本研究採用混合研究法，研究場域為台灣某大學工程學院的一門課程，研究者藉由參與觀察法進行一個學期的資料蒐集，並搭配半結構式訪談及文件分析。研究結果顯示，工程領域的學術英語閱讀融合廣泛的模態資源，除運用語言文字模態外，也需超語言模態(extra-linguistic modes)，藉由多重模態組成共構，實現意義。然而本研究中的學習者在閱讀原文教科書時，相比於課文的說明闡釋，更偏重於超語言模態，仰賴如數學公式及工程領域的特殊符號。有鑑於此，本研究建議學術英語教學應採納跨模態及跨語言實踐方式，以協助學習者更全面地習得專業學科領域之英語能力。;This study investigates textbook reading practices of Taiwanese EAP (English for Academic Purposes) readers in their disciplinary context, examining the class as a discourse community where the textbook serves as one meaning-making resource among many for achieving students′ academic goals within this specialized discourse. Building on the theoretical frameworks of multimodality and translanguaging, this research explores how meaning is constructed in a learning environment that blends linguistic, mathematical, visual, and symbolic representations, emphasizing how students′ reading practices are shaped by course-specific purposes.
Employing a mixed-method approach, the study incorporates on-site observations, semistructured interviews, and analysis of collected artifacts, all collected during one semester of a university engineering course in Taiwan. Findings reveal that disciplinary learning in engineering requires the co-deployment of diverse multimodal resources. Notably, reading passages of English prose explanations in the textbook plays a surprisingly modest role in students′ learning and success in this course. Instead, students rely on worked examples and prioritize extra-linguistic modes (graphics, diagrams, mathematical symbols) over textual explanations.
The study concludes by discussing implications for EAP courses and engineering education, emphasizing the need for a more integrated approach that fosters cross-modal and translanguaging practices.
