The Effects of Interactive Reading Aloud on EFL Remedial Students’ Word Recognition and Reading Fluency

• Main Authors: Lin,Hueiyi, 林慧怡
• Other Authors: Chi, Fengming
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/60346336346272246746

碩士 === 國立中正大學 === 英語教學研究所 === 101 === In recent years, many researchers have argued that reading fluency cannot be developed simply by repeated reading, but instead that different instructional components and reading aloud activities should be combined to achieve this. The present study investigated the effects of using an interactive reading aloud method on the word recognition and reading fluency of a group of EFL third grade remedial students. In addition, the students’ perceptions of the use of the interactive reading aloud method were also explored. Twelve third-graders in an English remedial class were given the interactive reading aloud training for 18 weeks. The data collection procedures were divided into three phases: (1) phase I, (2) phase II, and (3) phase III. The data sources included Test 1 for letter identification in phase I, Test 2 in phase II, and a repeat of Test 2 as well as a transfer test in phase III for fluency and miscues analysis. Interview data were collected and transcribed verbatim to investigate the remedial students’ perceptions of the interactive reading aloud method. The results indicated that the students made improvements in reading speed, reading accuracy, and word recognition after the training, and the number of reading miscues they made also decreased between Test 2 and Repeat Test 2. However, the improved skills did not transfer to another new text. The students stated that the whole class choral reading was the most effective activity, while pair reading was the most difficult. In addition, the students all expressed positive attitudes with regard to the effects of the interactive reading aloud method as a whole, and all noted that they improved their word recognition and reading fluency. The study thus concluded that interactive reading aloud is useful for promoting students’ reading development, and some of the pedagogical implications of this work are also discussed for use by practitioners.