scholarly journals The Effects of Formative and Dynamic Assessments of Reading Comprehensions on Intermediate EFL Learners’ Test Anxiety

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 533
Author(s):  
Seyyed Hossein Sanaeifar ◽  
Fatemeh Nafarzadeh Nafari
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Test Anxiety ◽  
Dynamic Assessment ◽  
Anxiety Reduction ◽  
Placement Test ◽  
Test Question ◽  
Reading Task ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Comprehension Test ◽  
Post Test

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of formative and dynamic assessments of reading comprehension on intermediate EFL learners’ test anxiety. To conduct the study, 50 out of 66 intermediate Iranian EFL learners, males (N= 22) and females (N=28) with age range of 14 to 19 were selected from a private institute based on their performance on the Oxford Placement Test (syndicate, 2001). They were randomly classified into formative and dynamic assessment groups of intermediate EFL learners which were 25 learners in each group. For the formative group the researchers administered reading comprehension test after teaching each reading task. The researcher provides feedback for each student based on their performance on the test separately. For dynamic group the researcher used sandwich model of dynamic assessment i.e. after each reading task the researcher administered reading comprehension test as a pre-test then after collecting pre-test information, the researcher provided mediation and necessary information for answering test question generally to students. The data were collected through the pre-test and the post-test. For pre-test and post-test the researcher used test anxiety questionnaire (Sarason, 1984). The data were analyzed using SPSS software. The result of this study showed that formative assessment of reading comprehension have statistically significant effect on intermediate EFL learners’ test anxiety reduction and dynamic assessment of reading comprehension have statistically significant effect on intermediate EFL learners’ test anxiety reduction. Also dynamic assessment of reading comprehension had more effect on intermediate EFL learners’ test anxiety reduction.

scholarly journals Newspaper Reading Comprehension Development through Vocabulary or Structure Instruction

IJOHMN ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Samane Naderi ◽  
Ali Fazilatfar
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
The Other ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Comprehension Test ◽  
Comprehension Development ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Structure Instruction ◽  
First Session

The purpose of this study is investigating the effect of specific vocabularies and structures instruction on the upper intermediate EFL learners’ newspaper reading comprehension development. For this purpose, fifty four female upper intermediate EFL learners were selected and randomly assigned in three groups each consisting of eighteen learners, two experimental and one control. At the first session,a researcher-made newspaper reading comprehension test was applied as the pretest. The learners of one experimental group received instruction of newspaper structures and the other one received related vocabularies instruction and the control one received just translation of newspaper content by the teacher. In the last session, another researcher-made comprehension test was administered for three groups as the post test. The findings indicate thatstructure instruction is significantly the most beneficial one and the mere translation of newspaper content is the least beneficial in developing learner's newspaper reading comprehension.The results of interviews confirmed the study findings as well.

scholarly journals The Effects of Dynamic Assessment on Reading Skill Performance: A Study of Indonesian EFL Learners

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 151
Author(s):  
Andri Suherman
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Dynamic Assessment ◽  
Reading Skill ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Paired Samples ◽  
Skill Performance ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Different Characteristics

<p>This research article aimed to analyze the effects of Dynamic Assessment (DA) on EFL learners' reading comprehension. The participants in this case study were five Indonesian tertiary-level EFL learners. It investigated whether mediation in DA improve the learners reading comprehension performances and analyzed the extent to which mediation in DA benefit learning. The research methods used were pre-test, mediation, and post-test. The findings revealed two main points. First, the result of the post-test showed an overall improvement for all five students. As indicated by the effect size (0.96) and the result of paired samples t-test (<em>p</em>-value = 0.0028), it can be concluded that the effect of DA on the participants’ reading skill performance was highly significant. Second, mediation in DA appeared to benefit learning with different characteristics in each student. The implications of this study were to provide practical insight to EFL teachers into how mediation can be developed to improve learners' reading skills and to inform EFL teachers with some suggestions to carry out mediations to benefit learning.</p>

scholarly journals The Effect of Two Pre- task Activities: Pre- taught Vocabulary and Brainstorming on Intermediate EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 86
Author(s):  
Masoud Khalili Sabet ◽  
Abdorreza Tahriri ◽  
Somayeh Rostami Shirkoohi
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Placement Test ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Attitude Questionnaire ◽  
Intermediate Students ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Experimental Group

