A study on the relationship between topic familiarity and EFL reading comprehension performance of english translation students of college of television

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES NGUYỄN THỊ PHƢƠNG LIÊN A STUDY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TOPIC FAMILIARITY AND EFL READING COMPREHENSION PERFORMANCE OF ENGLISH TRANSLATION STUDENTS OF COLLEGE OF TELEVISION (Một nghiên cứu mối quan hệ mức độ quen thuộc với chủ đề đọc khả đọc hiểu sinh viên khoa tiếng Anh Biên Dịch trường Cao Đẳng Truyền Hình) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60140111 Hanoi - 2016 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES NGUYỄN THỊ PHƢƠNG LIÊN A STUDY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TOPIC FAMILIARITY AND EFL READING COMPREHENSION PERFORMANCE OF ENGLISH TRANSLATION STUDENTS OF COLLEGE OF TELEVISION (Một nghiên cứu mối quan hệ mức độ quen thuộc với chủ đề đọc khả đọc hiểu sinh viên khoa tiếng Anh Biên Dịch trường Cao Đẳng Truyền Hình) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60140111 Supervisor: Assoc Prof Dr Nguyêñ Xuân Thơm s Hanoi - 2016 DECLARATION I, Nguyen Thi Phuong Lien, certify that this work is my own study The data, results and finding in this thesis are completely true The thesis has not been submitted for a higher degree to any other university or institution Hanoi,2016 Nguyễn Thị Phƣơng Liên i ABSTRACT “A study on the relationship between topic familiarity and EFL reading comprehension performance of English Translation students of College of Television” A group of 65 students from Faculty of English Translation, College of Television were required to two reading tests, one using a text whose topic is familiar with students, and another using a text with an unfamiliar topic These two topics were determined by a questionnaire delivered to them before the tests The comparison between results of the tests was conducted to find out how topic familiarity affects students on comprehending a text Then, a treatment related to providing topic familiarity was carried out, and its effectiveness was evaluated The way this type of schema normally activated in their reading lessons was also investigated through a survey and an interview The research result proved the facilitative role of topic familiarity on EFL reading comprehension and raised many implications on teaching reading skill and for further researches in this area ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my deep gratitude to my supervisor, Assoc Prof Dr Nguyen Xuan Thom for thoroughly instructing and helping me to clarify the issues, for the insightful comments, and for always giving encouraging words to me Without his invaluable advice and support, the study could not have come to success I would also give special thanks to Assoc Prof Dr Le Van Canh who cultivated the idea about the thesis‟ topic to me, and also suggested me the very first approach to conduct the study I wish to thank my colleagues who are English Teachers of English Translation Department, College of Television for their participating in and for supporting me during the thesis conducting process iii THE TABLE OF CONTENT Declaration Abstract Acknowledgements PART A: INTRODUCTION Rationale for the study Objectives of the study Method of the study Significance of the study The scope of the research Design of the thesis PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 EFL Reading comprehension 1.2 Topic familiarity 1.2.1 1.2.2 1.2.3 comprehension 1.2.4 Research on effects of topic familiarity on reading comprehension CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 2.1 Participants 2.2 Data collection instruments 2.3 Procedure 2.4 Data analysis techniques CHAPTER 3: RESULTS AND FINDINGS 3.1 Familiar topic vs unfamiliar topic 3.2 Relationship between topic familiarity and students‟ reading comprehension 222 iv 3.2.1 Pre-tests on different topics .222 3.2.2 Students‟ improvement after treatments .266 3.3 Activating topic familiarity and its effect in learning and teaching reading in the research context .288 CHAPTER 4: DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATION FOR TEACHING READING SKILL .322 PART C CONCLUSION 366 The findings 366 Implications 377 The research‟s limitation 377 Suggestions for further researches 377 REFERENCES 39 APPENDIXES Appendix Placement test I Appendix Questionnaire X Appendix Interview questions XII Appendix Reading comprehension tests XIII v LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS EFL: English as a Foreign Language CTV: College of Television L1: The first language L2: The second language LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS Table 1: Text difficulty by passage Table 2: The result of preliminary test Table 3: Topic familiar questionnaire‟s result Table 4: Descriptive statistics for reading tests Table 5: Paired sample pretests Table 6: Performance in tests by different proficiency level groups Table 7: Pretest- posttest descriptive statistics Table 8: Paired sample pre-posttest results Chart 1: Research procedure Chart 2: