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English Language Center, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Though a lot has been said about L2 acquisition and learners’ output, there is still much to be done in terms of research pertaining to the cognitive part of eye movement based on the nature of the target language (TL) within the process of learning. Thus, eye movement according to the nature of L2 can be a challenge that learners might face. Arab EFL, or ESP learners might find it more difficult, taking into consideration the nature of the script of their Arabic language mother tongue (MT) going from right to left, and being a total opposite of all Anglo Saxon scripts (left to right). The following article tries to focus on the input process of Arab learners while trying to adapt to, or learn English as a foreign language, and find out if the paradox of eye movement which is left to right vs. right to left, (in the case of EFL/ESP learning), has any impact on these particular learners’ actual output and performance.

KEYWORDS

eye movement, reading span, learning, EFL Arab learners

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