Discussion
This study explored Japanese EFL learners’ decoding errors due to the process, text, and
intrusion problems they encountered when listening to authentic segments of news
videotexts. As the representative examples presented show, a variety of decoding issues
were evident, and for each example there was a range of responses reflecting similarities and
differences in decoding breakdowns for the given learners. However, the analysis for the
selected examples highlights, as mentioned above, that it is not always a straightforward
process to pinpoint whether the decoding issue at hand clearly relates to a process, text, or
intrusion problem. Realistically, the examples above indicate that decoding errors are likely
to result due to some combination of problem types, with possibly one type of problem
being more prominent as the cause of a particular decoding error. Furthermore, although
within each example there were decoding errors common across listeners and assertions
regarding the associated type of problem responsible were subsequently made, each
individual listener obviously processes the incoming speech stream in an idiosyncratic
manner. As such, decisions regarding the most likely problem listeners experienced for a
common decoding error should be viewed as informed generalizations. Nonetheless, such
generalizations are still useful for guiding decisions with respect to appropriate remedial
action. The examples presented highlight a number of aspects regarding the types of decoding
problems learners experienced as they attempted to comprehend the segments of news
videotext: