scholarly journals The Effect of Higher Order Thinking Skill Instruction on EFL Reading Ability

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nava Nourdad ◽  
Sanam Masoudi ◽  
Parisa Rahimali
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
Higher Order Thinking ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Comprehension Ability ◽  
Reading Comprehension Ability

This quantitative and quasi-experimental study dealt with the effect of the teaching higher order thinking (HOT) on the reading comprehension ability of foreign language learners. Since reading ability plays a crucial role in learners’ education, it is language teachers’ mission to be aware of the useful and beneficial strategies to improve their students’ reading comprehension ability. Considering the fruitful results of applying HOT skills in education, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of their instruction on students’ reading comprehension ability. To achieve the objectives of the study, a group of 236 male and female university students majoring in various fields but all taking General English course was selected by convenience sampling. They were randomly assigned into two groups of control and experimental. PET test was applied to homogenize the participants of the two study groups. The study followed pre-test, treatment, post-test design. While the experimental group followed a nine-session treatment on strategies of HOT, the control group was instructed through conventional method determined by the course book. The results of independent samples t-test revealed the positive effect of teaching HOT skills on improving reading comprehension ability of adult EFL learners. Pedagogical implications of these findings for language learners, language teachers, course book developers, and educational policy makers are discussed.

scholarly journals The Effect of Reflective Reading on Reading Comprehension of Iranian EFL Learners

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 267
Author(s):  
Nava Nourdad ◽  
Rasoul Asghari
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Survival Skill ◽  
Comprehension Ability ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Reading Comprehension Ability

Reading comprehension as a survival skill in EFL context is included in almost all language proficiency and achievement tests. However, it seems that traditional approaches to reading comprehension instruction have not been successful at satisfying the learners’ need. Considering the advantages of reflective reading, it appeared as a probable solution to reading problem of EFL learners. Therefore, this experimental study aimed at investigating the effect of reflective reading on reading comprehension of Iranian EFL learners. To this end 49 male and female participants were selected through convenient sampling and were randomly assigned to two control and experimental groups. An English proficiency test was given to the sample to make sure about the homogeneity of the participants and equality of proficiency levels of the two groups. Later reading comprehension ability of the study groups was measured. As the ten-session treatment began the experimental group experienced reflective reading, while the control group followed conventional method of reading and answering comprehension check questions. After the treatment period, the groups’ reading comprehension ability was assessed once more. Independent samples t-tests were run to analyze the gathered data. It was found that reflective reading has positive effect on reading comprehension of Iranian EFL learners. Pedagogical implications of this finding for language teachers, learners, material developers, policy makers and researchers are discussed. 

scholarly journals Applying Sight Translation as a Means to Enhance Reading Ability of Iranian EFL Students

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 153
Author(s):  
Moslem Fatollahi
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Reading Instruction ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Comprehension Ability ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Iranian Context ◽  
Reading Comprehension Ability

<p>Sight translation is the oral translation of a written text and is a mixture of translation and interpreting. Sight translation is a widely-used activity in translation training programs. Yet, this mode of translation has rarely been applied as a reading instruction technique in Iranian EFL instruction context in spite of the growing interest in using sight translation in language teaching and learning. This study aims at investigating the effect of sight translation on the reading comprehension ability of Iranian undergraduate EFL students. This is a quasi-experimental study involving treatment. To this end, four reading comprehension classes involving 70 learners were divided into two groups, with the experimental one receiving reading instruction with sight translation exercises and the control group receiving reading instruction without sight translation exercises. The posttest results revealed that the experimental group performing sight translation exercises in classroom outperformed the control group who had not engaged in sight translation. This study has implications for ELT instructors and learners in an Iranian context as they can use sight translation exercises as an effective technique for improving the reading comprehension ability of their learners.</p>

Examining Mindset and Grit in Concurrent and Future Reading Comprehension: A Twin Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly M. Martinez ◽  
LaTasha R Holden ◽  
Sara Ann Hart ◽  
Jeanette Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
Preliminary Test ◽  
Cognitive Factors ◽  
Potential Intervention ◽  
Comprehension Ability ◽  
Twin Method ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
Ability Measure ◽  
Reading Comprehension Ability

