅读者的表现是相同的；这三个组的表现优于无提示条件组的读者。多类别调节分析表明，与口头和综合提示相比，遵循书面提示需要更高水平的一般理解和修辞能力。这些数据证实，修辞能力是一种特殊的处理能力，尤其是书面元文本线索，以及克服口头和书面线索敏感性之间的差距。