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

Nava Nourdad, Rasoul Asghari

Abstract


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.

 


Keywords


reflective reading strategies, reflective learning, reading reflection, reading comprehension

Full Text:

PDF

References


Ahmadpour, S., Bagherzadeh, M., & Valipur, V. (2014). The effect of using L1 reading comprehension task on Iranian EFL learners’ L2 reading comprehension test score. Asian Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 3(2), 37-43.

Alderson, J. C. (2000). Assessing Reading. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Alexander, N. (2001). A long day’s journal into night: A primer on writing dialogue journals with adolescent ESL students. In J.I. Burton & M. Carroll (Eds.), Journal writing: Case study in TESOL practice series (pp. 23-35). Alexandria, VA: Teachers of English to speakers of Other Languages.

Andrusyszyn, M.A., & Davie, L. (1997). Facilitating reflection through interactive journal writing in an online graduate course: A qualitative study. Journal of Distance Education, 12(2), 103-126.

Bensoussan, M. (1990). EFL reading as seen through translation and discourse analysis: Narrative vs. Expository texts. English for Specific Purposes, 9, 49-66.

Bernhardt, E. B. (1991). Reading Development in a Second Language: Theoretical, Empirical, and Classroom Perspectives. Norwood, Nj: Ablex.

Boehm, R. F., & Gallavan, N. P. (2000). Adapting cooperative learning to an introductory analysis class. Journal of Engineering Education, 89(4), 419–421

Bressoud, D. (2008). Getting students to read. Launchings: Mathematical Association of America. Retrieved on 18 March 2016 from: https://www.maa.org/external_archive/columns/launchings/launchings_5_08.html#key1

Brown, A. L., & Palincsar, A. S. (1985). Reciprocal teaching of comprehension strategies: A natural history of one program for enhancing learning. Technical Report No. 334. Cambridge, MA: Illinois

University, Urbana Center for the Study of Reading.

Carroll, M., & Mchawala, C. (2001). Form or meaning? Academic writing with a personal voice. In J.I. Burton & M. Carroll (Eds.), Journal writing: Case study in TESOL practice series (pp. 47-58). Illinois: Teachers of English to speakers of Other Languages.

Cowan, J. (1998). On Becoming an Innovative University Teacher: Reflection in Action. UK: The Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press.

Crowe, D. & Youga, J. (1986). Using writing as a tool for learning economics. Journal of Economic Education, 17, 218-222.

Danesh, M., & Nourdad, N. (2017). On the relationship between creative problem solving skill and EFL reading comprehension ability. TPLS, 7(3), 234-240.

Davoudi, M., & Yousefi, D. (2015). Comprehension breakdown: a review of research on EFL learners’ reading difficulty and problems. International Journal of Language and Applied Linguistics, 1, 58-72.

Dewey, J. (1933). How We Think. Boston: D.C. Heath and CO.

Dewitz, P., & Dewitz, P. K. (2003). They can read the words, but they can’t understand: Refining comprehension assessment. The Reading Teacher, 56(5), 422-435.

Ghaith, G. & Obeid, H. (2004). Effect of think aloud on literal and higher-order reading comprehension. Educational Research Quarterly, 27, 49-57.

Hausheer, R., Hansen, A. & Doumas, D. (2011). Improving reading fluency and comprehension among elementary students: Evaluation of a school remedial reading program. Journal of School Counseling, 9, 1-17.

Higgs, J. (1988). Planning learning experiences to promote autonomous learning. In D. Boud, (ed.) Developing Student Autonomy in Learning. Sydney: Kogan Page.

Hirsch, E. D., Jr. (2003). Reading comprehension requires knowledge-of words and the world: Scientific insights into the fourth-grade slump and the nation’s stagnant comprehension scores. American Educator, 27, 10-13.

Holmes, V.L., & Moulton, M.R. (1997). Dialogue journals as an ESL learning strategy. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 40(8), 616-621.

Jonassen, D.H. (1994). Thinking technology. Educational Technology, 34(4), 34- 37.

Lew, M. D.N. & Schmidt, H.G. (2011). Self-reflection and academic performance: is there a relationship? Advances in Health Sciences and Education Journal, 16 (4), 529-545.

NokhbehRousta, S.A. & Ghazi MirSaeed, S.J. (2012). The effect of teaching metacognitive reading strategies on reading self-efficacy of Iranian intermediate EFL students. Journal of Academic and Applied Studies, 2 (11), 10-20.

Nourdad, N. (2015). Responses to mediation for six levels of reading comprehension questions based on Bloom’s taxonomy. Iranian EFL Journal, 11(3), 94-112.

Qian, D. D. (2002). Investigating the relationship between vocabulary knowledge and academic reading performance: An assessment perspective. Language Learning, 52, 513–536.

Rezaei, A., Rahimi, M.A., & Talepasan, S. (2012). Exploring EFL learners reading comprehension problems in reading ESP texts. Sino-US English Teaching, 9(3), 982-987.

Savin-Baden, M. (2000). Problem-based Learning in Higher Education: Untold Stories. Buckingham: SRHE/Open University Press.

Sporer, N., Brunstein, J. C., & Kieschke, U. (2009). Improving students reading comprehension skills: Effects of strategy instruction and reciprocal teaching. Learning and Instruction, 19, 272-286.

Stephien, W.J., Gallagher, S.A. & Workman, D. (1998). Problem-based learning for traditional and inter-disciplinary classrooms, in R., Fogarty (ed), Problem Based Learning: A Collection of articles. Illinois, Skylight Professional Development.

Su, C. (2006). Evaluation of reading skills applied in the first-year college English reading course. Proceedings of the Tenth International Symposium on English Teaching. Taipei, Crane, 579-587.

Trites, L. (2001). Journals as self-evaluative, reflective classroom tools with advanced ESL graduate students. In J. Burton & M. Carroll, (Eds.), Journal writing (pp. 59–70). Alexandria, VA: TESOL Publications, Inc.

Walker, B. (2005). Thinking aloud: struggling readers often require more than a model. The Reading Teacher, 58, 688-698.

Wirth, K., & Aziz, F. (2009). Better Learning through Better Reading and Reflecting. Associated Colleges of the Midwest. Available at http://serc.carleton.edu/acm_teagle/projects/wirth.html

Yeh, I. C. (2006). The effects of reading strategies instruction on junior high-school students reading comprehension Taiwan. Unpublished master`s thesis, National Chengchi University, Taipei.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.6n.6p.267

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Bookmark and Share


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

2012-2023 (CC-BY) Australian International Academic Centre PTY.LTD. 

International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature

To make sure that you can receive messages from us, please add the journal emails into your e-mail 'safe list'. If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox', check your 'bulk mail' or 'junk mail' folders.