A STUDY ON USING NARROW READING TO IMPROVE EFL learners reading fluency

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VINH UNIVERSITY HOANG THI ANH THESIS: A STUDY ON USING NARROW READING TO IMPROVE EFL LEARNERS’ READING FLUENCY MAJOR: Teaching English to speakers of other language (TESOL) CODE : 60140011 MASTER’S THESIS IN EDUCATION SUPERVISOR: Dr TRAN THI NGOC YEN NGHE AN, 2017 ABSTRACT The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of narrow reading on EFL learners’ reading fluency development The survey was carried out among 70 students at an upper secondary school in Nghe An, Viet Nam Before the treatment all participants did a general English test and 70 students who had similar results were chosen They were divided into two groups(control group and treatment group) and were asked to sit the pretest before participating in the narrow reading sessions The post-test was designed to see how fast the participants could read and how much they comprehend The collected data were analyzed in terms of reading speed (words per minute) and reading comprehension (percentages) The results showed significant differences between the experimental and control groups in both aspects The experimental group read with a higher speed, and made bigger gains in comprehension compared with the control group This suggests that narrow reading has positive impacts on EFL learners' reading fluency Based on the findings, some implications for teaching reading skill were proposed, limitations of the study were pointed out and further research was suggested ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, I would like to express my deep gratitude to Dr Tran Thi Ngoc Yen, my supervisor, who supported and encouraged me whenever I had problem with my research I am truly grateful to her for the valuable support, guidance, and constructive comments she offered during the project time I wish to express my sincere thanks to the students of the two classes I worked with in order to gather the data for my study I am also indebted to my friends for proofreading the first draft of the thesis Last but not least, I would like to express my special heartfelt appreciation to my parents without whose unceasing sympathies and support my study could not have been accomplished EFL: English as Foreign Language ESL: English as Second Language L2: Second language L1: First language FL: Foreign language NR: Narrow reading RC: Reading comprehension WPM: Word per minute comprehension for two groups at the post-test Table 4.7 Means and standard deviations of participants’ reading speed for two 45 groups at the first reading at the first week Table 4.8 Reading speed of Treatment group for four reading times at the first 45 week measured by words per minute for two groups at the third week Table 4.16 Reading speed of Treatment group for four reading times at the 51 third week comprehension for two groups at the first reading at the sixth week Table 4.30 Reading comprehension of Treatment group for four reading times 58 at the sixth week Chart 4.1 : The class 10A2 general test result 37 Chart 4.2 : The class 10A3 general test result 37 Chart 4.3 Pre-test and Post-test reading speed (wpm) of control and treatment 42 group Chart 4.4 Pre-test and Post-test reading comprehension (%) of control and 44 treatment group Recognizing letters and words is an important first step in learning to read However, it is only a first step; it is vital that students comprehend, or understand, what they are reading They must be able to get the meaning of the text: What is the author telling the reader? That being said, reading comprehension is an essential skill for success in school and in the real world It is also worthy to note that readers find it more difficult to read in another language 1.1 Rationale “Reading is an essential skill for ESL or EFL students; and for many skills, reading is the most important skill to master” (Anderson, 1999) Krashen and Terrell (1989) state that “reading is an important source of comprehensible input and can make a significant contribution to competence in a foreign language.” Reading is considered as one of the most essential skills which language learners should master, particularly because it helps to build a variety of language expression and structures, broadens general knowledge, increases levels of understanding and concentration and leads to lifelong learning and improvement in the first and second language skills According to West (1941), reading ability is powerful because it transfers from one language to another language Therefore, if a person’s reading speed in his mother language improves, it is likely that his foreign language reading rate will increase as a transfer effect In the age of increasing global interconnectivity, it is essential for students to gain foreign language proficiency Hence, The Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training has put more emphasis on teaching and learning foreign languages, especially English than ever before Vietnamese students, nowadays, have been aware of the importance of English and paid more attention to the subject However, many of them struggle with reading English texts One of the reasons for this is that they lack the necessary stock of vocabulary and knowledge of grammar rules Techniques and methods related to the teaching and learning foreign language have also been taken into consideration A considerable number of studies