The present study explored the effects of repeated reading on reading comprehension and learners’ perceived difficulty in different text conditions. One hundred eighty-three Korean high school students participated in the study and were assigned to two groups, the one using modified texts in class (Modified) and the other using original texts in class (Original). The learners’ reading comprehension, consisting of three types such as general, specific, and inferential, was measured through pre-, post-, and delayed tests. Their perceptions on text difficulty were checked with a seven-point Likert scale. The results showed that there was no immediate effect of text conditions on reading comprehension; little difference was shown between the groups. Delayed effects, however, were found in both groups, in terms of general and inferential. The results imply that regardless of text conditions, the repetition or familiarity of the conditions could contribute substantially to improvements in general and inferential comprehension. It was also found that depending on proficiency levels, the effects of text conditions on reading comprehension were differently shown. High level learners (HLL) of the Modified group showed significant improvements in general, while HLL of the Original group showed a significant drop in specific. Both Intermediate and low level learners (ILL & LLL) of the Modified group displayed significant difference in general and inferential, while ILL and LLL of the Original group showed significant difference in inferential and general, respectively. Thus, it could be inferred that instruction with modified texts is generally more beneficial to all the levels of the students than one with original texts. In perceived text difficulty, the higher proficiency levels, the easier the learners felt the texts, and the Modified group found the reading texts significantly easier than the Original group.

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Hyeok Jin Cheon is a teacher of Chonnam National University High School and an instructor of the Department of English Education at Chonnam National University. His research articles have appeared in various journals, including International Journal of Lexicography, English Teaching, Korean Journal of Applied Linguistics, and English Language & Literature Teaching. His research interests are L2 development in four skills and vocabulary acquisition.