A study of reading strategies used by learners of Chinese as a second language

Effective strategy groups used by readers of Chinese as a foreign language

Second language (L2) reading research suggests that successful reading comprehension usually involves a repertoire of strategies. Although Chinese is considered to be a challenging language for foreign language readers, thus far, few studies have investigated how strategies are orchestrated by readers of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) readers to enhance comprehension. This study investigated how L2 Chinese readers grouped multiple strategies to comprehend a Chinese text. It identified several strategy clusters and pairs that helped adult CFL readers to infer words, monitor comprehension, and segment words successfully. It also revealed interrelations between and among strategies within each cluster and pair. The results showed that successful use of strategies in CFL reading usually involves context and multiple linguistic cues. In addition, vocabulary and grammar knowledge play important roles in CFL readers’ use of reading strategies.