Vocabulary and reading medical texts
In both first language and foreign language contexts there has been considerable debate as to the exact nature of the relationship between readers' levels of vocabulary knowledge and their ability to comprehend texts. This research examines this relationship in detail and in particular addresses three specific issues: a) How important is vocabulary knowledge for Spanish speakers reading medical texts in English?; b) What levels of vocabulary knowledge are required by these readers for this task?; and c) What other factors influence the levels of vocabulary knowledge needed for successful text comprehension? Six experiments were carried out to investigate these questions. The results revealed that the importance of vocabulary knowledge varied considerably across the different experiments. No support was found for the contention that it is possible to establish for all readers and texts fixed levels of vocabulary which must be attained to ensure successful text comprehension. Three factors were identified as having a major impact on the levels of vocabulary knowledge needed by readers. These included the actual reading comprehension test method used to assess text comprehension, the levels of background knowledge
Miller, P. W.
Vocabulary and reading medical texts. In both first language and foreign language contexts there has been considerable debate as to the exact nature of the relationship between readers' levels of vocabulary knowledge and their ability to comprehend texts. This research examines this relationship in detail and in particular addresses three specific issues: a) How important is vocabulary knowledge for Spanish speakers reading medical texts in English?; b) What levels of vocabulary knowledge are required by these readers for this task?; and c) What other factors influence the levels of vocabulary knowledge needed for successful text comprehension? Six experiments were carried out to investigate these questions. The results revealed that the importance of vocabulary knowledge varied considerably across the different experiments. No support was found for the contention that it is possible to establish for all readers and texts fixed levels of vocabulary which must be attained to ensure successful text comprehension. Three factors were identified as having a major impact on the levels of vocabulary knowledge needed by readers. These included the actual reading comprehension test method used to assess text comprehension, the levels of background knowledge
vocabulary reading medical_text first_language foreign_language context considerable_debate exact nature_relationship reader level vocabulary knowledge ability comprehend text examines_relationship detail particular address_three specific_issue important vocabulary_knowledge spanish speaker read medical_text english level vocabulary knowledge require reader task factor_influence level vocabulary knowledge need successful text_comprehension carry investigate question reveal importance vocabulary_knowledge vary_considerably across_different experiment support find contention possible establish reader texts fix level vocabulary must attain ensure successful text_comprehension factor identify major impact level vocabulary knowledge need reader include actual reading comprehension test method_use assess text_comprehension level background_knowledge