A Study on Applying Reciprocal Teaching to Improving Adult Students'' Performances of English Reading Comprehension at Junior College''s Continuing Education

• Main Authors: Wen-Ruey Tsai, 蔡文瑞
• Other Authors: Meng-Ching Hu
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/80240398400275555794

博士 === 國立中正大學 === 成人及繼續教育所 === 98 === ABSTRACT The main purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of reciprocal teaching on English reading comprehension improvements for adult students at junior college’s continuing education. This is achieved through evaluating performances in teacher- students interactive dialogue, English reading comprehension test and adult students’ attitudes towards reciprocal teaching. In addition, based on the outcome of analyzing adult students’ English reading comprehension performance, the researcher further identify whether the reciprocal teaching can be adapted to English teaching at junior college’s continuing education in Taiwan. Eight voluntary participants at junior college’s continuing education participate in this experimental study under the instruction of reciprocal teaching by the researcher and observatory classroom teacher. To achieve the research objectives, the design of this study is qualitative in nature. The major research tools employed to gathering data for further analyses are observational method, in-depth interviews and document analysis. Five major findings of this study are summarized in the following: 1. To model the scaffolding supporting atmosphere is helpful to learn reading strategy and meanwhile use it to improve reading comprehension. 2. Both teaching materials combining with learners’ experiences of everyday lives and using flexible reading strategies in English teaching can be used to induce adult students’ learning interests of reciprocal teaching. 3. To be familiar with transferring between “the teaching role” and “the role-play of reading strategy” is helpful to transfer learning task to adult students. 4. Progress in Comprehension monitoring ability during the self-scaffolding stage is helpful to cultivating adult students’ self-directed reading habits. 5. Adult students believe benefit from reciprocal teaching is on the part of language ability and also believe that it is the most effective to utilize summarizing strategy for reading comprehension. Therefore, they are willing to incorporate reciprocal teaching in English reading. In summary, the application of reciprocal teaching in teaching activities of improving adult students’ performances of reading comprehension is successful; the feedback from adult students is positive. They believe that their learning phenomenon, learning attitude, and benefits from their active involvement in learning activities have been improving to some extents. In addition, they have a positive attitude towards inducing learning interest, improving reading comprehension and enhancing their participation in dialogue teaching. I have offered some suggestions on English reciprocal teaching, administrative treasures of the college authorities and continuous research studies to provide a reference for professional fields in English reading strategic teaching.