The primary purpose of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of two pre- task activities of reading: pre- taught vocabulary and brainstorming in EFL learners’ reading comprehending.  To this end, three intact classes in a private English Institute in Tehran, were selected from a population of 60 English learners.  Based on their scores on Oxford Placement Test (OPT), the students were randomly assigned into two experimental groups and one control group and a pre-test was run at the beginning of the course. At outset of the course a pre- test was run among three groups.  The researcher instructed the experimental groups in 16 weeks, one session a week and lasting 40 minutes in each session. The first experimental group benefited from pre- taught vocabulary, while the second experimental group benefited from brainstorming as a pre- task and the third group did not receive any pre- task activities in the reading class. At the end of the course, a post- test with the same items of the pre- test was run to determine the improvement of EFL intermediate students’ reading comprehension changes and an attitude questionnaire was planned to determine the learners’ attitudes toward the pre- task activities.    The results of paired sample t- test indicated that the use of pre- taught vocabulary and also brainstorming enhanced the scores of  the first experimental and second experimental groups’  post- tests ; moreover, ANOVA results revealed a significant increase in reading comprehension scores  of the first and the second  experimental groups’ post- tests compared to the control group’ post-test scores.  The results of attitude questionnaire demonstrated the pupils’ positive attitudes toward the use of pre- task activities. 

scholarly journals Dynamic Assessment of IELTS Writing Task One through Mobile Learning in the Context of Iranian EFL Learners

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leila Moeinpour ◽  
Mahdi Nasiri ◽  
Aiyoub Jodairi Pineh ◽  
Nikoo Davarpanah
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Mobile Learning ◽  
Dynamic Assessment ◽  
Placement Test ◽  
Proximal Development ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Intact Group ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Writing Task

Dynamic assessment is an approach primarily based on sociocultural theory of mind with the objective of combining instruction and assessment. In this approach learners’ development is simultaneously assessed regarding their Zone of Proximal Development. The present study was intended to investigate the effect of Mobile-Assisted Dynamic Assessment (MADA) on IELTS writing task one and also the EFL learners' perception to such approaches toward language learning. In order to achieve the aim of this quasi-experimental study, a social networking application, namely Telegram was applied on mobile phones. Based on the scores on the Oxford Quick Placement Test, twenty-three Iranian advanced-level EFL learners out of a population of 40 students participated in this study. An intact group went through a pre-test- treatment-post-test process. In the end, the participants were interviewed for their perceptions on mobile assisted dynamic assessment which was used to assess their writing skill. The results of the data analysis revealed that the participants experienced improvement in their writing after the treatment and obtained a significant increase in their scores of the post-test, and they benefited from the process of dynamic assessment through online mobile-learning environment. They further had a positive perception towards MADA.

scholarly journals The Effect of Using Video Technology on Improving Reading Comprehension of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amir Mohammadian ◽  
Amin Saed ◽  
Younes Shahi
Keyword(s):  
Educational Technology ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Multiple Choice ◽  
Placement Test ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Teaching Reading ◽  
Video Technology ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Experimental Group

With the development of educational technology, the concept of technology-enhanced multimedia instructions is using widely in the educational settings. Technology can be employed in teaching different skills such as listening, reading, speaking and writing. Among these skills, reading comprehension is the skill in which EFL learners have some problems to master. Regarding this issue, the present study aimed at investigating the effect of video materials on improving reading comprehension of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. A Longman Placement Test was administered to 30 EFL learners to ensure that learners are at the same level of proficiency. The students were chosen from the state high schools in Chabahar.  The participants were regarded as intermediate learners and were divided into two groups (one experimental group and one control group). Then, a pre-test of reading comprehension was administered to assess the participants’ reading comprehension. The participants of experimental group used video files to improve their reading comprehension while the control group received conventional approaches of teaching reading comprehension. Finally, all the participants were assigned a 40-item multiple-choice reading comprehension post-test. The results of the study indicated that video materials had a significant effect on promoting reading comprehension of Iranian intermediate EFL learners (p = .000, <.05).

