EFFECTS OF A LITERATURE-BASED PROGRAM ON ENGLISH READING AND WRITING FOR THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN NORTHERN TAIWAN WITH FOCUSES ON METAPHORS AND SIMILES

• Main Authors: LAI, CHING-YI, 賴靖怡
• Other Authors: CHANG, YE-LING
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2018
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/q5779q

碩士 === 國立高雄師範大學 === 英語學系 === 106 === The study aims to investigate the effects of a literature-based program on English reading and writing for the senior high school students in northern Taiwan with focuses on metaphors and similes (MSLP). The participants of the study consisted of 40 tenth-grade EFL students from one class in New Taipei. The researcher teacher implemented the MSLP with a selected fiction A Single Shard (Park, 2001) for 12 weeks. After data collection included worksheets, questionnaires, and interviews, the student responses to the English reading and writing performance and to the simile and metaphor before and after the MSLP were compared by paired-sample t-test. Finally, the students’ gains and difficulties were analyzed by the researcher teacher. Based on the data analyses, the major findings of the study are summarized as follows: 1. There is a significant difference in the students’ English reading and writing performance before and after the MSLP. In addition, the higher mean scores in the post-test revealed that the MSLP had positive effects on the students’ English reading and writing performance. 2. There are five significant differences in the student responses to the English reading before and after the MSLP. The increased mean scores in the post-study questionnaire indicated that the students in the MSLP held more positive responses to the English reading after the MSLP. The students tend to regard English reading as an interesting and easy activity. Also, the selected fiction reading in the MSLP was beneficial to the students’ sharpening their imaginations, enhancing their thinking ability and activating them to read English sentences and articles. After all, the study findings showed that the MSLP was profitable in enhancing the students English reading effectively. 3. There are five significant differences in the student responses to the English writing before and after the MSLP. The increased mean scores of the post-study questionnaire are higher than those of the pre-study questionnaire, which indicates that the students in the MSLP held more positive responses to the English writing after the MSLP. To begin with, most of the students viewed English writing as an engaging and simple activity. Then, the students had their knowledge broadened and had their thinking ability enhanced. In addition, the students tended to actively write English sentences and articles after the MSLP. Accordingly, the MSLP helped upgrade the students’ English writing ability. 4. Most students held positive responses to the use of similes in the MSLP. After discovering the similes in the selected fiction, the students’ imaginations were stimulated and their reading motivations were elevated. Furthermore, the students could better understand the plot through the similes used and regard the usage of the similes as a good way for varying the content in the selected fiction. Moreover, they considered using similes easy in the English writing, such as I don’t want to leave Crane-man or just like father and son. 5. The student responses to metaphors in the MSLP were favorable. To be precise, they regarded metaphor as an advantageous rhetorical device for enhancing their imagination and elevating their motivations in reading English fictions. Also, they considered metaphors useful for better understanding of the plot in the selected fiction. To be specific, they viewed metaphors as an ideal rhetorical device to vary the expression in the selected fiction. In addition, they considered using metaphors not difficult in the English writing, such as everything I’ve gone through in this journey is a legend story. Finally, the students in the MSLP hold a positive belief in metaphors to vary their English writing. Based on the study findings, EFL teachers can incorporate the metaphors and similes literature-based program on English reading and writing into English reading and writing course. They can teach students the tips of reading adolescent fictions and ways to sharpen their English writing ability by involving rhetorical devices like similes and metaphors. Second, EFL students in senior high school can be aware of the significance of English reading and writing. They can not only learn how to use metaphors and similes in English writing but also acquire a great number of English words beside textbooks. Once they hold positive responses to English literature reading and writing involving figures of speech like similes and metaphors, they can develop relevant reading and writing skills. Furthermore, publishers of English textbooks can include adolescent fictions into the textbook and supplementary reading materials involving similes and metaphors for senior high school students. They can compile the English textbooks with various comprehension questions for students to check their understanding. Last but not least, the textbook publishers can provide frequent used rhetorical devices such as similes and metaphors for students. Hopefully, students can acquire advanced English writing abilities involving smiles and metaphors and promote their thinking abilities. Keywords: metaphor, simile, literature-based program, reading and writing performance, adolescent fiction