Teaching Reading Skills Research Articles

Social-Personalized versus Computer-Personalized Methods to Teaching English Learners' Reading Comprehension Ability

The present study was out to compare new approaches computer assisted language learning, personalized learning program versus traditional approach to teaching second language reading comprehension ability among Iranian English learners. The participants in this study were 90 students who studied at a university of Applied Sciences and Technology in Rasht, Iran. All the participants were randomly assigned into three groups, one control group and two experimental groups. The control group went through a traditional method of teaching reading skill in the classroom. The first experimental group received a personalized learning instruction. The second experimental group went through a personalized learning program supported by a computer assisted language learning system (CALL). At the end of the treatment, a posttest was administrated to three groups to find out the effects of the new instruction. The results of this study revealed that the second experimental group who received treatment through CALL- based personalized learning approach.

TEACHING ENGLISH READING ABILITY FOR SECOND/FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNERS

This article discusses the factors that affect the teaching of reading skills in English, for which the learners of English is the second language (L2) or as a foreign language (FL) and the alternative activities that may be done on the learning process in order to achieve the goals of effective reading learning. There are seven teaching principles that are needed to be considered and developed by reading teachers in the classes of English as second or foreign language. The seven principles of instruction should be applied in designing the reading class of English as a foreign language. The implementation of the seven principles will further optimize the students' reading ability in reading class of English as a foreign language for the students.

IMPROVING STUDENT’S READING COMPREHENSION THROUGH DRTA-STRATEGY AT SMP ST.IGNASIUS MEDAN

This study was designed to improve students’ reading comprehension ability through DRTA Strategy. The strategy was selected because it was believed to be able to stimulate or activate the students to be more involved in the reading activities and to facilitate the students to comprehend the texts, especially report texts. The research problem was formulated as follows: “How to apply DRTA strategy in order to improve students reading comprehension at SMP ST.IGNASIUS MEDAN? The study employed a collaborative classroom action research design in which the researcher and the collaborator as researcher team worked together designing the lesson plan, implementing the action, observing the action, and reflecting the action. The subjects of this research were 30 students the first semester students XI of SMP ST.IGNASIUS in the 2013/2014 academic year. The findings of this research study indicated that the DRTA strategy was successful in improving both the students’ ability in comprehending report texts and the students’ involvement in reading activities. Based on the students’ achievement using DRTA strategy in comprehending report texts, it was suggested for the English teachers to apply DRTA strategy as one of many alternatives that can be used in teaching reading skills.

The effects of formative reading assessments closely linked to classroom texts on high school reading comprehension

Older student reading of informational texts like those found in most high school classrooms continue to be a concern. College entrance exams scores attest to the fact that this age group of readers remain largely unprepared for the rigorous, discipline area reading and comprehension demands of higher education. In response to this issue content area teachers have been encouraged to teach reading skills for their subject matter. Standard reading instruction tools have included reading guides and summative reading assessments. This study sought to compare the effects of standard reading pedagogy with computerized, formative reading assessments given to students as they read. The largest publisher of high school textbooks, Pearson Prentice-Hall, and the publisher of the high school government text used in this study currently does not have in place digital, formative reading assessments tracking section by chapter section. High school seniors in nine sections of American Government under two different instructors participated in this mixed method, quasiexperimental study. Results indicate a significant difference in content comprehension with the formative assessment pedagogy. Survey and questionnaire responses suggest students thought they read better and were more motivated to read responding to computerized formative assessments (CBA’s) that closely tracked their subject matter textbooks.

Exploring the Teaching of Reading Skills in Nigerian Secondary Schools

Exploring the Teaching of Reading Skills in Nigerian Secondary Schools

SPEED READING TO IMPROVE STUDENT’S READING SKILL

This study is to find out whether speed reading improves student’s reading skill of the eleventh grade students at SMA Negeri 2 Langsa. The population of this research is the entire eleventh grade students at SMAN 2 Langsa. This study used quazy experiment. Test in the form of multiple choices through speed reading was used as instrument of this study. It is found that the result of pre-test and post-test in both experimental and control class is different. In experiment class, the average score of multiple choices test is higher than thatof control class. Based on t-test analysis, it was found that the t score(2,02)> ttable(2,71). It can be concluded that tscore is higher than ttable, thus hypothesis is accepted. Meanwhile, in control class, the students’ average score of speed test was 135 WPM and improves at least 1832 WPM in experiment class. The students’ reading skill of SMAN 2 Langsa in speed test is good. 1 students in experiment class secured A and no student obtained the same grade in control class. 9 students in experiment class got B while only 5 students from control class obtained the same score. It shows that experiment class performs better than that of control class. Thus, teaching reading skill by using speed reading at SMAN 2 Langsa is successfull and proves that speed reading improves students’ reading skill.

