Whether mobile-assisted EFL/ESL reading is really effective becomes an increasingly important issue for foreign/second language teachers and policy-makers, as more and more mobile-assisted language learning systems are gradually integrated into EFL/ESL learning setting. However, there are insufficient empirical studies regarding students’ reading comprehension performances on mobile devices, and students’ perception of such reading format; therefore, employing questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interviews with a sample of 81 first-year college students, the present research aimed to investigate whether there are differences between mobile-assisted EFL/ESL reading and paper-based EFL/ESL reading concerning readers’ reading comprehension accuracy, reading speed, and application of reading strategies, in addition to probing into EFL/ESL learners’ attitudes toward mobile-assisted EFL/ESL reading. The analysis through qualitative description, ANOVA with mixed measures and paired-samples t-tests indicated that the reading comprehension accuracy and speed on mobile devices were not as effective as those on papers, along with students’ application of reading strategies (general strategy, problem-solving strategy and support strategy) was inferior than those applied on papers. Furthermore, although most of the participants held a positive attitude toward mobile reading mode, a majority of them still preferred paper-based EFL/ESL reading because it was easier for them to take notes and to stay focused and immersed when reading on such medium, compared with reading on mobile devices. The reasons for the disparities in EFL/ESL learners’ reading performance when processing and comprehending EFL/ESL texts on printed paper and on mobile device were discussed. The implications for using mobile-assisted reading in the blended learning classrooms to assist EFL/ESL learning and teaching were offered.
 

mobile-assisted EFL/ESL reading, paper-based EFL/ESL reading, reading comprehension accuracy, reading speed, reading strategies, students’ attitudes