in the field of second language acquisition have been conducted over past years to examine as well as help learners to improve reading speed and reading comprehension This study was carried out to explore the effects on narrow reading on Vietnamese learners’ reading fluency development 1.2 The aim of the study The aim of this research is to demonstrate that reading speed and reading comprehension of the EFL students will improve with consistent use of the narrow reading method To be more specific, the study was set out to examine the EFL students’ development of reading speed and reading comprehension 1.3 Research questions The study aimed to seek the answer to the following questions: Will narrow reading help to increase EFL learners’ reading speed? How does narrow reading affect EFL learners’ reading comprehension? 1.4 Scope of the study In this study, the participants’ reading fluency was measured by looking at reading speed and reading comprehension Reading speed was measured by calculation the number of words read per minute Reading comprehension was measured by calculating the number of correct answers the participants had Other criteria of reading fluency was not taken into consideration in this study 1.5 Design of the thesis This research comprises five chapters as follow: Chapter 1: Introduction - This chapter provides the rationale, the aim of the study, the research questions and the scope of the study Chapter 2: Literature review - This chapter presents the previous studies related to the topic of the thesis Chapter 3: Methodology - This chapter describes research methodology of the study It provides information about the participants, instruments, research procedures and data analysis Chapter 4: Findings and discussion - This chapter presents the results and discussions Chapter 5: Conclusion - This chapter summarizes the main findings and conclusions, the limitations of the research and some suggestions for further studies Following the chapters are the references and appendices A Right B Wrong C Doesn't say 25 Bill wanted the geese to stay at his home for the winter A Right B Wrong C Doesn't say 26 Bill stayed in Virginia all winter A Right B Wrong C Doesn't say 27 The geese returned to Canada in the spring A Right B Wrong C Doesn't say BICYLES The bicycle is a cheap and clean way to travel The first bicycle (28) made about one hundred and fifty years ago At first, bicycles were expensive Only rich people (29) buy one These early bicycles looked very different from the ones we have today Later, (30) bicycles became cheaper, many people (31) one People stared riding bicycles to work and in (32) free time Today, people use cars more than bicycles; cars are much (33) and you don't get wet when it rains! But some people (34) prefer to cycle to work They say that (35) are too many cars in town centers and you can't find any where to park! A was 28 B is C were C may C that C bought C Its 29 30 A must A when B could B if 31 32 A buy A their B buys B his 33 A fast B faster 34 35 A yet A they B still B there C fastest C already C here PART 3: Read the note from your friend Richard Write a postcard to tell him what he wants to know It's great that you're coming to see me in ' England Tell me when you are coming, how long you want to stay and what you want to Write soon! Richard Write 25-35 words Write your postcard on the answer sheet Task 1:Read the total passage once and record your reading time Task 2: Select the answer which is most accurate according to the information given TIME READING SPEED READING COMPREHENSION in the passage During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, almost nothing was written about the contribution of women during the colonial period and the early history of the newly formed United States Lacking the right to vote and absent from the seats of power, women were not considered an important force in history Anne Bradstreet wrote some significant poetry in the seventeenth century, Mercy Otis Warren produced the best contemporary history of the American Revolution, and Abigail Adams penned important letters showing she exercised great political influence over her husband, John, the second President of the United States But little or no notice was taken of these contributions During these centuries, women remained invisible in history books Throughout the nineteenth century, this lack of visibility continued, despite the efforts of female authors writing about women These writers, like most of their male counterparts, were amateur historians Their writings were celebratory in nature, and they were uncritical in their selection and use of sources During the nineteenth century, however, certain feminists showed a keen sense of history by keeping records of activities in which women were engaged National, regional, and local women’s organizations compiled accounts of their doings Personal correspondence, newspaper clippings, and souvenirs were saved and stored These sources form the core of the two greatest collections of women’s history in the United States - one at the Elizabeth and Arthur Schlesinger Library at Radeliffe College, and the other the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College Such sources have provided valuable materials for later generations of historians Despite the gathering of more information about ordinary women during the nineteenth century, most of the writing about women conformed to the “great