scholarly journals Extensive reading in a tertiary reading programme: Students’ accounts of affective and cognitive benefits

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naomi A. Boakye
Keyword(s):  
Reading Speed ◽  
Reading Proficiency ◽  
First Year ◽  
Extensive Reading ◽  
Reading Habits ◽  
Intervention Programme ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Reading Levels ◽  
Cognitive Benefits

This article reports on the extensive reading (ER) component of a reading intervention programme to improve first-year students’ reading proficiency. To make the intervention more practical and to accelerate improvement, an ER component was included in the programme. Two groups of first-year students (high-risk and low-risk) were required to read short stories and novels of their choice and to record their affective and cognitive experiences during the reading to submit as a portfolio. In addition, students answered pre- and post-intervention questionnaires on their reading habits. Students were selected based on their performance in a reading test and interviewed to gain more insight into their reading experiences. The questionnaires were analysed using the t-test, and the interview responses were analysed by content analysis. The findings show that students had benefited from ER. Questionnaire results show that students’ reading habits had improved significantly. The reports from the interviews and inventories show that students’ affective and cognitive reading levels, including reading speed, had also improved. Students also reported on the transfer of reading strategies from their ER to their academic reading. Based on the findings, recommendations are made for reading programmes at the tertiary level, specifically at this institution, to include ER in order to complement explicit teaching, instil motivation and accelerate the improvement of students’ reading proficiency.

scholarly journals The relationship between self-efficacy and reading proficiency of first-year students: An exploratory study

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naomi A.N.Y. Boakye
Keyword(s):  
Reading Instruction ◽  
South African ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Academic Literacy ◽  
Reading Proficiency ◽  
First Year ◽  
Tertiary Institution ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Affective Factors ◽  
The Relationship

Self-efficacy, which is the belief about one’s ability to perform a task successfully, has been widely acknowledged as important in learning. This affective factor, though not explicitly evident, has been said to play an important role in academic performance. However, its role in reading development has not been widely investigated. To determine the relationship between self-efficacy and reading proficiency, a study was conducted with first-year students in a South African tertiary institution. Students’ self-efficacy levels were elicited through a questionnaire and their reading proficiency was obtained through the Test of Academic Literacy levels (TALL), which essentially assesses reading proficiency. An analysis of variance showed a robust relationship between reading self-efficacy and reading proficiency for this cohort of students. Regression analysis conducted with other affective factors showed self-efficacy as the best predictor of students’ reading proficiency. Results are discussed as they relate to previous research and recommendations are made to include the development of self-efficacy in reading instruction.

scholarly journals Using role play and explicit strategy instruction to improve first-year students’ academic reading proficiency

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naomi A.Y. Boakye
Keyword(s):  
Reading Ability ◽  
Role Play ◽  
Strategy Instruction ◽  
Reading Proficiency ◽  
First Year ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Academic Reading ◽  
Explicit Strategy Instruction ◽  
High Level

Background: Many first-year students find the reading of academic texts to be challenging and overwhelming. In particular, first-year students studying sociology at the South African institution where the study was conducted complain of comprehension challenges. This may be due to the presence of numerous theoretical and abstract concepts in sociology texts, which have to be unpacked in order to gain a greater understanding of social phenomena. A high level of reading proficiency is required in the reading of sociology texts; however, some students are poor readers and find it difficult to cope.Objectives: The article reports on a support programme aimed at improving first-year sociology students’ academic reading proficiency.Method: In addition to explicit strategy instruction, which has been used by many researchers to improve reading comprehension, role play was introduced to the reading of sociology texts during tutorials in order to promote deep reading and improve comprehension. Pre-tests and post-tests, together with closed-ended and open-ended questionnaires, were used to determine the efficacy of the intervention. The tests were analysed using t-tests, and the questionnaires were analysed using descriptive statistics for the closed-ended section and content analysis for the open-ended questions.Results: The findings showed that a significant number of students had improved their reading proficiency and reported both cognitive and affective benefits.Conclusion: Recommendations are made in relation to the use of role play in addition to explicit strategy instruction in order to maximise the improvement of students’ academic reading ability.

scholarly journals Connecting extensive reading to TOEIC performance

2019 ◽  
pp. 257-262
Author(s):  
Paul A. Lyddon ◽  
Brandon Kramer
Keyword(s):  
Reading Fluency ◽  
International Communication ◽  
Reading Scores ◽  
First Year ◽  
Extensive Reading ◽  
Tertiary Institution ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Score Improvement ◽  
Fluency And Comprehension ◽  
General Compliance

Although Extensive Reading (ER) has been shown to increase reading fluency and comprehension, such benefits are generally slow to appear. The present study investigated the possible contribution of ER to single-semester Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) reading gains. The participants were 497 first-year students from two annual cohorts at a tertiary institution in Japan. All took a preliminary TOEIC before enrolling in the online ER system Xreading, which awarded them a word count for successfully completing a short quiz on each book they read for homework. Hierarchical linear regression analyses of end-of-semester ER words read and TOEIC reading scores showed a consistent positive relationship between the two. However, semester increases in the former were not reflected by proportional gains in the latter, a finding possibly explained by greater consistency in ER’s implementation across course sections over time. In short, ER words read might in fact be a proxy for general compliance in homework completion rather than a direct cause of TOEIC reading score improvement.