scholarly journals Using Podcasts to Improve Second Language Comprehension in Iranian Language Classrooms

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 24
Author(s):  
Mohammad Davoudi ◽  
Mojtaba Rezaei
Keyword(s):  
Language Comprehension ◽  
Good Method ◽  
Placement Test ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Language Classrooms ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Transcript File

<p>The present study aims at investigating the influence of podcasts (POD) on language comprehension of Iranian pre-intermediate EFL learners. An Oxford Placement Test (OPT) was administered to 60 male and female university students. The participants were considered as pre-intermediate learners and were divided into two groups (one experimental group and one control group). During the fifteen sessions of the treatment, thirty podcasts were presented to the two groups. The experimental group received just the audio file of the POD, and the control group received a different treatment which was the transcript file of the same audio podcast file of the experimental group. The results of the t-tests revealed that there was no significant difference in language comprehension scores across the posttest between two groups. Based on the interview results after the post-test, all of the participants (100%) agreed that both audio and the transcripts (written texts) were useful for them and claimed that it is a good method of improving language comprehension.</p>

scholarly journals Texts with Various Levels of Hardness, Reading Comprehension and Reading Motivation: I+1 Versus I-1

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ehsan Namaziandost ◽  
Fariba Rahimi Esfahani ◽  
Mehdi Nasri
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Reading Motivation ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Current Level ◽  
Difficulty Level ◽  
Extensive Reading ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Comprehensible Input ◽  
Post Test

Considering the vital role of comprehensible input, this study attempted to compare the effects of input with various difficulty levels on Iranian EFL learners’ reading comprehension and reading motivation. To fulfil this objective, 54 Iranian pre-intermediate EFL learners were selected from two intact classes (n = 27 each). The selected participants were randomly assigned to two equal groups, namely “i+1” (n=27) and “i-1” group (n=27). Then, the groups were pretested by a researcher-made reading comprehension test. After carrying out the pre-test, the treatment (i.e., extensive reading at different levels of difficulty) was practiced on the both groups. The participants in “i+1” group received reading passages beyond the current level, on the other hand, the “i-1” group received those reading passages which were below their current level. After the instruction ended, a modified version of pre-test was conducted as posttest to determine the impacts of the treatment on the students’ reading comprehension. The obtained results indicated that there was a significant difference between the post-tests of “i+1” and “i-1” groups. The findings showed that the “i+1” group significantly outperformed the “i-1” group (p < .05) on the post-test. Moreover, the findings indicated that “i+1” group’s motivation increased after the treatment. The implications of the study suggest that interactive type of input is beneficial to develop students’ language skills. Keywords: Comprehensible Input; Extensive reading; Foreign language reading motivation; Input; Reading comprehension; Text difficulty level

scholarly journals The Incidental Acquisition of English Prepositions by Arabic-Speaking EFL Learners: Evidence From Al Ain University of Science and Technology

SAGE Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 215824401986149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdel Rahman Mitib Altakhaineh ◽  
Mona Kamal Ibrahim
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Treatment Group ◽  
Multiple Choice ◽  
Choice Test ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Multiple Choice Test ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Al Ain ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Arabic Speaking

This study examined the incidental acquisition of English prepositions by Arabic-speaking English as a foreign language (EFL) learners. Employing reading comprehension exercises as a treatment, we adopted the experimental design of a pre- and post-test to determine the effectiveness of the treatment on the participants’ incidental acquisition of English prepositions. For the purpose of the study, we divided the participants into a treatment group, who engaged in reading comprehension exercises for one academic term, and a control group, who did not. We used a multiple-choice test and a fill-in-the-blank test to measure the participants’ receptive and productive knowledge of English prepositions, respectively. We also conducted an introspective session with the treatment group following the administration of the post-tests to determine the areas of difficulty. The results of the study mainly indicated that reading accompanied by exercises resulted in better incidental gains in the acquisition of English prepositions, especially on the multiple-choice test. The study concludes with recommendations for further research.

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