The Effects of Bionic Reading on EFL Learners' Academic English Reading: Evidence From Behavioural and Eye‐Tracking Studies

Background Academic reading in a foreign language poses significant challenges, often increasing cognitive load and reducing reading efficiency. Bionic Reading (BR), a visual input enhancement tool, has emerged as a potential strategy to support readers by guiding the eyes through optimized text formatting. However, empirical evidence regarding the effects of BR on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, particularly in the context of academic reading, remains limited. Objectives This study aimed to investigate the effects of BR on the academic reading performance and cognitive load of EFL learners with different proficiencies. Specifically, it explored BR's influence on behavioural reading measures and eye movement patterns. Methods Two experiments were conducted. Experiment 1 assessed the impact of BR on behavioural outcomes, including reading comprehension accuracy, reading time, and cognitive load. Experiment 2 employed eye‐tracking technology to examine the effects of BR on eye‐tracking metrics such as fixation duration, regression path duration, and regression‐out counts. Additionally, follow‐up interviews were conducted to explore participants' perceptions and attitudes toward BR. Results BR significantly improved reading comprehension accuracy and reduced total fixation duration, regression path duration, and regression‐out counts, indicating enhanced reading efficiency and reduced cognitive load. Interview findings revealed that most participants reported positive attitudes toward BR and expressed a willingness to integrate it into their future reading and language learning activities. Conclusions Digital tools like BR have great potential to enhance academic reading performance and reduce cognitive load among EFL learners. These results provide preliminary evidence for the development of personalized reading support technologies in language education and highlight BR's promise as a supportive aid for improving reading skills.