Editorial

Reading comprehension and the variables that impact on it have been investigated in numerous ways by researchers from all parts of the world. What we do understand today is that many variables can influence how a reader makes meaning from a text and these can vary from structural, linguistic, cultural, and social features. In Revisiting the Role of Linguistic Complexity in ESL Reading Comprehension, Jessie S. Barrot explores the linguistic variable, focusing on syntactic and lexical features. The writer proposes using lexical features to determine text readability and reading comprehension ability, because when the these features are complex, the readers find it more difficult to process narrative text. Barrot reminds us that while syntactic features are often viewed as a factor that can influence reading comprehension, these features can have an erratic pattern and as such may not be helpful in the process of aiding reading. The findings have implications for the selection of reading materials and suggest that selection of narrative texts should focus on lexical features while expository texts should be used to focus on syntactic features. This would ensure that sufficient emphasis is given to the two linguistic components that influence ESL reading comprehension.