Performance Trade-Offs Across Different Media in the L2 Classroom

The research explores the impact of reading media on reading comprehension among learners of English as a second language. Data were collected from a convenient, purposive sample of 111 students from a private, English-speaking university in Beirut, Lebanon. As part of their Advanced English research-based course requirements, students were required to sit for four reading achievement tests based on different scholarly articles; two tests were administered online, and two were given in paper and pen format. The reading texts varied in length: short texts (one to two pages in length) and long texts (three to four pages). Results were then recorded and analyzed both descriptively and inferentially using paired t tests. The findings seemed to reveal the students' highest scores were on offline short texts likely due to compromised attention spans. Recommendations include incorporating digital tools for cooperative learning and, where analysis and critical thinking are required, traditional reading modalities are advised.