Non-cognitive factors have gained attention in recent years as potential intervention targets for academic achievement improvement in students. Two notable facets, intelligence mindset and grit, have been of particular interest. Both have been shown to consistently improve educational outcomes, although little work has focused on reading ability. We used a correlational and twin method design to preliminary test if mindset and grit could be potential intervention targets to increase reading ability. As such, we examined the relation between both grit and mindset on current, future, and change in reading comprehension ability in a twin sample. We used data from 422 twin pairs (171 monozygotic pairs, 251 dizygotic pairs) drawn from the Florida Twin Project on Reading, Behavior and Environment (Taylor et al., 2019). Twins were on average 13 years old when the questionnaire and first reading ability measure were collected, and on average 15 years old when the second reading ability measure was collected. Weak and moderate positive correlations were found between both mindset and grit with each reading ability score and neither were significantly related to change in reading ability. Twin modeling suggested little to no common genetic or environmental influences between mindset and grit to reading ability. In total, our results do not lend support to the notion of mindset or grit being a mechanism of change for reading ability.

scholarly journals A Qualitative Study of Reading Comprehension: An Insight from Pakistani Context Bridging the Needs of Engineering Students

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 85
Author(s):  
Mansoor Ahmed Channa ◽  
Zaimuariffudin Shukri Nordin ◽  
Insaf Ali Simming ◽  
Ali Asgher Chandio
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Comprehension Instruction ◽  
Reading Comprehension Instruction ◽  
Comprehension Ability ◽  
Reading Comprehension Ability

<p>This study aimed to investigate the teachers’ opinions in terms of reading comprehension instruction to the engineering students for bridging their difficulties in reading academic text in communication subject. The study was conducted in the four engineering departments of one university in Pakistan. Semi-structured interviews of 10 teachers were used as a qualitative instrument to collect data for this study to know the needs of engineering students in terms of reading comprehension. The data was analyzed through NVivo version 8 for interpretation of the results. This study provided the most promising findings to develop reading ability among engineering students. The findings revealed that teachers should use rereading text, text scanning, and text skimming strategies to develop reading comprehension ability of engineering students.</p>

Study on Word Association Knowledge and Reading Ability

2011 ◽  
Vol 109 ◽  
pp. 699-702
Author(s):  
Ting Mao
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
Word Association ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
First Language ◽  
New Words ◽  
Comprehension Ability ◽  
Vocabulary Word ◽  
Reading Comprehension Ability

Improving reading comprehension ability has always been a big concern for the English learners. It is also one of the most important parameters to measure one’s English level. Research has found that many factors may influence the learners’ reading comprehension ability. In this paper one aspect of vocabulary, word association knowledge, has been proved to facilitate reading comprehension. Through Pearson Correlation and one-eay ANOVA analysis the authors found that word association knowledge had a significant influence on reading comprehension. New words cannot make any sense to the learner until they have been integrated into other knowledge that the learner has already acquired. The vocabulary students have already acquired is something like an associative network which is closely related to their prior experience of first language acquisition and their knowledge of the world. Therefore, both the width and depth of vocabulary should be integrated into English teaching.

scholarly journals Relationship between Fifth Grade Students’ Reading Interest and Reading Ability

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 80
Author(s):  
Siti Aisyah ◽  
Ratih Punamasari
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
Fifth Grade ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Fifth Grade Students ◽  
Comprehension Ability ◽  
Calculation Results ◽  
Reading Interest ◽  
Academic Year ◽  
Reading Comprehension Ability

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between reading interest and students' reading comprehension ability. Research approach using quantitative with correlational study method. The subjects of this study were students of class VA and VB at SD Negeri Karya Bhakti totaling 90 students. The sample was taken by 47 students, then this study was obtained using a five-scale questionnaire for the Reading Interest and Reading Comprehension Ability variables using tests. Therefore, from the data obtained, it was found that a moderate relationship between reading interest and reading comprehension ability was seen from the accumulated calculation results, which was 30% such as using the time to read books in the library, while 70% is influenced by other factors such as students who are motivated by the teacher to increase reading interest so that students can to read a comprehension and other factors are also influenced from outside of students, namely when doing tasks, students are guided and assisted by parents. . Based on the results of the research above, it can be concluded that there is a positive relationship between Reading Interest and Reading Comprehension Ability in class VA and VB students of SD Negeri Karya Bhakti Odd semester of the 2019/2020 academic year.