women” theory of history, just as much of mainstream American history concentrated on “great men” To demonstrate that women were making significant contributions to American life, female authors singled out women leaders and wrote biographies, or else important women produced their autobiographies Most of these leaders were involved in public life as reformers, activists working for women’s right to vote, or authors, and were not representative at all of the great mass of ordinary women The lives of ordinary people continued, generally, to be untold in the American histories being published Question : What does the passage mainly discuss ? A The role of literature in early American histories B The place of American women in written histories C The keen sense of history shown By American women D The “great women” approach to History used by American historians Question 2: The word “contemporary” means that the history was A informative B written at that time E thoughtful F faultfinding Question : In the first paragraph, Bradstreet, Warren, and Adams are mentioned to show that A a woman’s status was changed by marriage B even the contributions of outstanding women were ignored C only three women were able to get their writing published D poetry produced by women was more readily accepted than other writing by women Question 4: The word “celebratory” means that the writings referred to were A related to parties B religious C serious D full of praise Question 5: The word “they” refers to: A efforts B authors C counterparts D sources Question 6: In the second paragraph, what weakness in nineteenthcentury histories does the author point out? A They put too much emphasis on daily activities B They left out discussion of the influence on money on politics C The sources of the information they were based on were not necessarily accurate D They were printed on poor quality paper Question 7: On the basis of information in the third paragraph, which of the following, would most likely have been collected by nineteenthcentury feminist organizations? A Newspaper accounts of presidential election results B B iographie s of J ohn Adams C Letters from a mother to a daughter advising her how to handle a family problem D Books about famous graduates of the country’s first college Question 8: What use was made of the nineteenth-century women’s history materials in the Schlesinger Library and the Sophia Smith Collection? A They were combined and published in a multivolume encyclopedia about women B They formed the basis of college courses in the nineteenth-century C They provided valuable information for twentiethcentury historical researchers D They were shared among women’s colleges throughout the United States Question 9: In the last paragraph, the author mentions all of the following as possible roles of nineteenth-century “great women” EXCEPT A authors B reformers C activists for women’s rights D politicians Question 10: The word “representative” is closest in meaning to A typical B satisfied C supportive D distinctive Participants Treatment group Participants Control group A1 scores (wpm) 64 A2 56 B2 63 A3 65 B3 58 A4 70 B4 A5 71 B5 60 70 A6 59 B6 65 A7 B7 62 A8 62 64 B8 68 A9 58 B9 A10 72 B10 66 71 A11 67 B11 A12 64 B12 A13 55 B13 A14 68 B14 60 64 A15 B15 69 A16 60 57 B16 59 A17 72 B17 A18 76 B18 66 78 A19 67 B19 A20 79 B20 60 65 A21 63 B21 67 A22 66 64 B22 59 B23 63 B24 64 A25 62 77 B25 A26 61 B26 62 78 A23 A24 B1 scores (wpm) 65 61 55 Participants A27 Treatment group scores (wpm) Participants Control group scores (wpm) 58 66 59 B27 Participants B29 A30 61 group Treatment 67 (%) scores A1 A31 60 57 B1 B31 A2 A32 40 72 B2 B32 A3 A33 20 56 B3 B33 A4 A34 B4 B34 A5 A35 50 60 30 65 A635 N= X X 40 = 2276 B635 N= 40 61 50 66 X X 60 = 2247 A7 Mean 50 65 B7 Mean 40 64 A8 30 B8 50 A9 B9 A10 60 40 B10 60 40 A11 50 B11 70 A12 60 30 B12 B13 60 50 B14 60 A15 60 40 B15 20 A16 20 B16 A17 B17 A18 60 30 60 50 B18 50 A19 50 B19 40 A20 70 B20 50 A21 40 B21 A22 50 B22 20 70 A23 20 40 B23 40 B24 60 40 B25 60 30 B26 50 A28 Participants A29 A13 A14 A24 A25 A26 B28 B30 B5 B35 68 63group Control 62 (%) scores 20 58 50 66 30 72 Participants Treatment group Control group B27 scores (%) 70 60 30 B28 30 B29 40 60 40 B30 30 B31 40 B32 30 A33 20 30 B33 50 A34 30 B34 A35 40 B35 20 40 A27 A28 A29 A30 A31 A32 45 r-'- Mean 44 II N= 35 X XJ o X II Mean X XJ N= 35 scores (%) 50 Participants Task 1: Read the total passage once and record your reading time Task 2: Select the answer which is most accurate according to the information given in the passage TIME READING SPEED READING COMPREHENSION The end of the nineteenth century and the early years of the twentieth century were marked by the development of an international Art Nouveau style, characterized by sinuous lines, floral and vegetable motifs, and soft evanescent coloration The Art Nouveau style was an eclectic one, bringing together elements of Japanese art, motifs of ancient cultures, and natural forms The glass objects of this style were elegant in outline, although often deliberately distorted, with pale or iridescent surfaces A favored device of the style was to imitate the iridescent surface seen on ancient glass that had been buried Much of the Art Nouveau glass produced during the years of its greatest popularity had been generically termed “art glass” Art glass was intended for decorative purposes and relied for its effect upon carefully chosen color combinations and