The Role of Social Adjustment in a Collegiate Behavioral Activation Program

2021 ◽  
pp. 014544552110476
Author(s):  
Julia W. Felton ◽  
Justin D. Triemstra ◽  
Elizabeth K. Reynolds ◽  
Nicole Hale ◽  
Jessica F. Magidson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Social Adjustment ◽  
Behavioral Activation ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
First Year ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Orientation Course

The transition to college is associated with significant changes in social support networks and concomitant increases in depressive symptoms. First-year students who are more socially engaged within their new academic settings may experience greater overall wellbeing. Behavioral activation (BA) is an evidence-based intervention which promotes individuals’ engagement with valued activities and has been examined as a possible primary prevention for depressive symptoms among first-year students. Yet, the important role of social adjustment, and its impact on students’ activity level, has not yet been considered. The current study is a secondary data analysis of research evaluating a BA-based intervention embedded into a first-year orientation course. The aim of the project was to evaluate the efficacy of BA on improving social adjustment and the effect of social adjustment on subsequent depressive symptoms. A diverse sample of college students ( n = 71) attending a state university in the mid-Atlantic region reported on their levels of depression, behavioral activation, and social adjustment. Students then received either BA or standard programming. Results suggest that improved engagement in valued activities at mid-intervention was associated with increases in students’ perceptions of their own social adjustment. This, in turn, predicted steeper decreases in rates of depressive symptoms post-intervention. Findings also indicate that greater social adjustment improved the efficacy of a BA-based intervention in reducing depressive symptoms, but had no impact on depressive symptoms for students receiving the standard orientation programming.

Assessment of a Self-regulated Learning Intervention

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julio A. González-Pienda ◽  
Estrella Fernández ◽  
Ana Bernardo ◽  
José C. Núñez ◽  
Pedro Rosário
Keyword(s):  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Study Time ◽  
Control Group ◽  
First Year ◽  
Use Of Self ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Self Regulated Learning ◽  
Regulated Learning

AbstractFollowing a pretest-posttest design with no control group, this paper evaluates the efficacy of an intervention program. Consisting of twelve sessions, the program endeavored to increase knowledge and use of self-regulated learning strategies, as well as study time, in 277 first-year students in the Spanish secondary education system. The intervention’s efficacy was assessed in terms of three variables: knowledge of self-regulated learning strategies, use of self-regulated learning strategies, and study time. The results of post-intervention data analysis indicate that statistically significant changes occurred in students’ knowledge of self-regulated learning strategies and weekly study time, but not in their use of self-regulated learning strategies. When the sample was stratified into three groups (high, moderate, and low) according to baseline scores on the dependent variables, our findings show that students in the lower group profited most from the intervention on all three variables. This suggests that participation in the program is especially useful for at-risk students (i.e. those with little knowledge and use of effective learning strategies).

Reading Speed as Correlate for Reading Comprehension of College Freshmen Students

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramil S. Bulilan
Keyword(s):  
Reading Speed ◽  
Reading Proficiency ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
State University ◽  
Good Readers ◽  
Reading Levels ◽  
Freshmen Students ◽  
Island State ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Attitudes Towards Reading

Reading is for communication and inseparable with comprehension. Without comprehension, reading becomes meaningless. However, comprehension can be affected by lots of factors. In this study, speed was primarily presumed as such. Thus, it sampled 234 freshmen of Bohol Island State University, Clarin, Bohol, Philippines. The study utilized descriptive-correlational survey method which specifically gathered respondent’s preferred communication skills, attitudes towards reading, levels of comprehension, difference among attitudes towards reading, and the correlation between speed and comprehension. In determining reading proficiency, speed and comprehension tests were made. Results showed that in comprehension, respondents from the College of Teacher Education were very good readers, and only good readers were from the College of Technology and Allied Sciences. Respondents’ uncertain attitude towards reading was manifested in their strong preference of listening than reading. Most of them found difficulty in dealing with higher order comprehension skills. Respondents were below average in speed and only good in comprehension. It showed a highly significant difference on their attitudes towards reading. Furthermore, their speed and comprehension were correlated, which means that comprehension was dependent upon their speed; hence, that the slower they read, the poorer they comprehend. 