Teaching Reading Skills to Learners with Down Syndrome

Learning to read is a challenging cognitive process that requires the memorization of new symbols, phonemic awareness, and the construction of meaning. This cognitive process may be especially challenging for learners with Down syndrome. A genetic disorder that causes mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, Down syndrome may no longer be viewed as completely eliminating learners' ability to learn to read. With early intervention and proper teaching and learning methods, learners with Down syndrome can learn to read and improve their existing reading skills. Therefore, the purpose of this research article is to provide information about certain teaching strategies that may enable teachers to help learners with Down syndrome learn to read and improve their existing reading skills.

The Effect of Content Feedback and Reading Strategies on Reading Comprehension: Extroverted and Introverted Learners

The current study aims to consider the effectiveness of content feedback (CF) along with reading strategies on L2 learners' reading comprehension ability based on the extrovert/introvert personality type. So, 35 pre-intermediate learners studying in a private language institute in Chaloos, Mazandaran, Iran participated in the study and were divided into experimental groups and control one. In order to answer the research question regarding the effectiveness of utilizing content feedback and reading strategies, eight treatment sessions were applied and the pre- post- and delayed post- tests were analyzed through SPSS software (version 20). The results revealed the positive effect of CF on the learners’ reading comprehension ability and also the extroverted learners outperformed the introverted ones. In order to mention the implication side, the study suggests that teaching reading skill by using effective strategies along with content feedback can improve the learners’ reading comprehension ability.

Improving Reading Comprehension Using Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL)

This study aimed to find out whether teaching-learning reading comprehension using Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) would get better results than using Direct Instruction approach. The research used a quantitative method. The population of the research was students from the Islamic University of Kalimantan Muhammad Arsyad Al-Banjari. The researcher used cluster random sampling to select two sample groups, the control group and the experimental group. The control group with 25 students was the class that continued to use the Direct Instruction approach. The experimental group, with 20 students, was the class tested using the CTL approach. The test was a written test with five multiple choice questions plus an essay test. The test was used to obtain the data. The students’ scores were the data for the study of reading comprehension comparing CTL and Direct Instruction. Based on the results of the study, the researcher found that CTL was more effective than Direct Instruction because the null hypothesis was rejected and the alternative hypothesis was accepted so that CTL was found to be better for teaching reading skills. CTL encourages materials that are related to the students’ surrounding so that it helps them use English related to their daily activities.

The Impact of Creative Circles on EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of Creative Circles approach in developing Saudi EFL middle school learners’ reading comprehension. The study was carried out at a Saudi middle school in Jeddah, involving three intact third grade classes. A triangulated approach was adopted in order to collect data by means of multiple instruments- reading comprehension test, reflective journals and semi-structured interviews over the period of a school term. The results revealed a significant improvement in the experimental group’s reading comprehension abilities. The success of Creative Circles approach could be attributed to its adoption of collaborative reading as a teaching/learning technique, explicit teaching of reading skills, attention to low-level and high level reading processes and metacognitive awareness. Moreover, the experimental group as well as their teacher indicated that the new approach has immensely helped in addressing the issue of vocabulary learning. They also described the approach as efficient and flexible in large and mix-abilities classes.

Games as a measure of reading and writing generalization after computerized teaching of reading skills

Behavior Analysis is usually accused of not being able to account for the generalization of verbal behavior that is present in linguistically competent individuals. However, several behavior analytic studies investigate this theme, and gamification has been seen as a useful way to study generalization. The purpose of this study was to evaluate reading and writing generalization in games, after these behaviors were taught through the program Learning to Read in Small Steps. Participants were four children between 7 and 12 years old who had reading and writing deficits. The experimental design was a pre-posttest design that encompassed five phases. Performance in probes suggests generalization of reading and writing skills to new activities (games) and responses. This study represents a small step in a systematic understanding of how games can be used to assess behavior change.

