A study on using narrow reading to improve efl learners reading fluency

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VINH UNIVERSITY HOANG THI ANH A STUDY ON USING NARROW READING TO IMPROVE EFL LEARNERS ’READING FLUENCY MASTER’S THESIS IN EDUCATION NGHE AN, 2017 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 pre-test 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 i 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 11 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS LIST OF CHARTS CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale 1.2 The aims of the study 1.3 Research questions 1.4 Scope of the study 1.5 Design of the thesis CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 The reading process 2.1.1 The definitions of reading 2.1.2 The role of reading in learning 2.2 Reading fluency 2.2.1 The indicators of reading fluency 2.2.2 Assessing reading fluency development 2.2.3 First and second language reading fluency 2.3 Reading comprehension 2.3.1 Comprehension and reading comprehension 2.3.2 Factors involved in reading comprehension 2.3.3 Assessing reading comprehension 2.4 Reading speed 2.4.1 The nature of reading speed 2.4.2 The importance of reading speed in EFL 2.4.3 Factors hindering reading speed 2.4.4 Measuring reading speed 2.5 Narrow reading 2.5.1 Definition 2.5.2 Narrow reading in EFL teaching 8 8 10 10 10 12 13 15 15 17 18 18 20 23 25 25 26 27 28 28 29 30 CHAPTER METHODOLOGY 33 3.1 Research questions 33 3.2 Participants 33 3.3 Materials 33 3.4 Procedures 35 CHAPTER FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 37 4.1 Results 37 4.1.1 General English test results 37 4.1.2 Pre-test and post-test results 37 4.1.3 Results from the reading sessions in the experiment 44 4.2 Discussion of the main findings 58 4.2.1 The effects of narrow reading on EFL learners' reading speed 59 4.2.2 The effects of narrow reading on EFL learners' reading comprehension 60 CHAPTER CONCLUSION 61 5.1 Pedagogical implications 61 5.2 Limitations of the study 62 5.3 Recommendation for further research 63 5.4 Conclusion 63 REFERENCES 66 APPENDIX A 74 APPENDIX B 80 APPENDIX C 84 APPENDIX D 86 APPENDIX E 88 APPENDIX F 91 APPENDIX G 93 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 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 LIST OF TABLES Table 4.1 The general test result of the two classes 37 Table 4.2 The general test result of the two groups after the participants were 38 divided Table 4.3 Means and standard deviations of participants’ reading speed 39 measured by words per minute for two groups at the pre-test Table 4.4 Means and standard deviations of participants’ reading 40 comprehension measured by words per minute for two groups at the pre-test Table 4.5 Means and standard deviations of participants’ reading speed for two 41 groups at the post-test Table 4.6 Means and standard deviations of participants’ reading 42 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 Table 4.9 Means and standard deviations of participants’ reading 46 comprehension for two groups at the first reading at the first week Table 4.10 Reading comprehension of Treatment group for four reading times 47 at the first week Table 4.11 Means and standard deviations of participants’ reading speed 47 measured by words per minute for two groups at the second week Table 4.12 Reading speed of Treatment group for four reading times at the 48 second week Table 4.13 Means and standard deviations of participants’ reading 49 comprehension for two groups at the first reading at the second week Table 4.14 Reading comprehension of Treatment group for four reading times 49 at the second week Table 4.15 Means and standard deviations of participants’ reading speed 50 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 APPENDIX B : PRE-TEST 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 83 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 84 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 85 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 86 APPENDIX C Reading speed scores (wpm) and means of the Pre-test Participants Treatment group Participants Control group A1 scores (wpm) 64 B1 scores (wpm) 65 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 87 61 55 APPENDIX D Treatment group Control group Participants Reading comprehension Pre-test(wpm) scores (wpm) scores (%) and means of thescores B27 58 66 Participants A27 A28 59 B28 A29 B29 A30 61 67 A31 57 B31 A32 72 B32 A33 56 B33 66 72 A34 B34 61 A35 60 65 B35 N= 35 X X = 2276 N= 35 66 X X = 2247 Mean 65 Mean 64 B30 88 68 63 62 58 Participants Treatment group Participants scores (%) A1 Control group scores (%) 60 40 B1 B2 20 50 B3 30 A4 20 50 B4 40 A5 30 B5 50 A6 40 B6 A7 50 B7 60 40 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 A2 A3 A13 A14 A24 A25 A26 89 APPENDIX D Treatment group Control group Participants Reading comprehension scores (%) scores (%) and means of the Pre-test scores (%) 50 B27 70 Participants A27 60 40 B30 30 B31 40 B32 30 A33 20 30 B33 50 A34 30 B34 A35 40 B35 20 40 N= 35 Mean 45 A30 A31 A32 N= 35 Mean 44 90 r-'- 40 II B29 A29 o X 30 II B28 X XJ 60 30 X XJ A28 APPENDIX E: POST-TEST 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 mid-1920’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 91 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 92 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 93 APPENDIX F Reading speed scores (wpm) and means of the Post-test Participants Treatment group Participants B1 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 B17 A18 100 103 B18 80 84 A19 104 B19 83 A20 92 B20 83 A21 105 B21 73 A22 B22 A23 102 103 B23 68 70 A24 102 B24 78 A25 106 B25 77 A1 A2 scores (wpm) 103 Control group 94 APPENDIX G Treatment group Control group Participants Reading comprehension scores (%) and means of the Post-test scores (wpm) scores (wpm) A26 103 B26 87 Participants A27 B27 65 A28 102 96 B28 66 A29 95 B29 106 A30 104 B30 A31 B31 A32 106 103 82 70 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 B32 95 Participants Treatment group Participants 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 65 B19 70 A20 95 B20 70 A21 70 B21 A22 65 B22 60 55 A23 70 B23 40 A24 65 B24 55 A25 75 B25 65 A26 85 B26 60 A1 A2 scores (%) 70 Control group 96 APPENDIX G Treatment group Control group Participants Reading comprehension scores (%)scores (%) and means of the Post-test scores (%) A27 65 B27 75 Participants A28 75 B28 45 A29 85 B29 55 A30 65 B30 A31 70 B31 80 55 A32 B32 45 A33 80 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 97 ... to increase EFL 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. .. this topic, the lack of 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... (Krashen, 1989) Vocabulary is a fundamental part of language learning and a significant means of communication In English as a second language (ESL) and English as a foreign language (EFL) , learning