The Impact of Orthographic Transparency and Typology on L2 Learner Perceptions
The Impact of Orthographic Transparency and Typology on L2 Learner Perceptions

Summary/Abstract: While there is substantial research on literacy in the L1, factors impacting literacy inthe L2 remain understudied. Preliminary research indicates that orthographic accuracy andtypology influence literacy acquisition, indicating these aspects of linguistic representationneed further exploration within the context of second-language acquisition (SLA). Additionally,SLA research on individual learner differences highlights emotional factors such as attitudeand motivation, which are widely considered critical indicators of L2 success. Motivationis closely linked to perceptions towards the L2, which indicates learner perceptions of L2literacy could impact success in learning to read and write. As such, this paper presentsa cross-lingual, mixed-methods study that compares the orthographic transparency and typologiesof 26 languages against learners’ (n = 217) perceptions of L2 literacy acquisition, suchas perceived difficulty of the orthography and a self-assessment of literacy skills. Resultsindicated that orthographic transparency has a greater impact on learners’ perceptions comparedto typology alone.

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