Difficulty overdose? Inconclusive effect of the disfluent font on reading in second language

2024.

Tsigeman-Gorenko E., Likhanov M., Kalinnikova L., Nikulenko A., Filimonova E., Kovas Y.

Multiple studies show that reading in hard-to-read (dysfluent) fonts can enhance  memory and comprehension of learnt material, but it is unclear if this effect extends to second language (L2) learning. This study investigated the impact of dysfluent fonts on L2 text memorisation and comprehension, accounting for learners’ individual differences (gender, L2 anxiety, L2 proficiency and L1 vocabulary size) in a sample of 454 students. We did not find a conclusive positive disfluency effect on short- or long-delayed information retention or comprehension as well as on metacognitive judgements. Moreover, individual differences did not moderate the effect. We propose that font dysfluency may have positive effect in inexperienced readers, but may also cause a “difficulty overdose” in learners with very little reading experience. More research is needed to test whether there is a “window of opportunity” in the course of the reading skills’ development – when disfluency is particularly beneficial.

Keywords: judgments of learning, fonts, disfluency effect, Desirable difficulty, Second language learning