Difficulties in Reading and Writing English as a Foreign Language among Japanese Students and Its Association with Japanese Language and Cognitive Abilities

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between cognitive abilities in students with difficulties learning English as a foreign language (EFL) and Japanese reading and writing proficiency (L1). Japanese university students (N = 39) participated in this study. We evaluated their English and Japanese reading and writing skills, phonological abilities, rapid automatized naming (RAN), visual cognitive abilities, and vocabulary. The results reveal a strong correlation between reading and writing skills and phonological awareness in English as a foreign language. Students with weaker English skills particularly struggled with tasks requiring phoneme awareness. We also identified variations in the type and degree of cognitive abilities among students with lower English proficiency, lower Japanese proficiency, or lower proficiency in both languages. Interestingly, a subset of participants, proficient in Japanese, exhibited lower reading and writing scores and cognitive weaknesses for English only. These findings highlight the critical need to undertake further research into reading and writing difficulties in EFL stemming from factors other than environmental influences or limited learning experiences. The findings of this study are crucial for assessing the need for reasonable accommodation of students experiencing English learning challenges.