The impact of visual-verbal relationships on native-nonnative english speakers' reading processes and comprehension

The aim of this study was to comparatively investigate the impact of visual-verbal relationships that exist in expository texts on the reading process and comprehension of readers from different language background: native speakers of English (LI) and speakers of English as a foreign language (EFL). The study focussed, in this respect, on the visual elements (VEs) mainly graphs and tables that accompanied the selected texts. Two major experiments were undertaken. The first, was for the reading process using the post-reading questionnaire technique. Participants were 163 adult readers representing three groups: 77 (LI), 56 (EFL postgraduates); and 30 (EFL undergraduates). The second experiment was for the reading comprehension using cloze procedure. Participants were 123 representing the same above gorups: 50, 33 and 40 respectively. It was hypothesised that the LI readers would make use of VEs in the reading process in ways different from both EFL groups and that use would enhance each group's comprehension in different aspects and to different levels. In the analysis of the data of both experiments two statistical measurements were used. The chi-square was used to measure the differences between frequencies and the t-test was used to measure the differences between means. The results indicated a significant relationship between readers' language background and the impact of visual-verbal relationships on their reading processes and comprehension of such type of texts. The results also revealed considerable similarities between the two EFL groups in the reading process of texts accompanied by VEs. In the reading comprehension, however, the EFL undergraduates seemed to benefit from the visual-verbal relationships in their comprehension more than the postgraduates, suggesting a weak relationship of this impact for older EFL readers. Furthermore, the results showed considerable similarities between the reading process of texts accompanied by VEs and of whole prose texts. Finally an evaluation of this study was undertaken as well as practical implications for EFL readers and suggestions for future research.

Verbal negation in the inter-language of Arabic-speaking women acquiring English as a second language

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How accurate are photographic surrogate markers used to detect macular oedema in the english national Screening Programme?

Introduction: Macular oedema is not directly visible on digital photographs used in screening. Photographic surrogate markers are used to detect patients who may have macular oedema. Evidence suggests that only around 10% of patients with these surrogate markers referred to an ophthalmologist have macular oedema when examined by slit-lamp biomicroscopy. Purpose: The purpose of this audit was to determine how many patients with surrogate markers were truly identified by optical coherence tomography (OCT) as having macular oedema. Method: Data were collected from patients attending digital diabetic retinopathy screening. Patients who presented with surrogate markers for macular oedema also had an OCT scan. The fast macula scan on the Stratus OCT was used and an ophthalmologist reviewed the scans to determine whether macular oedema was present. Results: Out of 66 patients with maculopathy defined as haemorrhages or microaneurysms within one optic disc diameter (DD) of the fovea and visual acuity (VA) worse than 6/9 11 (17%) showed thickening on the OCT, only 4 (6%) had macular oedema. None required laser. Out of 155 patients with maculopathy defined as any exudate within one DD of the fovea or circinate within two DD 45 (29%) showed thickening on the OCT of these 27% required laser. Conclusion: OCT is a useful tool in screening to help identify those who need a true referral to ophthalmology for maculopathy. If exudate is present the chance of having macular oedema and requiring laser treatment is greater than the presence of microaneurysms within one DD and reduced VA.

Gender, borrowing patterns and self-employment:some evidence for England

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, we try to identify whether women have different borrowing patterns from men when trying to get into self-employment along with the factors that explain these different propensities. Second, we try to quantify the impact of these differences in borrowing propensity on women's willingness to become self-employed. The empirical analysis is carried out on a sample of individuals drawn from the English Household Survey of Entrepreneurship, 2003. Our results show that (1) women are less likely than men to seek external finance and that (2) gender differences in access to finance are affecting adversely the transition into self-employment. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.