scholarly journals A customized belonging intervention improves retention of socially disadvantaged students at a broad-access university

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (29) ◽  
pp. eaba4677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary C. Murphy ◽  
Maithreyi Gopalan ◽  
Evelyn R. Carter ◽  
Katherine T. U. Emerson ◽  
Bette L. Bottoms ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disadvantaged Students ◽  
First Year ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Multiple Control ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Socially Disadvantaged ◽  
Randomized Intervention ◽  
Historically Disadvantaged ◽  
American Society ◽  
One Year

Broad-access institutions play a democratizing role in American society, opening doors to many who might not otherwise pursue college. Yet these institutions struggle with persistence and completion. Do feelings of nonbelonging play a role, particularly for students from groups historically disadvantaged in higher education? Is belonging relevant to students’ persistence—even when they form the numerical majority, as at many broad-access institutions? We evaluated a randomized intervention aimed at bolstering first-year students’ sense of belonging at a broad-access university (N = 1,063). The intervention increased the likelihood that racial-ethnic minority and first-generation students maintained continuous enrollment over the next two academic years relative to multiple control groups. This two-year gain in persistence was mediated by greater feelings of social and academic fit one-year post-intervention. Results suggest that efforts to address belonging concerns at broad-access, majority-minority institutions can improve core academic outcomes for historically disadvantaged students at institutions designed to increase college accessibility.

scholarly journals Exploring Students’ Reading Profiles to Guide a Reading Intervention Programme

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naomi A. N. Y. Boakye
Keyword(s):  
Reading Intervention ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Reading Interventions ◽  
Reading Proficiency ◽  
Likert Scale ◽  
First Year ◽  
Intervention Programme ◽  
Poor Reading ◽  
Specific Reading ◽  
Reading Profiles

There have been a number of studies on reading interventions to improve students’ reading proficiency, yet the majority of these interventions are undertaken with the assumption that students’ reading challenges are obvious and generic in nature. The interventions do not take into consideration the diversity in students’ reading backgrounds and the specific nature of the challenges. Thus interventions may not address students’ specific reading needs. This paper reports on a study that explored students’ reading profiles as a needs analysis for an intervention programme to improve the reading proficiency of first-year Sociology students. The aim was to investigate the students’ reading backgrounds to determine their specific reading needs. A Likert scale questionnaire with an open-ended section was used to explore the students’ reading profiles. The Likert scale questions were analysed quantitatively, while the open-ended questions were analysed qualitatively. In addition, a regression analysis was conducted to determine the correlation between students’ use of strategies and their self-efficacy levels. The findings show that a number of students have little reading experience, use inappropriate reading strategies, and have low self-efficacy and poor reading habits. In addition, students identified comprehension, language, vocabulary, length and density of Sociology texts as factors compounding their reading challenges. This paper discusses the implications of these findings in designing an appropriate reading intervention programme for this cohort.

scholarly journals The impact of an academic reading programme in the Bachelor of Education (intermediate and senior phase) degree

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Candice Livingston ◽  
Betsie Klopper ◽  
Sanet Cox ◽  
Corrie Uys
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Method ◽  
Reading Speed ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Academic Reading ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
Bachelor Of Education ◽  
Sequential Explanatory Mixed Method ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Method Model

Research regarding the academic reading load experienced by first year students at universities in South Africa indicated that students are woefully under-prepared to deal with this load as they have limited reading experiences and strategies. This led to the implementation of an academic reading programme at a university of technology. In order to measure the impact of this academic reading programme, a sequential explanatory mixed-method model was designed to determine if the reading programme had led to any significant gains in reading speed and reading comprehension. The results of the empirical study indicated that the academic reading programme improved reading speed whilst maintaining comprehension.

scholarly journals L2 Extensive reading: online graded readers or ‘old school’ paperbacks?

2020 ◽  
pp. 327-333
Author(s):  
Andrew Thompson ◽  
Saori Tsuji
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Public University ◽  
First Year ◽  
Student Interest ◽  
Academic English ◽  
Extensive Reading ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Preliminary Results ◽  
Graded Readers ◽  
English Program

The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate (1) students’ interest in reading English books, (2) students’ interest in using an online Virtual Library (VL), and (3) students’ experiences and preferences relating to the implementation of an online VL within an Academic English Program (AEP). First-year students (N=136) from a public university in southwest Japan participated in this study. The preliminary results provide a deeper understanding of student interest, experiences, and preferences relating to the implementation of a VL within an AEP.

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