Effects of the English-learning Magazine on Listening and Reading Performances of High and Low English Achievers in Junior High School

• Main Authors: Ru-ting Chen, 陳汝婷
• Other Authors: Ye-ling Chang
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/53004040300454063359

碩士 === 國立高雄師範大學 === 英語學系 === 96 === The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the English-learning magazine on the English listening and reading performances of junior high school students in Taiwan. Specifically, the students’ receptive skill performances in the three English test types—vocabulary, dialogue, and passages were examined and analyzed in terms of the students’ English proficiency levels. Then, students’ responses toward to the English-learning magazine were probed. The subjects for this study came from four classes of 126 students in the eighth grade of National Nanke International Experimental High School in Tainan County. All of the subjects started to use the English-learning magazine right after they entered junior high. They listened to the English-learning magazine for thirty minutes every Tuesday and Friday morning. They have used the English-learning magazine for one and a half year. First, the subjects were divided into two groups, high English achievers (HEA) and low English achievers (LEA), according to their scores of the three English Midterm Exams in the first semester. Then, in the second semester, all the subjects were asked to take an English Listening and Reading Test on the content of the English-learning magazine. After the exam, the subjects were asked to answer the Questionnaire of the Responses to the English-learning Magazine. The data were computed and compared by a t-test, a one-way ANOVA, a Scheffé post-hoc test, as well as a Pearson correlation quantitatively and qualitatively. Based on the analysis, the major findings are summarized as follows. 1. There is a significant difference between the LEA’s English vocabulary performances in listening and reading. However, there is no significant difference found in the HEA’s performances. The results show the LEA is more familiar with the words sounds than the word forms. 2. There is a significant difference between the HEA’s English dialogue and passage performances in the listening and reading. On the other hand, the performances of the LEA did not reach a significant level. The results indicate the HEA showed better synthesis and evaluation abilities in reading than in listening. 3. Both the HEA and the LEA did best in the English vocabulary section, better in the English dialogue section, and worst in the English passage section either in the English listening or in the reading. Two groups of the subjects show similar cognitive processing abilities in English listening and reading. 4. There is a high correlation between the subjects’ overall performances in reading and listening through the English-learning magazine. 5. There is a significant difference between the HEA’s and the LEA’s responses to the English-learning magazine. The HEA expressed more positive attitude and interest in learning of the English-learning magazine than the LEA. 6. Either in reading or listening to the English-learning magazine, both the HEA and the LEA expressed that they needed teachers to explain the vocabulary and phrases for them in the mother tongue. The results show subjects in high or low English proficiency level relied a lot on vocabulary explanation and their mother tongue. Based on the study findings, it is suggested that English teachers in junior high school should explore the LEA’s low interest of in using the English-learning magazine, and provide them with listening and reading strategies to improve English performances in the dialogue and passage sections.