Does the Simple View of Reading Explain Korean Elementary EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension?

Abstract

Num erous studies have supported the simple view of reading by showing the significant predictive roles of oral language comprehension abilit y and decoding skills in the r e ading comprehension of monolinguals and second language learners. However, little is known about its applicability to young foreign language learners who do not have much access to the target language and literac y input outside the school and esp e cially t h ose whose first and second language s are typologically different. Th is study was designed to examine the contribution of English oral language comprehension abilit y and decoding skills to the read ing comprehension of fifth grade Korean EFL learne r s. In do i ng so, the indirect effects of oral language abi lit y and phonological awareness were also considered , and English reading fluency and Korean reading comprehension abilities were controll ed for . The findings not only support the simple view of rea d ing but a lso highlight the indirect effects of oral lang uage comprehension abilit y and phonological awareness on reading comprehension abilities via the effects of decoding skills.