CORRELATION AMONG LEARNING STRATEGIES, EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND READING ACHIEVEMENT OF THE FIFTH SEMESTER STUDENTS OF STKIP MUHAMMADIYAH KOTABUMI LAMPUNG UTARA ACADEMIC YEAR 2014/2015

Reading means understanding a written text to get the information and knowledge as efficiently as possible. The foundational skills of reading are: word reading, fluency, vocabulary, and word knowledge. Many students of the fifth semester still get low in reading score. There are many factors that caused the low score of the students, such as: they do not have suitable method in learning English, they are lazy to repeat the material at home, and they have low motivation, and so on. Based on the problem, the researcher wants to investigate the correlation among learning strategies, emotional intelligence, and reading achievement. Furthermore, the population of the research is the fifth semester students of English Education Department of STKIP Muhammadiyah Kotabumi consisting of 85 students, from the population, 50 students were represented as the sample which was taken through simple random sampling technique. The instruments to collect the data used questionnaires for learning strategies and emotional intelligence and test for reading achievement. While to analyze the data, it was used multiple correlation in SPSS 13 Program for Windows. The data analysis shows that R yx1x2 = 0.391 at the significant level of 0,05. And for the criteria of significant test is gotten F count (4.230) > F table (0,05) (4,01). The result of hypothesis test showed that there is significant correlation among learning strategies, emotional intelligence, and reading achievement. Therefore, it is suggested that English teachers should teach by giving appropriate strategy and give the good example of emotional intelligence in teaching reading skill. Key words: Learning Strategies, Emotional Intelligence, and Reading Achievement.

Availability and use of instructional resources for teaching and learning of English reading skills in secondary schools in Teso North Sub County, Kenya

In this paper we argue that many learners in Kenya are still not proficient in English reading skills despite going through the English course. The factors associated with the teaching and learning of English reading skills may have been addressed but the impact of instructional resources continues to be a significant issue. This paper discusses the availability and use of instructional resources in the teaching and learning of English reading skills in Secondary Schools in Teso North Sub County, Busia- Kenya. The objectives of the study were to explore the availability and use of instructional resources for teaching and learning of English reading skills and examine the correlation between instructional resources and learning of English reading skills. Data was obtained from 440 respondents (400 students and 40 teachers). The study adopted a mixed method approach and data was collected using questionnaires, semi structured interview schedules and classroom observation schedule. The results indicate that textbooks were the most used instructional resources and instructional resources positively correlated with the learning of English reading skills. It was concluded that teachers do not use a variety of instructional resources when teaching English reading skills. It was recommended that teachers who do not use a variety of instructional resources should be sensitized to do so for better results in the English Language.

Teachers' perception of the differences in the reading profiles of students with dyslexia and the role of dyslexia assessment for an appropriate choice of teaching strategy

The paper discusses how literacy teachers approach the differences in the reading profiles of their students with dyslexia, and the value of an available diagnosis of dyslexia in their choosing the most appropriate teaching methods. The research was carried out in the Greater London area in 2014. It involved interviews with six practitioners directly involved in teaching reading skills to pupils with dyslexia in various capacities. All of the participants demonstrated awareness of the wide range of difficulties on the dyslexia spectrum. This underlay their commitment to personalized teaching based on a detailed assessment of the pupils' weaknesses and strengths. Provided that such an assessment and special educational expert's recommendations for teaching were available to inform their approach, five out of the six interviewees, who were working only at a school level, did not find the availability of a diagnosis of dyslexia necessary. However, the participant with the most extensive expertise, occupying a leadership role in a borough's literacy support centre, strongly defended and insisted on the existence and the instructional necessity of the dyslexia category. The overall conclusion is that applying the most appropriate teaching strategies would depend on the availability of a detailed assessment, which poses the question how teachers who have no access to such information will be able to adjust their instruction to the needs of the particular student.

