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Revisiting Text Readability and Processing Effort in Second Language Reading: Bayesian Analysis of Eye-Tracking Data

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Title: Revisiting Text Readability and Processing Effort in Second Language Reading: Bayesian Analysis of Eye-Tracking Data
Language: English
Authors: Shingo Nahatame (ORCID 0000-0002-8488-8603), Kazuhiro Yamaguchi
Source: Language Learning. 2026 76(2):671-703.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 33
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Eye Movements, Readability, Second Language Learning, English (Second Language), Bayesian Statistics, Prediction, Language Processing, Reading Comprehension, Distinctive Features (Language), Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students, Foreign Countries
Geographic Terms: Japan
DOI: 10.1111/lang.70011
ISSN: 0023-8333
1467-9922
Abstract: Studies have explored the relationship between text readability and processing effort in second language (L2) reading--as evidenced by eye movements. However, these studies generally relied on short texts, raising concerns about the validity of the analyzed data. This study reexamined these relationships using open-source eye-tracking data from L2 English learners who read longer passages (those over 200 words). The passages were analyzed for different readability indices and various linguistic features, which were subsequently used to predict some passage-level eye-tracking measures. Bayesian analysis revealed that complex linguistic features, primarily lexical sophistication, play a significant role in predicting these measures. However, the benefits of using these features were not much greater than those of using readability indices or simple linguistic features, such as word and sentence length. This study concludes that simple linguistic features can be effective predictors of processing effort in L2 text reading, considering their interpretability and low computational cost.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1504635
Database: ERIC
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shingo+Nahatame%22">Shingo Nahatame</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8488-8603">0000-0002-8488-8603</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kazuhiro+Yamaguchi%22">Kazuhiro Yamaguchi</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Language+Learning%22"><i>Language Learning</i></searchLink>. 2026 76(2):671-703.
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Eye+Movements%22">Eye Movements</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Readability%22">Readability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Learning%22">Second Language Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+%28Second+Language%29%22">English (Second Language)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bayesian+Statistics%22">Bayesian Statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Prediction%22">Prediction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Processing%22">Language Processing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Comprehension%22">Reading Comprehension</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Distinctive+Features+%28Language%29%22">Distinctive Features (Language)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Undergraduate+Students%22">Undergraduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Graduate+Students%22">Graduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1111/lang.70011
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  Data: 0023-8333<br />1467-9922
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  Data: Studies have explored the relationship between text readability and processing effort in second language (L2) reading--as evidenced by eye movements. However, these studies generally relied on short texts, raising concerns about the validity of the analyzed data. This study reexamined these relationships using open-source eye-tracking data from L2 English learners who read longer passages (those over 200 words). The passages were analyzed for different readability indices and various linguistic features, which were subsequently used to predict some passage-level eye-tracking measures. Bayesian analysis revealed that complex linguistic features, primarily lexical sophistication, play a significant role in predicting these measures. However, the benefits of using these features were not much greater than those of using readability indices or simple linguistic features, such as word and sentence length. This study concludes that simple linguistic features can be effective predictors of processing effort in L2 text reading, considering their interpretability and low computational cost.
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        StartPage: 671
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      – SubjectFull: Readability
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      – SubjectFull: Second Language Learning
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      – SubjectFull: Japan
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