Higher level group‟s performance in pretests Chart 3: Lower level group‟s performance in pretests Chart 4: Forms usually used to activate students' background knowledge Chart 5: Students‟ performance of pre- reading activities understandability Chart 6: Students‟ evaluation on pre-reading activities effectiveness vi PART A: INTRODUCTION Rationale for the study Reading is generally considered as one of the most important skills in learning a foreign language Noor, N M (2006) has stated that “In any academic or higher learning context, reading is perceived as the most prominent academic skill for university students” It is also perceived as a hard and multivariate skill because it requires readers both rich background knowledge of the given topic and the efficient knowledge of the language in order to read effectively (Grabe, 1997) It is agreed by many experts that EFL reading comprehension is affected by different variables (such as students‟ level, their motivation or anxiety, etc.) Among them, passage content or topic familiarity can be considered as the most influential factor Researches have proved that prior knowledge of the reading text‟s content may affect both first language (L1) and second language (L2) reading comprehension As Aebersold, J A and Field, M L (1997) point out if the topic is outside of readers‟ experience or base of knowledge; they are adrift on an unknown sea It can be referred that reading about an unfamiliar topic is really a difficult work For those reasons, many researches have been conducted to shed the light on the influential relationship between topic familiarity in particular (and schema theory in general) and reading comprehension (Carrell, 1987; Chen & Donin, 1997; Krekeler, 2006; Lesser, 2003; Shapiro, 2004; Tsui, 2002; Wu, 2005) These studies actually have great effect on understanding reading comprehension in both first and second language, and made it clear that understanding the role of topic familiarity in reading process gives insights into reasons why students may fail to comprehend text materials By this, English language educators can develop teaching methods, reading materials, testing and evaluation on teaching reading comprehension skill, to be more compatible with their learners, and then improve the teaching and learning results To teachers at English Translation Department, the very new department of College of Television, developing a suitable and effective reading course for students is very essential To achieve this, finding out influences of topic familiarity on students‟ reading comprehension competence is very necessary That is the reason why the investigator as one of English teacher of the department conducted this study - A study on the relationhip between topic familiarity and EFL reading comprehension performance of English Translation students of College of Television The aim of the study is to find out how topic familiarity of reading materials affects students‟ comprehension, and how it is activated in the current teaching situation; thereby the research result and its implication can be applied to develop current reading materials as well as teaching and learning reading skill in the College Objectives of the study The present study is conducted in order to examine and evaluate the effects of passage topic familiarity on L2 readers' comprehension among English Translation students of College of Television who learn English as a foreign language Besides, the factual situation in activating this type of schemata in CTV reading classes will be explored and evaluated to improve the current teaching reading methods and syllabus To achieve mentioned objectives, the following research question guide the study:  What is the relationship between topic familiarity and EFL students‟ reading comprehension performance? Method of the study To achieve the objectives as stated above, the study is conducted mainly with the approach of a quasi- experimental research as a type of empirical study By this, a causal hypothesis about the influence of topic familiarity on ESL students‟ reading comprehension is tested by setting a comparison between their results on two reading comprehension tests, one is with a familiar topic and the other is with unfamiliar topic After that, the conductor manipulates some treatment, and then some comparisons between pretest and posttest will be made to make the point even clear The VI VII VIII Source: Quintana, J (n.d.) PET practice tests (pp 1-9) Oxford University Press IX APPENDIX PRE- TEST QUESTIONNAIRE Title: The Effect of Topic Familiarity on EFL Reading Comprehension Performance of English Translation Students of College of Television My name is Phuong Lien Nguyen Thi and I am conducting a research project related to learning and teaching reading English as a second language skill From the student list provided by the Department of Foreign Languages, College of Television, I would like to invite you to participate in my study The aim of this study is to learn more about the impacts of Topic Familiarity of reading texts on students‟ reading