scholarly journals Do Different Instruction Modalities Matter? Exploring the Influence of Concept Mapping and Translation Strategies Instruction on the Reading Comprehension Ability of Adult EFL Learners

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 761
Author(s):  
Mehran Davaribina ◽  
Shahram Esfandiari Asl
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Concept Mapping ◽  
Strategy Instruction ◽  
Analysis Of Covariance ◽  
Strategy Training ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Translation Strategy ◽  
Comprehension Ability ◽  
Reading Comprehension Ability

The present study was an attempt to compare the effect of concept mapping strategy instruction and translation strategy instruction on the reading comprehension ability of the Iranian EFL learners. To do so, 90 EFL learners at the intermediate level studying in a language institute in Ardabil, north Iran were randomly assigned into three equal groups (concept map, translation and control).  Having taken a reading pretest, the participants in experimental groups were instructed using mentioned strategies whereas the control group learners were taught the same content with no strategies integrated. Results of analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed that the participants in the experimental groups significantly outperformed the participants in the control group, suggesting that the application of concept mapping and translation strategy training can generate more positive effect on the reading comprehension ability of the learners. Also, the findings of the study indicated that the concept mapping group outperformed the translation strategy group on the reading posttest. Pedagogical implications and suggestions of the study will be discussed.

scholarly journals Effect of Elaborative Text Modification on Pre-intermediate Male and Female EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 337
Author(s):  
Shahram Esfandiari Asl ◽  
Asgar Mahmoudi
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Placement Test ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Comprehension Ability ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Reading Comprehension Ability

The current study was carried out to investigate whether elaborative text modification improves reading comprehension ability of pre-intermediate male and female EFL learners. To do this, 60 pre-intermediate learners were chosen based on their performance on a standard version of Longman's New Opportunities Placement Test. The participants also received a piloted version of a researcher-made reading comprehension test as the pretest to ascertain their homogeneity. The participants were then divided into two equal groups to represent the experimental and the control groups. Each group was further subdivided into male and female groups. Five reading passages in two formats (unmodified and elaborated) were administered to the participants in five weeks which was followed by a posttest. The experimental group received the elaborated texts, while the control group received the unmodified baseline texts. The results of a Two-way ANOVA indicated no significant effect for gender but there was a significant difference between the experimental and the control groups' reading comprehension. Findings of the study suggest that elaborative text modification can be a worthy option in EFL reading classes.

scholarly journals Using Online Short Stories to Improve the Reading Comprehension Ability

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 168
Author(s):  
Muhammad Lukman Syafii
Keyword(s):  
Short Stories ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
Eighth Graders ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Extensive Reading ◽  
Narrative Texts ◽  
Comprehension Ability ◽  
Many Sources ◽  
Reading Comprehension Ability

Abstract Reading materials can be obtained from many sources, like storybooks, magazines, and the Internet. Online Short Stories is one of the Internet resources with images and sound and quizzes. This study was aimed at benefiting these readily used materials to improve the eighth graders’ reading comprehension of narrative texts. The Online Short Stories are combined with five worksheets that consist of guiding questions on comprehension, namely: Self Monitoring Card, Key Concept, Story Map, Reading Journal, and Reading Log which are used for intensive and extensive reading activity. This study implemented classroom action research design and had taken 34 eighth graders of MTs Al-Islam Joresan Mlarak Ponorogo as the subjects 2017/2018 academic year. Based on the results of the students’ tests as well as their on-going assessments, it is found out that the students’ reading comprehension was gradually improving. It means that there was a positive effect of using Online Short Stories towards the students’ reading ability. The result shows that the combination of materials and worksheets that were implemented in both cooperative and individual learning had facilitated the students in improving their reading comprehension ability, as well as their social skills. Therefore, it is very important to implement this strategy to order to improve the students’ reading comprehension. Keywords: Online Short Stories, Improvement, Reading Comprehension Ability

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document