Roles of Chinese Reading Proficiency, Vocabulary Knowledge, and Metacognitive Knowledge in English as a Foreign Language Reading Comprehension

Abstract

This study examines the functions of linguistic and non-linguistic knowledge in learning to read English as a foreign language among Taiwanese students in secondary education. Data consisted of two vocabulary tests, two reading comprehension tests, and two questionnaires concerning strategy use for reading Chinese as a first (L1) and English as a second/foreign (L2; FL) language. The results show that knowledge of L2 lexicons acts as a key player while metacognitive knowledge plays a secondary one in promoting L2 reading comprehension. With the increase of vocabulary knowledge, the effect of L1 reading proficiency emerges as a salient factor influencing L2 reading comprehension.