Word processing difficulty and executive control interactively shape comprehension monitoring in a second language: an eye-tracking study

Abstract Successful reading comprehension—especially in a second language (L2)—relies on the ability to monitor one’s comprehension, that is, notice comprehension breaks and make repairs. Comprehension monitoring may be limited given effortful word processing but also supported through active reading. The current study addresses what extent difficulty reduces adolescents’ their L2, whether readers can compensate limitations sufficient executive control. We conducted an eye-tracking experiment which 34 adolescent L2 learners (aged 13–17 years) read short expository texts containing two within-subject manipulations. First, was tested inconsistencies, for example, when topic changed from Spanish Russian vis-à-vis consistent controls. Second, altered by inserting either shorter higher-frequency words such as want , or longer lower-frequency prefer . additionally measured participants’ Outcome variables were times whole manipulated inconsistency difficulty. found evidence of successful moment-to-moment monitoring, visible increased rereading inconsistent compared information. adolescents adapted differently difficulty, depending control: while with weaker control reduced higher stronger monitored more (instead less) difficult texts. These findings provide insights into how arises interplay lower-level load processes.