International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World (IJLLALW)

Transcription

1 THE EFFECT OF SPEED READING ON IELTS EFL LEARNERS READING COMPREHENSION ABILITY Shima Naseri English Language Department, Khomein Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Khomein, Iran Mojtaba Maghsoudi (Corresponding author) Farhangian University, Shahid Bahonar Branch, Arak Peyman Rajabi English Language Department, Khomein Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Khomein, Iran ABSTRACT This investigation intends to seek into the possible effect of factor namely, speed reading on reading comprehension ability and also the effect of gender of Iranian International English Language Testing System (IELTS) candidates in reading comprehension ability so as to perceive if there is any positive advantage for those who do speed reading well in reading section of the test. The participants of the study were selected according to their proficiency level using Nelson proficiency test. To this aim, the Nelson proficiency test was given to the 120 students from six institutes in Iran.Some information about the level of the subjects was elicited. Nelson proficiency test was employed to make sure of the participants homogeneity in terms of their proficiency level. Then pretest was given to the experimental and control groups and information was obtained. The experimental group was taught speed techniques through 8 sessions. Then post test was given to groups and the results were compared. The results suggested first null hypothesis which predicted that speed reading does not affect reading comprehension ability of IELTS candidates was rejected. Thus, with high degree of confidence it can be claimed that speed reading affects reading comprehension ability of IELTS students.additionally, the second null hypothesis which predicted that gender of Iranian IELTS students does not affect their speed in reading comprehension ability was not rejected. KEYWORDS: reading, speed reading, skimming, scanning and IELTS test INTRODUCTION This research centers around testing two variables namely speed reading and reading comprehension ability and discovering the possible effect of speed reading on reading comprehension in IELTS students. To do so, a brief explanation of each would be effective and it 506

2 can pave the way for elucidating the complications of the trend. By definition, speed reading is a method of improving a reader s reading ability, improving both the speed at which a text can be assimilated, and the level of understanding of the material. While the reading and studying skills you ve developed over time may have worked well enough to get you into college, they may not prepare you for the kind of complex, lengthy assignments you will face in the years ahead. To keep up with the sheer volume of material and to grasp what it all means, you need skills that improve your comprehension and pace. The material in this chapter will present active learning techniques to increase comprehension and build vocabulary while boosting speed in IELTS students. You may even experience an unexpected, pleasurable benefit enjoying what you read. Most students lead busy lives, carrying heavy academic loads while perhaps working or even caring for a family. With so much to do in so little time, it is often difficult to finish reading assignments on schedule. The workplace has similar pressures. This necessitates the need for becoming familiar with the concept of speed reading a bit more. On the other hand, there is the matter of dealing with reading comprehension ability while increasing the speed of reading. Reading is a process that requires you, the reader, to make meaning from written words that is, to master concepts in a personal way. Your familiarity with a subject, your background and life experiences, and even your personal interpretation of words and phrases affect understanding. Because these factors are different for everyone, reading experiences are unique. If, for example, your family owns a hardware store where you worked during summers, you will read a retailing chapter in a business text in the context of your background. While you are comparing text concepts to your family s business practices, most of your classmates are reading for basic vocabulary and concepts. The goal of reading comprehension is complete understanding. This is a crucial skill in college, where you are asked to master material on your own and use what you learn as a foundation in upper-level courses. When you struggle through and master concepts that you considered impossible the first time you read them, you ll be proud of your ability to overcome obstacles and not give up. This pride will motivate you every time you read. Whether you have good comprehension depends on whether you can extract and retain the important ideas of reading, not on how fast you read. If you can do this, you can also increase speed reading. If you clutch up when trying to read fast or skim and worry about comprehension, it will drop because the mind is occupied with your fears and you are not paying attention to the ideas that you are reading. If you concentrate on the purpose of reading (locating main ideas, and the details, and force yourself to stick to the task of finding them quickly) your speed and comprehension should increase. Your concern should be not with how fast you can get through a chapter, but with how quickly you can locate the facts and ideas that you need. RESEARCH QUESTIONS In accordance with the objectives of the study, the following research questions are formulated: Q1:"Does speed in reading comprehension affect the degree of comprehension in Iranian EFL IELTS students?" Q2:"Does the gender of Iranian EFL learners' affect their speed in reading comprehension skill?" 507