comprehension competence This questionnaire is designed for the research purpose only, and all information in this is kept private Hope that you will give the most truthful answers All the cooperation is welcomed Thanks a lot! A BACKGROUND INFORMATION ( Please tick √ or write where relevant)  Your full name is:  Your gender: □Male □Female  How long have you learnt English? B SURVEY QUESTIONS How often does your teacher activate background knowledge before starting a new lesson? a Often b Sometimes c Seldom d Never In what form does your teacher activate your background knowledge in reading lessons? (You may tick more than one) a Listening to a song b Telling a story c Describing pictures d Question and answer e Watching a video program X f Oral discussion Is the knowledge provided in pre-reading activities initiated by the teacher acceptable to understand? a Yes Do you find any connection of the pre-reading activities and the present material you are reading? a Yes Do those activities a resource for you to comprehend the reading text better? a Yes Does your teacher use the reading tasks in the textbook to activate your background knowledge? a Most often b Sometimes To which extent are these following topics familiar with your background? Write the number equivalent to the level of familiarity next to the topic absolutely unfamiliar slightly familiar somewhat familiar moderately familiar extremely familiar Television jobs: Weather forecasters Fashion and clothes: Vehicle: Car maintenance Animals: Animal magic Sports and games: Football makes history Crime and prevention: crime prevention Pests: Rats Entertainment: Fun-fair attraction Ancient civilization: Egyptian pyramid 10 Sociology: The qualities we prize in our children Thank you for your attendance! XI APPENDIX Interview questions for teachers How often you activate background knowledge before each new lesson? In what way you do? How you perceive about effects of topic familiarity on students‟ reading comprehension result? - Do your students get better comprehension with a text in familiar topic? - Do they encounter any difficulties when reading a text in unfamiliar topic? In that case, how you help them? - How does this factor (the influence of topic familiarity on students‟ reading comprehension) affect your choosing texts for reading tests? In your opinion, is it necessary to consider the students level of language proficiency to provide background knowledge? Why? What materials you use to provide background knowledge? Materials from the textbook/ Materials from my own selections/ others (please specify .)? Please explain the reason for your choice In what form you provide background knowledge? Listening to a song/Telling a story/Describing pictures/Question and answer/Watching a video program/Oral discussion Why you choose that form? Do you think that the background knowledge activities are acceptable to the students' proficiency? Yes/No/Some are acceptable and others are not Please clarify Do you carefully scrutinize the text to ensure that the information in each paragraph is tested? Yes/No/Sometimes Why? Adapted from Khanam, M et al (2014), The Role of Schema for Effective EFL Reading Comprehension, ASA University Review, Vol No 1, January–June, 2014 XII APPENDIX READING COMPREHENSION ASSESSMENTS Test Reading comprehension assessment Your name: A WEATHER FORECASTER’S JOB Millions of people tune into the weather forecast each evening on television Most of them imagine that the presenter does little more than arrive at the studio a few minutes before the broadcast, read the weather, and then go home In fact, this image is far from the truth The two-minute bulletin which we all rely on when we need to know tomorrow‟s weather is the result of a hard day‟s work by the presenter, who is actually a highly-qualified meteorologist Every morning after arriving at the TV studios, the first task of the day is to collect the latest data from the National Meteorological Office This office provides up-to-theminute information about weather conditions throughout the day, both in Britain and around the world The information is very detailed and includes predictions, satellite and radar pictures, as well as more technical data After gathering all the relevant material from this office, the forecaster has to translate the scientific terminology and maps into images and words which viewers can easily understand The final broadcast is then carefully planned It is prepared in the same way as other programs The presenter decides what to say and in what order to say it Next a “story board” is drawn up which lays out the script word for word What makes a weather forecast more complicated than other programs are the maps and electronic images which are required The computer has to be programmed so that the pictures appear in the correct order during the bulletin The time allocated for each broadcast can also alter This is because the weather report is screened after the news, which can vary in length The weather forecaster doesn‟t always know how much time is avail-able, which means