innovative techniques France produced a number of outstanding exponents of the Art Nouveau style: among the most celebrated was Emile Gallé (1846-1901) In the United States, Louis Comfort Tiffany(1848-1933)was the most noted exponent of this style, producing a great variety of glass forms and surfaces, which were widely copied in their time and are highly prized today Tiffany was a brilliant designer, successfully combining ancient Egyptian The Art Nouveau style was a major force in the decorative arts from 1895 until 1915, although its influence continued throughout the mid1920’s It was eventually to be overtaken by a new school of thought known as Functionalism that had present since the turn of the century At first restricted to a small avantgarde group of architects and designers Functionalism emerged as the dominant influence upon designers alter the First World War The basic tenet of the movement - that function should determine form - was not a new concept Soon a distinct aesthetic code evolved: form should be simple, surfaces plain, and any ornament should be based on geometric relationships This new design concept, coupled with the sharp postwar reactions to the style and conventions of the preceding decades, created an entirely new public taste which caused Art Nouveau types of glass to fall out of favor The new taste demanded dramatic effects of contrast stark outline, and complex textural surfaces Question 1: What does paragraph mainly discuss? A Design elements in the Art Nouveau style B The popularity of the Art Nouveau style C Production techniques for art glass D Color combinations typical of the Art Nouveau style Question 2: The word “one” refers to A century B development C style D coloration Question 3: Paragraph mentions that Art Nouveau glass was sometimes similar to which aspect of ancient burial glass? A The distortion of the glass B The appearance of the glass C The shapes of the glass objects D The size of the glass objects Question 4: What is the main purpose of paragraph 3? A To compare different Art Nouveau styles B To give examples of famous Art Nouveau artists C To explain why Art Nouveau glass was so popular in the United State D To show the impact Art Nouveau had on other cultures around the world Question 5: The word “prized” is closest in meaning to A valued B universal C uncommon D preserved Question 6: The word “overtaken” is closest in meaning to A surpassed B inclined C expressed D applied Question 7: What does the author mean by stating that “function should determine form”? A A useful object should not be attractive B The purpose of an object should influence its form C The design of an object D The form of an object should not include decorative elements Question 8: It can be inferred from the passage that one reason Functionalism became popular was that it A clearly dusting B appealed to people who liked complex painted designs C reflected a common desire to break from the past D was easily interpreted by the general public Question 9: Which of the following statements about Functionalism? A Its design concept avoided geometric shapes B It started on a small scale and then spread gradually C It was a major force in the decorative arts before the First World War D It was not attractive to architects and designers Question 10: According to the passage, an object made in the Art Nouveau style would most likely include A a flowered design B bright colors C modern symbols D a textured surface Participants A1 A2 Treatment group scores (wpm) 103 Participants B1 Control group scores (wpm) 72 B2 75 A3 102 104 B3 71 A4 105 B4 74 A5 B5 73 A6 102 107 B6 72 A7 98 B7 73 A8 107 B8 70 A9 104 B9 73 A10 109 B10 70 A11 105 B11 71 A12 103 B12 A13 91 B13 82 78 A14 98 B14 74 A15 97 B15 69 A16 102 B16 82 A17 100 103 B17 80 84 A18 Participants A19 104 group Treatment B18 Participants B19 83 group Control A20 A26 A21 scores92(wpm) 103 105 B20 B26 B21 83(wpm) scores 87 73 A27 A22 A28 A23 B27 B22 B28 B23 A31 102 102 96 103 95 102 104 106 106 A32 103 B32 A33 98 B33 66 76 A34 B34 75 A35 101 105 B35 N= 35 X X = 3571 N= 35 80 X X = 2626 Mean 102 Mean 75 A29 A24 A30 A25 B29 B24 B30 B25 B31 65 68 66 70 106 78 82 77 70 Participants Treatment group Control group B1 scores (%) 55 B2 65 A3 80 75 B3 50 A4 75 B4 55 A5 85 B5 45 A6 90 B6 40 A7 55 B7 55 A8 70 B8 55 A9 85 B9 45 A10 75 B10 65 A11 85 B11 75 A12 70 B12 70 A13 65 B13 75 A14 B14 45 A15 60 70 B15 65 A16 75 B16 45 A17 85 B17 55 A18 95 B18 65 A19 Participants A20 65 70 95 group Treatment B19 Participants B20 70group Control A21 A27 A22 70 (%) scores 65 65 B21 B27 B22 scores 60 (%) 75 55 A28 A23 A29 A24 75 70 85 65 B28 B23 B29 B24 45 40 55 55 A30 A25 A31 A26 65 75 70 85 B30 B25 B31 B26 A32 80 B32 80 65 55 60 45 A33 95 B33 60 A34 65 B34 A35 75 B35 60 55 N= 35 X X = 2625 N= 35 X X =2065 Mean 75 Mean 59 A1 A2 scores (%) 70 Participants ... to examine as well as help learners to improve reading speed and reading comprehension This study was carried out to explore the effects on narrow reading on Vietnamese learners? ?? reading fluency. .. learners? ?? reading speed? How does narrow reading affect EFL learners? ?? reading comprehension? 3.2 Participants To collect data for the research, a study was carried out among EFL students at a. .. agreement on what reading fluency actually is has been brought to the forefront Reading fluency is often defined as accurate reading of connected text at a conversational rate with appropriate prosody