Construction of a Syntactic Processing Automaticity Measurement for Japanese EFL Learners

Abstract

　　The reading rate of Japanese EFL learners’ is extremely low. Given the high complexity of the reading process, research on reading problems has widely relied on componential analysis, a method that divides reading into higher- and lower-level processes. In lower-level processes, text information is retrieved, while in higher-level processes, text information is processed for comprehension. According to previous research, lower-level processes must be automatized to enable fluent comprehension processes. Despite its importance, few empirical studies about the automatization of foreign language reading have been conducted, and only a handful of studies have focused on the automatization of syntactic processing (one of the lower-level processes). A reliable measure is necessary to estimate how syntactic processing is automatized. This study developed a test to measure the level of syntactic processing automaticity based on skill acquisition theory and implicit-explicit knowledge theory of second language acquisition. A pilot test was conducted to examine the reliability of the test, and 74 university students participated. The reliability analysis resulted in a Cronbach’s α of .685. Rasch measurement statistics for item difficulty and model fit suggested the need for further improvement in the test. After analyzing the reasons for the misfits, the items were modified or replaced with more appropriate ones.