The Effects of Teaching A Story-Based Program via The Discussion Method on Improving English Majors' Reading Comprehension Skills and Their Attitudes Towards Learning English

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of using a story-based program taught through the Discussion Method on improving first year Faculty of Arts students' reading comprehension skills, and their attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language. The study used a pre-post control group design. Fifty students were randomly assigned to either a control or an experimental group. Students of the experimental group were instructed using a suggested challenging short story-based program, whereas, the control group received traditional treatment. A pre-post reading comprehension skills test and an attitude scale towards learning English as a foreign language were the tools of the present study. The results of the present study showed two main categories of findings. Compared to the students of the control group, the students of the experimental group showed significant differences in their acquisition of reading comprehension skills. Second, there was evidence of an improvement in the experimental group students' positive attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language. Based on the results of the study, recommendations and suggestions for further future research were presented.