that he/she has to be thoroughly prepared so that the material can be adapted to the time available Another related complication is that the weather forecast has to be a live broadcast; it cannot be pre-recorded Live shows are very nerve- racking for the presenter because almost anything can go wrong Perhaps the most worrying aspect for every weather forecaster is getting the following day‟s predictions wrong Unfortunately for them this XIII is not an unusual occurrence; the weather is not always possible to predict accurately The weather is a national obsession in Britain, perhaps because it is so changeable It‟s the national talking point, and most people watch at least one daily bulletin It can be mortifying for a weather man or woman who has predicted rain for the morning to wake up to brilliant sunshine These days, a weather forecaster‟s job is even more complicated because they are relied upon to predict other environmental conditions For example, in the summer the weather forecast has to include the pollen count for hay-fever sufferers Some also include reports on ultraviolet radiation intensity to help people avoid sunburn The job of a weather forecaster is certainly far more complicated than just pointing at a map and describing weather conditions It‟s a job for professionals who can cope with stressful and demanding conditions Source: Mission FCE, Evan, V & Dooley, J., (1998), Express Publishing Written free-recall Without looking back to the reading text, write down any idea of the text that you remember by your own language The more ideas you can recall the higher mark you can take The answer sheet is handed out separately Based on the reading text, decide whether these following statements are True (write T) or False (write F) The presenter arrives at the studio just before the broadcast The presenter is a meteorologist TV viewers prefer scientific terminology The weather forecast is on at the same time every day The weather forecast is read live The weather forecast is often incorrect British people talk about the weather a lot The job of a forecaster is easy Choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text What perception most people have of weather forecasters? A They have many qualifications B.They a hard day‟s work at the studio XIV C They work very short hours D They always tell the truth 10 Meteorologists get their forecasting information from B the country‟s main weather centre A the TV studio D their office C satellite and radar information 11 Creating a weather report is complex because B a lot of data has to be interpreted A maps have to be drawn C radar pictures are technical D the information includes unreliable predictions 12 The computer has to be carefully programmed A so that the visuals are sequenced correctly B so that the script is visible to the presenter C because the script has to be written on a story board D because electronic maps are used 13 Weather forecasters have to know the material well because A the broadcast is pre-recorded B the forecast may be incorporated into the news broadcast C the content of the report may have to change D the length of the report may have to change 14 What does “this" in line 34 refer to? A the weather forecaster‟s worry B reading the weather „live‟ C giving a forecast that doesn‟t come true D an accurate prediction 15 In Britain, people's attitude to the weather A is not changeable B makes it a top discussion topic C depends on the prediction being for a sunny or rainy day D is a national problem 16 Nowadays, weather forecasters have to A experiments to determine the pollen count B be able to cope under pressure C simply point at maps and describe weather conditions D cope with professionals (Adapted from Mission FCE, Evan, V & Dooley, J., 1998, Express Publishing) Thank you for your co-operation! XV Test Reading comprehension assessment Student’s name: A TYPE OF THERAPY - QIGONG If the very idea of a fitness routine leaves you feeling exhausted and you shiver at the thought of jogging round the park in the winter wind, then Qigong might be just the form of exercise you are looking for This new gentle form of oriental gymnastics is composed of a system of meditative exercises which involve standing in a series of postures for up to half an hour a day, or combining simple movements with breathing exercises Although this type of exercise does not build muscles, it is quickly growing in popularity as it is considered to be a good way of reducing stress, stimulating the circulation and strengthening the body‟s immune system Qigong, literally translated, means training your energy, and has been compared to acupuncture without needles According to Chinese beliefs, qi is vital energy which circulates within the human body and throughout nature Qi is thought to flow along a system of bodily channels, similar to the way that sap flows through a tree Consequently, Qigong is based on the hypothesis that illness and psychological problems are caused when the natural energy flow is blocked or deficient Qigong directs energy to the trouble spot, and can