3 Align with the research purposes and questions, the following null hypothesis are formed: H1:"The speed in reading comprehension does not affect the degree of comprehension in Iranian EFL IELTS students." H2:"The gender of Iranian EFL learners' does not affect their speed in reading comprehension skill." METHODOLOGY Subjects To accomplish the purpose of the study and to verify the hypothesis, 120 students of Tehran IELTS Institute, 58 females and 62 males, aged 25-32, were selected as subjects of this study. The NELSON proficiency test, including 50 items with different language skills, was utilized in order to homogenize the selected students. Based on the results of the test, only 82 students who were at upper intermediate level qualified for further stages of the study. Applying a mock IELTS test as the pretest, the subjects were divided into two groups one of which, experimental group, went under treatment for a few weeks. A post test comprised of only the reading part of IELTS was administered to evaluate the subjects' knowledge of reading after the treatment. Materials The current study employed the following instruments: General English proficiency test (Nelson, series 300 D) This test incorporated four parts: Reading comprehension, cloze passage, vocabulary, and pronunciation. All parts were in the form of multiple-choice questions. There were 50 items and the time allotted was 45 minutes to homogenize the subjects. Reading part of IELTS test as a pre test In order to collect information about the knowledge and speed of the participants, the researcher administered a sample of reading part of IELTS as a pre test. It contained 40 reading items which had to be answered in 60 minutes. Reading part of IELTS test as a post test After giving treatment and teaching speed techniques to the experimental group in 8 sessions, the researcher took the students a post test. It was a sample of reading part of IELTS test. Procedure To accomplish the purpose of the study and to verify the hypothesis, 120 students of Tehran IELTS Institute, 58 females and 62 males, aged 25-32, were selected as subjects of this study. To ensure the homogeneity of the two groups, the Nelson Proficiency Test was administered among 120 EFL learners. Those students (N = 82) whose scores fell within the range of one standard deviation above and below the mean (scores from 26 to 38) were chosen as homogeneous participants for this study. Based on the results of the test, only 82 students (who were at upper 508

4 intermediate level) qualified for further stages of the study. Applying a mock IELTS test as the pretest, the subjects were divided into two groups one of which, experimental group, went under treatment for a few weeks. A post test comprised of only the reading part of IELTS was administered to evaluate the subjects' knowledge of reading after the treatment. To determine the effects of the speed reading strategies, the students scores on the posttest receiving the speed reading skills were compared to the scores of control group. In addition, to determine the students reading comprehension development, according to their gender. During the experiment, the students in the control group had the conventional learning but the researcher hold eight extra speed reading classes for the experimental group. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION To ensure the homogeneity of the two groups, the Nelson Proficiency Test was administered among 120 EFL learners. Those students (N = 82) whose scores fell within the range of one standard deviation above and below the mean (scores from 26 to 38) were chosen as homogeneous participants for this study. Descriptive statistics for this homogeneity test is represented in Table 1. Table1: Descriptive Statistics of Nelson Proficiency Test Std. Std. N Range Min. Max. Mean Mode Median Error Deviation The mean score of participants was with standard deviation of The min of students was 20 and the median of the group was Pretest Figure 1: Nelson Proficiency Test Scores Table 2: Between-Subjects Factors 509

5 Value Label N Group 1 Control 42 2 Experimental 40 Gender 1 Male 45 2 Female 37 Table 3: Reliability of pre-test Reliability Pretest of Valid Number of Students % Number of Items Cronbach's Alpha Excluded Total The mean score of participants in control group for men was with standard deviation of and mean for female was with standard deviation of 6.177, for experimental group the mean score of male participants was with standard deviation of and for female the mean was with standard deviation of Table 4: Dependent Variable: Reading at Pretest Group Gender Mean Std. Deviation N Control Male Female Total Experimental Male Female Total Total Male Female Total Table 5: Levene's Test of Equality of Error Variances F df1 df2 Sig Levene's Test for Equality of Variances demonstrates that the hypothesis of equal of variances was supported because Sig. was.96 at pretest, which is greater than the.05 significance level for this study (p > α). Therefore it was concluded that four sets of scores (control & experimental, male and female) have equal variances and therefore are homogeneous at pretest. Source Type III Sum of Squares Table 6: Two-way ANOVA df Mean Square F Sig. Partial Eta Squared 510

