Abstract:
The high lexical density and complex morphology of written standard English in academic and administrative contexts have raised concerns about their effect on reading proficiency across educational levels. This study provides empirical evidence of a serial multiple mediator model supporting the relationship between English L2 students� morphological awareness, vocabulary knowledge, reading proficiency and academic achievement. Comparisons were made at two levels: general English and academic English. Data were acquired from 454 second- and third-year English L2 university students in Ghana, West Africa. Using two different mediation analyses, the study produced significant evidence for a two-mediator model at both levels. Morphological awareness is modelled as affecting academic achievement through four different pathways: indirectly through vocabulary, indirectly through reading comprehension, indirectly through vocabulary and reading comprehension sequentially, and directly. This shows that knowledge of morphology both directly and indirectly influences academic achievement at tertiary level in English L2 contexts. � 2020 Elsevier Ltd
Description:
Stoffelsma, L., Department of Linguistics & Modern Languages, University of South Africa (UNISA), Pretoria, South Africa, Centre for Language Studies, Faculty of Arts, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9103, NL-6500 HD, Nijmegen, Netherlands; Spooren, W., Full Professor Discourse Studies of Dutch, Centre for Language Studies, Faculty of Arts, Radboud University Nijmegen, Room E6.29 / E13.04, P.O. Box 9103, NL-6500 HD, Nijmegen, Netherlands; Mwinlaaru, I.N., Department of English, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana; Antwi, V., Department of Physics, University of Education Winneba, Winneba, Ghana