Abstract
Based on the assumption that preparing the reader before reading can foster reading comprehension, this research presents an empirical study in which the effects of pre-reading tasks on reading comprehension of narrative texts in English as a second language2 (L2) were investigated. Nine participants from a public high school took part in this investigation and to collect data, two Reading Comprehension Tests were fulfilled by participants right after reading each text. As stimuli, two narrative texts were selected. In the treatment condition, participants were exposed to the pre-reading tasks proposed by Willis and Willis (2011), which were adapted to fit the context of this research, prior to reading one of the narrative texts. In the control condition, the second text received a glossary at the end of the passage. The results provided evidence that pre-reading tasks are able to foster the reading comprehension of narrative texts in L2, since participants’ performance was higher in the treatment condition, endorsing previous research on reading. Furthermore, the results also go in line with Willis and Willis’ claim that pre-reading tasks are beneficial for reading comprehension of narrative texts.
Highlights
The main objective of this study was to verify if reading comprehension is fostered when readers are prepared for reading a narrative text in English as a second language (L2), by adopting pre-reading tasks with the support of the Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) approach
The following research question (RQ) was proposed: What are the effects of pre-reading tasks, as compared to a glossary, on the reading comprehension of narrative EFL texts, as measured by comprehension questions?
In a research conducted by Tomitch (1991), participants were exposed to pre-reading activities and the results showed that they fostered reading comprehension by activating prior schemata
Summary
The main objective of this study was to verify if reading comprehension is fostered when readers are prepared for reading a narrative text in English as a second language (L2), by adopting pre-reading tasks with the support of the Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) approach. To reach this objective, the following research question (RQ) was proposed: What are the effects of pre-reading tasks (treatment condition), as compared to a glossary (control condition), on the reading comprehension of narrative EFL texts, as measured by comprehension questions?
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
