A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF READERS THEATER ON SELF-EFFICACY AND ORAL READING FLUENCY IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

• Main Authors: Yu-ling Huang, 黃玉玲
• Other Authors: Dr. Yih-fan Chang
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/82504434634657632685

碩士 === 國立高雄師範大學 === 英語學系 === 99 === Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of Readers Theater (RT) on junior high students’ oral reading fluency, oral reading accuracy, their self-efficacy toward English learning, and their correct usage of subject-verb agreement in the present tense. The method adopted in this research was a quasi-experimental design with two classes of seventh graders. Students in both classes were taught by the researcher who gave them Readers Theater instruction for ten weeks. The research instruments used in this study were the questionnaires about students’ self-efficacy toward English learning, the pre- and post-tests of students’ oral reading fluency, oral reading accuracy and the correct usage of subject-verb agreement in the present tense, and the questionnaire of the students’ perceptions about Readers Theater instruction. The results of the experiment are as follows: (1) There were significant differences on the participants’ self-efficacy toward English learning. (2) There were significant differences on the participants’ oral reading fluency and accuracy. (3) There was no significant difference on the participants’ correct usage of subject-verb agreement in the present tense. (4) Students show positive attitudes to Readers Theater instruction according to the data of questionnaires and the interviews. This study concludes that Readers Theater is effective in helping EFL junior high school students improve their oral reading fluency, oral reading accuracy and self-efficacy toward English learning. Based on the results, some suggestions for Readers Theater instruction in the junior high schools and further studies are provided.