Incorporating Picture Books in English Teaching to Improve Junior High School Students’ English Learning Motivation and Reading Ability

• Main Authors: Chang, Shih-Ling, 張詩羚
• Other Authors: Tsai, Hsiao-Feng
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2017
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/69989213103710219336

碩士 === 國立臺灣師範大學 === 教育學系 === 105 === This study aimed to incorporate interesting picture books into English teaching to improve students’ learning motivation and the ability of reading comprehension. An action research method was used in this study, through the action research process of “plan-act-observe-reflect”, the researcher consistently reflected and adjusted teaching method suitable for students. The participants in this study were nineteen the seventh graders of the researcher’s school. The total instruction lasted for ten weeks. To further understand student’s attitude and ability toward English learning, the participants were assigned to take reading comprehension pre-test and the questionnaire of English learning motivation before the instruction. During the instruction, students were taught to utilize the strategy of reading including predicting, scanning, and skimming. The researcher used the collection of ELI Readers Stage 1 Granny Fixit as teaching material, and the classes were carried out with a routine; “Class Reading- Group Reading- Group Activity- Self Reading- Self Understanding Checking” to improve students’ reading comprehension and enhance their interest and motivation through English learning. The researcher then investigated students’ motivation and reading comprehension ability change before and after the instruction through classroom observation, researcher’s reflections, video tapes, students’ feedback and interviews, English learning motivation questionnaire, and reading proficiency test. The results of the study are as follows: 1. Picture books can effectively motivate students’ English learning motivation and attitude. 2. Picture books can enhance students’ performance of reading comprehension. 3. Compared with English advanced learners, picture books have more learning effect on English low-achievers, no matter on learning motivation or reading comprehension ability.