Speakers
Description
In Extensive Reading (ER) learners are expected not only to enjoy but also to understand the story. However, reading comprehension (RC) depends on orthography, vocabulary, grammar, background knowledge and metacognitive strategies (Jung, 2009). For beginner Japanese students of German, vocabulary seems the most obvious obstacle, yet each factor can be challenging. This study focuses on the role of grammar, particularly verb forms, and explores the use of authentic texts in simple tenses for German ER.
Abstract section 2: Contribution/research questions
- To what extend do unfamiliar verb forms, such as simple past or subjunctive, influence comprehension and perceived difficulty in German extensive reading?
- How do learners react to these verb forms: do they overlook them, ignore them or attempt to decipher them?
Abstract section 1: Relevance
ER participants are expected to read at a comfortable level (Nation, 2006). However, beginner learners lack sufficient vocabulary to read (Tschirner, 2023), and appropriate really easy graded readers (Gillis-Furutaka, 2015) are scarce. While assigning Yomiyasusa levels (YL) to authentic picture books, we encountered a book written in the simple past that was rated lower than similar books written in the present tense. This is possible considering the complexity of RC. Nevertheless, as the role of grammar in RC remains under-explored (Jung, 2009) and the simple past frequently occurs in picture books, we investigated learners’ reactions to unfamiliar verb forms.
Abstract section 3: Content/method
To gain a clearer picture of the impact of the simple past in ER texts, this study investigates whether students struggle with specific verbs or with certain verb forms. Therefore, qualitative questionnaires and comprehension tests were conducted and analyzed to illustrate how beginner learners deal with unfamiliar verb forms.
Abstract section 4: Outcomes/results
In the questionnaire, students tended to select “difficult words” rather than “grammar”, and within the grammar category “unknown grammar” ranked first, followed by “simple past”. However, a closer look at the words identified as difficult revealed several words that appeared in the simple past tense in the reading. These included irregular words (sagte, sah, aß) that were familiar to the students in present tense, suggesting that the simple past itself may pose an obstacle. For other simple past forms mentioned, the distinction between unfamiliar vocabulary and grammatical difficulty needs further investigation.
Abstract section 5: References
• Gillis-Furutaka, A. (2015). Graded reader readability: Some overlooked aspects. Journal of Extensive Reading,3(1), 1–19.
• Jung, J. (2009). Second Language Reading and the Role of Grammar. Studies in Applied Linguistics & TESOL, 9(2), 29–47. doi.org/10.7916/salt.v9i2.1447
• Nation, I.S.P (2006). How large a vocabulary is needed for reading and listening? Canadian Modern Language Review, 63(1), 59–82. https://doi.org/10.3138/cmlr.63.1.59.
• Tschirner, E. (2021). Extensives Lesen mit Leichten Lektüren: Eine Pilotstudie zum Erwerb von Lesekompetenz bei DaF-Anfänger*innen. In Díaz Pérez, O.C., Tschirner, E. & Wisniewski, K. (Eds.), Mexikanisch-deutsche Perspektiven auf Deutsch als Fremdsprache. Beiträge zum zehnjährigen Bestehen des binationalen Masterstudiengangs Leipzig-Guadalajara (pp. 237–254). Stauffenburg.
| Title | Simple Past and Perceived Difficulty in German ER |
|---|---|
| Teaching Context | College and university education |