IMPROVING THE READING COMPREHENSION ABILITY THROUGH WEBBING STRATEGY

This study was designed to improve the students’ reading comprehension ability through webbing strategy which is designed to find a strategy of teaching reading skills in expository texts. The study employed a collaborative classroom action research design in which the researcher and the collaborator worked together designing the lesson plan, implementing the action, observing the action, and reflecting the action. The subjects of this research were 40 students the eleventh grade students of SMA PGRI Mojosari in the 2010/2011 academic year. The webbing strategy was successful in improving both the students’ ability in comprehending expository texts and the students’ involvement in reading activities. The strategy increased students’ mean scores and the students’ individual score percentage from preliminary study to Cycle 2 ranging from 64.83 to 78.17 or the students’ individual score percentage extended from 42.50% to 85% equal or greater than 70% of 40 students. The results of the second cycle indicated higher scores in which predetermined criteria of success met in the second cycle. The majority students showed active involvement (92.50%) in the third meeting of Cycle 2.

IMPROVING READING SKILL ON SPOOF TEXT OF THE TENTH GRADE STUDENTS THROUGH COOPERATIVE INTEGRATED READING AND COMPOSITION (CIRC)

The objective of the research was to find out that the use of Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition could improve the ability of the students in reading skill on spoof text. This research employed intact research design. The researcher applied purpose sampling which involved experimental and control groups. He applied two instruments (observation and test) in collecting the data. The result of the data analysis showed that the mean score of experimental group (88) was greater than the mean score of control group (76.80) and the result of t-counted (3.39) which was greater than t-table (2.013). There was a significant difference of the achievement. In short, the researcher hypothesis was accepted that the application of Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition method was effective in teaching reading skill on spoof text of the tenth grade students at MAN 1 Palu. Keywords: Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC), Spoof Text and Reading Comprehension

TEACHING READING SKILLS IN THE MULTICULTURAL WORLD (1st – 4th GRADE)

Problems of teaching reading skills are discussed beyond the context of literary classes - in Bulgarian language classes and in English language classes in Primary school. Motivation for attaining proficiency in reading is considered one of the most important questions in the process of literacy formation. Some interactive techniques of teaching reading in the first (Bulgarian) language are described. Propositions of the second language acquisition theory which English teachers should bear in mind when teach reading in English as a new language are listed.

Application of Graded Reading Materials in the Teaching of Reading Skills for Children with Reading Difficulties

Low reading proficiency skills may impede understanding of the reading materials being read and hence affect interest in reading. This paper discusses a case study on the use of graded reading materials in increasing reading skills among children with reading difficulties. A set of two graded reading materials was used on two children with reading difficulties aged 7 years according to prescribed teaching reading stages. The suitability and challenges in using the materials were observed and noted qualitatively. The findings showed that the children have increased skills in reading. There were also increased interest and confidence among these children. There is pedagogical implication for the use of alternative strategies in the teaching of reading for struggling readers.

Building BRIDGES

We tested the effects of teaching reading skills through U.S. history content for 38 eighth-grade poor readers whose reading ability ranged from second- to fourth-grade levels. Half of the students received special education services, and half of the students were English language learners. Students were taught to decode multisyllabic words, learn meanings of academic words, and identify cause-and-effect relationships. They used easy levels of history text and then bridged into more difficult text accounts of the same events. Results showed gains in performance across each cycle in each reading component. Comparisons between students in the intervention and their typically developing peers showed stronger gains for intervention students in vocabulary and comprehension strategies. Students with disabilities who received instruction in causes and effects of historical events scored similarly to typical readers in their general education history classes.

Belles-Lettres Reading Strategies in the Process of Foreign Language Teaching

The article is devoted to some of the teaching strategies based on the peculiarities of belles-lettres text. The author of the article analyses the peculiarities of the belles-lettres text which exert influence on the process of teaching reading skills and thus should be taken into account by foreign language teachers in their work with this type of text. The author argues that teaching belles-lettres reading skills should be centered on the five-level communication process between writer and reader. The teacher's aim is to create or adjust a system of reading instruction within the five levels so that he/she could improve students' reading skills. In the article, it is stated that the process of teaching reading skills should be congruent with the process of interpersonal communication between writer and reader. The author outlines the content of the teacher's approach to the work with this type of text within the process of foreign language instruction. The author describes two approaches to teaching belles-lettres reading skills as well as shows the prospects for the subjective approach. He also states high productivity and effectiveness of the subjective approach in teaching foreign languages. The article shows the importance of involving students who specialize in sciences into the process of belles-lettres reading while studying a foreign language for specific purposes.