The effects of L۱ Reading Strategies, L۲ Proficiency, and L۲ Reading Anxiety on L۲ Reading Comprehension

It is a widely held belief in SLA that the reader's prior knowledge including their L۱ reading strategies are associated with L۲ reading when explaining L۱-L۲ transfer of knowledge and strategies. However, the role of affective factors (e.g. reading anxiety) has been underresearched in this relationship. This study attempted to find out the contribution of L۱ reading strategies, L۲ reading anxiety and L۲ proficiency to L۲ reading comprehension. The objective of the study was to explore whether L۲ reading anxiety can override the effect of L۲ proficiency, weaken L۱-L۲ relationship, and result in a poor performance, and to see which variable (L۲ proficiency, L۱ awareness of reading strategies, or L۲ reading anxiety) has a major impact on L۲ reading comprehension ability. A sample of ۲۸۳ graduate students were selected based on convenient sampling from University of Mazandaran and Noushirvani University. The data were collected using an L۲ reading comprehension test, an L۲ reading anxiety questionnaire, an L۱ reading strategy use questionnaire, and an English proficiency test. Having conducted Pearson correlation and linear regression analyses, it was found that L۲ proficiency accounted for eighty-six percent of the variations, but L۱ reading strategy use and L۲ reading anxiety could marginally contribute to the variations of L۲ reading comprehension ability. These facts implied that learners are not necessarily dependent on their L۱ reading strategy use and affected by L۲ reading anxiety; it seems L۲ proficiency level can compensate for L۱ reading strategic competence and L۲ negative affective factor effects in L۲ reading comprehension.

Keywords:

: L۱ reading strategy use , L۲ proficiency , L۲ reading anxiety , L۲ reading comprehension