The Effect of the paraphrasing strategy instruction on students’ reading comprehension skills

Year 2012, , 1 - 11, 31.10.2012

Ihsan Ozdemir

https://doi.org/10.19128/turje.181043

Abstract

The study was conducted at the Department of Foreign Languages Education, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Turkey. The participants were 62 first-year students. The experimental and the control groups both consisted of 31 students. In the first phase, a Reading Comprehension Test, a Vocabulary Test, a Grammar Test and a Paraphrasing Test were administered to the groups to determine the equivalence. The instruction was implemented for 6 weeks. In the last phase, both groups took the Paraphrasing Test and the Reading Comprehension Test as post-tests as well as the Specific Paraphrasing Test. According to the results, the experimental group learned how to use the strategy and outperformed the control group on the Specific Paraphrasing Test. Yet, there was no significant difference between the groups with respect to reading comprehension skills.

Keywords

Paraphrasing strategy, reading comprehension, instruction, English language teaching (ELT)

Açımlama stratejisi öğretiminin öğrencilerin okuduğunu anlama becerilerine etkisi

Abstract

Çalışma Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi, Yabancı Diller Eğitimi Bölümü‟nde gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışmaya 62 I. sınıf öğrencisi katılmıştır. Gerek deney grubu gerekse de kontrol grubu 31 kişiden oluşmuştur. Gruplara ilk olarak aralarında denklik olup olmadığını saptamak amacıyla bir Okuduğunu Anlama Testi, bir Kelime Testi, bir Dilbilgisi Testi ile bir Açımlama Testi verilmiştir. Strateji öğretimi 6 hafta sürmüştür. Son aşamada her iki grup da Okuduğunu Anlama Testi ile Açımlama Testini son test olarak tekrar almışlardır. Ek olarak gruplara ayrı bir Açımlama Testi daha verilmiştir. Sonuçlar deney grubunun açımlama stratejisini kullanmayı öğrendiğini ve Açımlama Testinde (Ek olarak verilen açımlama testinde) kontrol grubundan daha yüksek bir puan aldığını ortaya koymuştur. Ancak, gruplar arasında okuduğunu anlama becerileri açısından anlamlı bir farklılık ortaya konamamıştır.

Keywords

Açımlama stratejisi, okuduğunu anlama, öğretim, İngiliz dili eğitimi

References

• Aarnoutse, C.A.J. (1998). Lezen in ontwikkeling (Reading in development). Nijmegen, Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen.
• Alexander, P.A. (1996). The past, present, and future of knowledge research: A reexamination of the role of knowledge in learning and instruction. Educational Psychologist. 31, 89–92.
• Alvermann, D. E., & Qian, G. G. (1994). Perspectives on secondary school reading: Implications for instruction. Reading and Writing Quarterly. 10, 21-38.
• Anderson, N.J. (2003). Metacognitive reading strategies increase L2 performance. The Language Teacher. 27(7), 20-22.
• Andreassen, R. & Braten, I. (2011). Implementation and effects of explicit reading comprehension instruction in fifth-grade classrooms. Learning and Instruction 21: 520-537
• Brown, H. Douglas. (2001). Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy. 2nd edition. White Plains, NY: Addison Wesley Longman.
• Chamot, A. U. (2001). The Role of Learning Strategies in Second Language Acquisition. In M. P. Breen, Learner contributions to language learning: New directions in research (pp. 25 43). London: Longman
• Chamot, A.U., Barnhardt, S., El-Dinary, P.B. and Robbins, J. (1999). The Learning Strategies Handbook. New York State: Longman.
• Cohen, A. D. (1998). Strategies in learning and using a second language. London: Longman.
• Day, R. R., & Bamford, J. (1998). Extensive reading in the second language classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Dickinson, L. (1987). Self-instruction in Language Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Green, J. & Oxford, R. L. (1995). A closer look at learning strategies, L2 proficiency, and gender. TESOL Quarterly.29, 261–297
• Hartman, H. J. (2001). Developing students‟ metacognitive knowledge and skills. In H. J. Hartman, Metacognition in learning and instruction (pp. 33–68). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
• http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_paraphr.html Last retrieved on July 06, 2012.
• http://www.bridgewater.edu/WritingCenter/Workshops/paraphrastips.htm Last retrieved on July 06, 2012.
• Lauterbach, S.L. & Bender, W.N. (1995). Cognitive Strategy Instruction for Reading Comprehension: A Success for High School Freshman. The High School Journal. 79, 58-64
• Lenz, B.K. (2006). Creating School-Wide Conditions for High-Quality Learning Strategy Classroom Instruction. Intervention in School and Clinic 41 (5) 261-266
• Levine, A., Ferenz, O., Reves, T. (2000). EFL academic reading and modern technology: How can we turn our students into independent criticalreaders?. TESL-EJ. 4(4). Retrieved from: http://wwwwriting.berkely.edu/TESL-EJ/ej16/a1.html.
• McMullen, M.G. (2009). Using language-learning strategies to improve the writing skills of Saudi EFL students: Will it really work?. System 37: 418-433
• Mokhtari, K. & Sheorey, R. (2002). Measuring ESL students‟ awareness of reading strategies. Journal of Developmental Education. 25, 2-10
• Nunan, D. (1997). Does learner strategy training make a difference?. Lenguas Modernas. 24, 123-142
• O'Malley, J. M. & Chamot, A. U. (1990). Learning strategies in second language acquisition. New York: Cambridge University Press.
• Oxford, R. L. (1990). Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know. Boston: Heinle and Heinle.
• Pressley, M. (2002). Reading instruction that works the case for balanced teaching. 2 Nd Ed. New York: Guildford Press.
• Roehler, L. R., & Cantlon, D. J. (1997). Scaffolding: A powerful tool in social constructivist classrooms. In K. Hogan & M. Pressley, Scaffolding student learning: Instructional approaches and issues(pp. 6–42). Cambridge, MA: Brookline Books.
• Sheorey, R. & Mokhtari, K. (2001). Differences in the metacognitive awareness of reading strategies among native and non-native readers. System. 29, 431-449
• Singhal, M. (2001). Reading Proficiency, Reading Strategies, Metacognitive awareness and L2 Readers. The Reading Matrix. 1 (1), 1-23
• Taraban, R; Rynearson, K. & Kerr, M, (2000). College Students‟ Academic Performance and Self-Reports of Comprehension Strategy Use. Reading Psychology. 21, 283–308
• Vann, R. J., & Abraham, R. G. (1990). Strategies of unsuccessful language learners. TESOL Quarterly. 24, 177-198
• Yang, N-D. (2002). Using portfolios as a learning tool. Paper presented at the 13th World Congress of the International Association of Applied Linguistics, Singapore.
• Zhang, L. J. (2003). Research into Chinese EFL Learner Strategies: Methods, Findings, and Instructional Issues. The Continuum Publishing Group Ltd 34.3 284-322