The interaction of affect and learning preference on ESL reading comprehension : a comparison of electronic and paper textbooks

Abstract

Student learning preferences are key to successful SLA teaching and learning. Many SLA theorists (e.g., Tomlinson, 2011) support socio-cultural approaches in language acquisition, which encompasses student affect and preferences. The use of electronic textbooks (ebooks) can possibly increase student engagement through affect, and boost student reading comprehension through accessing student preference, such as utilizing the built-in dictionary as a strategy to build reading comprehension and manipulating the text features to optimally meet the learner’s visual preferences (Nation, 2013, Loucky, 2010). Two groups of 22 ESL university students each, from a variety of language backgrounds, performed a reading pre-test before being given a short reading passage. The control group received the reading passage in paper textbook format, and the experimental group received the reading passage in ebook format. After training in reading support strategies, both groups were given a reading comprehension test immediately after reading the passage and again one week later. Both groups were given a survey to examine students’ affect and preferences. The results of the study indicate that there was not a significant difference in reading comprehension between the groups. However, according to the surveys, students enjoyed ebooks once becoming familiar with them.