Examining the Interaction Among Components of English for Specific Purposes Ability in Reading : The Triple-Decker Model

The book presents the Triple-Decker Model that describes the interactive mechanism among key constituents of English for Specific Purposes Ability (ESPA): language knowledge, strategic competence and background knowledge (nursing knowledge). First, the model reveals that ESPA constituents can be assigned to three groups according to their roles in determining ESPA in reading: automators (language knowledge and background knowledge) that respond most directly, assistants (the cognitive aspect of strategic competence) that come to assist when automators are insufficient or boggle down, and regulators (the metacognitive aspect of strategic competence) that supervise all cognitive activities. Second, the model demonstrates the effect of strategic competence and background knowledge on ESPA fluctuated with the continuous increase of language knowledge. The book also demonstrates the use of two innovative analytical techniques: composite scores based on bifactor multidimensional item response theory for scoring ESP reading tests and the multi-layered-moderation analysis (MLMA) for detecting linear and nonlinear moderation relations. Dedication 6 Acknowledgements 8 Contents 10 1 Introduction 20 2 Literature Review 36 3 Methodology 64 4 Preliminary Results 86 5 Main Results: Interaction among ESPA Components 128 6 Discussion 170 7 Conclusions 206 References 228 Appendix A: Basic Techniques about IRT and MIRT 252 Appendix B: The Medical and Nursing Knowledge Test 255 Appendix C: The Grammatical Knowledge Test 258 Appendix D: The Medical and Nursing English Reading Test 259 Appendix E1: The Strategic Competence Questionnaire (Chinese Version) 265 Appendix E2: The Strategic Competence Questionnaire (English Version) 267 Index 270