The relationship between brain reaction and English reading tests for non-native English speakers

Abstract This research analyzed the brain activity of non-native English speakers while engaged in English reading tests. The brain wave event-related potentials (ERPs) of participants were used to analyze the difference between making correct and incorrect choices on English reading test items. Thr...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brain research 2016-07, Vol.1642, p.384-388
Main Authors: Cheng, Pei-Wen, Tian, Yu-Jie, Kuo, Ting-Hua, Sun, Koun-Tem
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Brain - physiology
Comprehension - physiology
Electroencephalography
Event related-potentials (ERPs)
Evoked Potentials
Feedback, Psychological - physiology
Female
Humans
Language Tests
Male
Multilingualism
N600
Neurology
Neuropsychological Tests
Non-native english speaker
Pattern Recognition, Visual - physiology
Reading
Reading tests
Sex Characteristics
Young Adult
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Abstract This research analyzed the brain activity of non-native English speakers while engaged in English reading tests. The brain wave event-related potentials (ERPs) of participants were used to analyze the difference between making correct and incorrect choices on English reading test items. Three English reading tests of differing levels were designed and twenty participants, ten males and ten females whose ages ranged from 20 to 24, voluntarily participated in the experiment. Experimental results were analyzed by performing independent t -tests on the ERPs of participants for gender, difficulty level, and correct versus wrong options. Participants who chose incorrect options elicited a larger N600, verifying results found in the literature. Another interesting result was found: For incorrectly answered items, different areas of brain showing a significant difference in ERPs between the chosen and non-chosen options corresponded to gender differences; for males, this area was located in the right hemisphere whereas for females, it was located in the left. Experimental results imply that non-native English speaking males and females employ different areas of the brain to comprehend the meaning of difficult items.
ISSN:0006-8993
1872-6240
DOI:10.1016/j.brainres.2016.04.044