Comprehension Strategy Instruction and Iranian High School EFL Learners' Reading Anxiety and Reading Comprehension
The present study was conducted to examine empirically and systematically the effect of explicit instruction of comprehension strategies on EFL learners’ reading anxiety and reading comprehension in Iranian high schools. To this end, two intact classes (65 students) participated in this study as mem...
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2015-09-01
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doaj-16da857bd5b24d248e742bcc2b61bcf12020-11-25T03:59:06ZengAllameh Tabataba'i University PressIssues in Language Teaching2322-37152476-61942015-09-0142795710.22054/ilt.2015.72267226Comprehension Strategy Instruction and Iranian High School EFL Learners' Reading Anxiety and Reading ComprehensionMohammad Khatib0Seyran Jannati1Associate Professor of TEFL, Allameh Tabataba’i University, IranM.A. in TEFL, Allameh Tabataba’i University, IranThe present study was conducted to examine empirically and systematically the effect of explicit instruction of comprehension strategies on EFL learners’ reading anxiety and reading comprehension in Iranian high schools. To this end, two intact classes (65 students) participated in this study as members of control and experimental groups. The experimental group underwent 10 sessions of reading strategies training based on McNamara, Ozuro, Best, and O’Reilly's (2007) 4-pronged Comprehension Strategy Framework. Data were collected through the employment of Saito, Garza, and Horwitz's (1999) Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (FLRAS) and Preliminary English Test (PET) multiple-choice reading comprehension tests. All the students filled the FLRAS questionnaire and took the reading comprehension test two times, once as a pre-test one week before the beginning of instruction and the other as a post-test one week after the instructional treatment. After the post-test, a group of 7 students who received instruction participated in the focus group interview. T-tests were used to analyze the obtained statistical data. It was revealed that explicit reading strategy instruction was quite beneficial in improving EFL high school students' comprehension and reducing their anxiety level, while reading anxiety and reading comprehension were negatively correlated. The results of the interview with the focus group revealed the positive effect of strategy training on learners' reading comprehension and alleviating reading anxiety. This study rendered some educational implications for materials developers and instructors to invest on reading as a fundamental skill in education.https://ilt.atu.ac.ir/article_7226_c0930ab133cfc76486df8c3832e5ab40.pdflearning strategyreading comprehension strategyforeign language anxietyforeign language reading anxiety (flra) |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Mohammad Khatib Seyran Jannati |
spellingShingle |
Mohammad Khatib Seyran Jannati Comprehension Strategy Instruction and Iranian High School EFL Learners' Reading Anxiety and Reading Comprehension Issues in Language Teaching learning strategy reading comprehension strategy foreign language anxiety foreign language reading anxiety (flra) |
author_facet |
Mohammad Khatib Seyran Jannati |
author_sort |
Mohammad Khatib |
title |
Comprehension Strategy Instruction and Iranian High School EFL Learners' Reading Anxiety and Reading Comprehension |
title_short |
Comprehension Strategy Instruction and Iranian High School EFL Learners' Reading Anxiety and Reading Comprehension |
title_full |
Comprehension Strategy Instruction and Iranian High School EFL Learners' Reading Anxiety and Reading Comprehension |
title_fullStr |
Comprehension Strategy Instruction and Iranian High School EFL Learners' Reading Anxiety and Reading Comprehension |
title_full_unstemmed |
Comprehension Strategy Instruction and Iranian High School EFL Learners' Reading Anxiety and Reading Comprehension |
title_sort |
comprehension strategy instruction and iranian high school efl learners' reading anxiety and reading comprehension |
publisher |
Allameh Tabataba'i University Press |
series |
Issues in Language Teaching |
issn |
2322-3715 2476-6194 |
publishDate |
2015-09-01 |
description |
The present study was conducted to examine empirically and systematically the effect of explicit instruction of comprehension strategies on EFL learners’ reading anxiety and reading comprehension in Iranian high schools. To this end, two intact classes (65 students) participated in this study as members of control and experimental groups. The experimental group underwent 10 sessions of reading strategies training based on McNamara, Ozuro, Best, and O’Reilly's (2007) 4-pronged Comprehension Strategy Framework. Data were collected through the employment of Saito, Garza, and Horwitz's (1999) Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (FLRAS) and Preliminary English Test (PET) multiple-choice reading comprehension tests. All the students filled the FLRAS questionnaire and took the reading comprehension test two times, once as a pre-test one week before the beginning of instruction and the other as a post-test one week after the instructional treatment. After the post-test, a group of 7 students who received instruction participated in the focus group interview. T-tests were used to analyze the obtained statistical data. It was revealed that explicit reading strategy instruction was quite beneficial in improving EFL high school students' comprehension and reducing their anxiety level, while reading anxiety and reading comprehension were negatively correlated. The results of the interview with the focus group revealed the positive effect of strategy training on learners' reading comprehension and alleviating reading anxiety. This study rendered some educational implications for materials developers and instructors to invest on reading as a fundamental skill in education. |
topic |
learning strategy reading comprehension strategy foreign language anxiety foreign language reading anxiety (flra) |
url |
https://ilt.atu.ac.ir/article_7226_c0930ab133cfc76486df8c3832e5ab40.pdf |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT mohammadkhatib comprehensionstrategyinstructionandiranianhighschoolefllearnersreadinganxietyandreadingcomprehension AT seyranjannati comprehensionstrategyinstructionandiranianhighschoolefllearnersreadinganxietyandreadingcomprehension |
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