Lexical and Conceptual Awareness in L2 Reading: An Exploratory Study: 7 (Language Culture Literacy)

The book explores the novel field of lexical and conceptual awareness in L2 reading from both a theoretical and an empirical perspective. The theoretical part consists of a thorough literature review of the key terms. The empirical part presents an in-depth analysis of L2 learners’ lexical and conceptual awareness/challenges based on text and worksheet data as well as 110 hours of video material. In total, data from 156 L2 learners participating in video-taped collaborative reading scenarios and the corresponding stimulated recall sessions have been analyzed in a primarily qualitative manner. The results demonstrate the multidimensionality of the two major constructs and highlight learners’ need for further support. Theoretical, methodological and practical recommendations are provided.

Jennifer Schluer is an applied linguist and currently works as a researcher and lecturer at the English department of the University of Kassel, Germany. Her fields of interest include L2 reading and (academic) writing, language awareness and cultural awareness, multilingualism and intercultural communication.