be used to alleviate allergies, asthma, hypertension, insomnia and rheumatism This method has also been shown to be successful in treating obesity; one patient who weighed 230 kg was able to lose 70 kg Another Dutch patient weighed 168 kg when her father took her to a Qigong practitioner two years ago “I was very skeptical,” she says “I‟d tried so many diets, but I always put weight back on again.” Once she started the Qigong routine her weight began to drop, despite only minor modifications to her diet In six months she lost 50 kilos “It‟s not difficult at all Since I started doing the exercises I haven‟t been so hungry and I‟ve had more energy, so I‟m more active.” Chinese practitioners have found it difficult to persuade the western mind of the powers of Qigong But although conventional medicine cannot explain it, governments keen to cut rising healthcare costs are endorsing it In Germany, for example, Qigong is available on the national healthcare system, and many doctors are prescribing it for aches, swellings and allergies Many patients who have suffered from allergies for XVI years have found that, since starting Qigong, they haven‟t been ill at all, or only suffer from very slight allergic reactions In Europe, for the most part, it has been used to treat relatively minor conditions, but recently Qigong has achieved dramatic results with more serious conditions In one case a French air stewardess was told by her doctor that she only had a few months to live because she had cancer Conventional treatment, including chemotherapy, had been unsuccessful It made her so ill that she nearly died After starting Qigong, however, the patient immediately began to feel better Subsequently, the doctors could find no further traces of the disease and the patient was able to return to work While this may sound like a miracle, one should point out that Qigong may not necessarily cure everyone, as it depends on how much you exercise and on the individual‟s psychological motivation Nevertheless, even if it does not cure you, it has the potential to prolong your life Source: Mission FCE, Evan, V & Dooley, J., (1998), Express Publishing Written free-recall Without looking back to the reading text, write down any idea of the text that you remember by your own language The more ideas you can recall the higher mark you can take The answer sheet is handed out separately Based on the reading text, decide whether these following statements are True (write T) or False (write F) Qigong is a form of mental gymnastics Qigong involves standing in a series of postures for up to half an hour a day It is used as a way of alleviating allergies, asthma and insomnia Qigong means training your body by breathing exercises It is based on the idea that illness and psychological problems are caused when energy is blocked Recently, Qigong has been used in the treatment of serious conditions like obesity A French hairdresser was told she had cancer, but Qigong made her feel better Qigong can cure every disease and prolong your life Choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text XVII Qigong is perfect for those who A not like vigorous exercise C are exhausted B enjoy jogging D not enjoy routines 10 Qigong A C is a form of acupuncture is a type of body building D is like aerobics B helps the body fight disease more effectively 11 Qi is believed to be A the training of energy B C the life-force a channel in the body D the circulatory system 12 Some governments approve Qigong because A they are keen on it C they have been persuaded that it works B it is cheap D it is better than conventional methods 13 In Europe, Qigong has mainly been used A for serious conditions C for easily treated ailments B for those who can‟t afford private treatment D for those with allergic reactions to drugs 14 What does “it” in line 41 refer to? A cancer C the established way of treatment B Qigong D limited life expectancy 15 Which statement is not true about Qigong? A It can treat obesity B It is proved by conventional medicine to be able to cure cancer C It hypothesizes that blocked or deficient natural energy flow cause psychological problems D It can help people prolong their lives 16 According to the conclusion of the passage, Qigong A will definitely make you live longer C has miraculous effects B will only cure you if you believe in it D is ineffective (Adapted from Mission FCE, Evan, V & Dooley, J., 1998, Express Publishing) Thank you for your attendance XVIII 19 ... Liên i ABSTRACT ? ?A study on the relationship between topic familiarity and EFL reading comprehension performance of English Translation students of College of Television? ?? A group of 65 students. .. comprehension performance of English Translation students of College of Television The aim of the study is to find out how topic familiarity of reading materials affects students? ?? comprehension, and. .. 1989) Topic familiarity vs content familiarity These two terms sometimes make readers confuse when they read about passage familiarity and schemata In fact, topic familiarity and content familiarity