6 Corrected Model Intercept Group Gender Group * Gender Error Total Corrected Total ANOVA failed to detect a statistically significant effect for group, (F =.29 p =.58, p >.05, Effect size =.004). Moreover, ANOVA results found no statistically significant effect for gender (F =.07 p =.78, p >.05, Effect size =.001). Accordingly, there was no significant difference between the reading comprehension ability of participants in control and experimental groups, and also between male and female participants before facing any treatment. Also, the interaction effect of Group * Gender was not significant (F =.15, p =.70, p >.05, Effect size =.002) Post-test Table 7: Between-Subjects Factors Value Label N Group 1 Control 42 2 Experimental 40 Gender 1 Male 45 2 Female 37 The mean score of participants in control group for men was with standard deviation of 5.143and mean for female was with standard deviation of for experimental group the mean score of male participants was with standard deviation of and for female the mean was 24.39with standard deviation of Table 8: Descriptive Statistics, Dependent Variable: Reading at Posttest Group Gender Mean Std. Deviation N Control Male Female Total Experimental Male Female Total Total Male Female Total

7 Table 9: Levene's Test of Equality of Error Variances F df1 df2 Sig Levene's Test for Equality of Variances manifests that the hypothesis of equal of variances was proved since Sig. was.79 at posttest,which is greater than the.05 significance level for this study (p > α). As a result it was concluded that four sets of scores (control & experimental, male and female) have equal variances and therefore are homogeneous at posttest. Table 10: Two-way ANOVA Source Type III Sum df Mean Square F Sig. Partial Eta of Squares Squared Corrected Model Intercept Group Gender Group * Gender Error Total Corrected Total In order to find out the normal speed of reading comprehension for the subjects of this study, the mean time of submission of earliest and latest students in pilot test was considered as the normal speed: +1SD above the mean time was considered as low speed and -1SD below the mean time of the subjects submission was considered as high speed. A) Null Hypothesis One ANOVA detected a statistically significant effect for group, i.e. speed in reading (F = 9.26 p =.003, p <.05, Effect size =.10). Accordingly, the first null hypothesis which predicted that speed reading does not affect reading comprehension ability of IELTS EFL learners was rejected. Thus with high degree of confidence it can be claimed that speed reading affects reading comprehension ability of IELTS EFL learners. B) Null Hypothesis two Additionally, ANOVA results revealed no statistically significant effect for gender (F =.13 p =.71, p >.05, Effect size =.002). Accordingly, the second null hypothesis which predicted that gender of Iranian IELTS students does not affect their speed in reading comprehension ability was not rejected. Also, the interaction of Group * Gender was not significant (F =.38, p =.53, p >.05, Effect size =.005) The result of survey of Sweet & Snow (2009) also suggested that if students try to develop their speed during reading, they will be more successful in their reading comprehension ability. Kirsch et al., ( 2002) also claimed that gender does not affect the adult language learning ability. 512

8 CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS This study has tried to investigate the effects of speed reading on IELTS EFL learners reading comprehension. The speed reading treatment was given to experimental group of participant to see whether it would be effective in improving their results or not. This study also has tried to investigate the effect of gender in success of IELTS EFL learners reading comprehension ability. According to the results obtained through the survey, the first null hypothesis which says speed reading does not affect reading comprehension ability of IELTS EFL learners was rejected. Thus with high degree of confidence it can be claimed that speed reading affects reading comprehension ability of IELTS EFL learners. Additionally, ANOVA results revealed no statistically significant effect for gender (F =.13 p =.71, p >.05, Effect size =.002). Accordingly, the second null hypothesis which predicted that gender of Iranian IELTS students does not affect their speed in reading comprehension ability was not rejected. Also, the interaction of Group * Gender was not significant. The findings of the study revealed that if the institutes add the speed reading classes in their education programs, the IELTS students would be more successful. In other words, the students improved highly in reading part of IELTS when they use speed techniques. In other word, this study showed that the students reading comprehension ability is not affected by their gender and IELTS EFL learners gender is not an important factor in success in reading part.men and women do the same in reading part. The results obtained through the study can be used in many different ways. It can be used to give suitable instructions to the students with weaknesses diagnosed in the related areas and finally to increase their reading efficiency. Apparently, discovering the relations underlying between these factors will be of great help and importance to both teachers and students and also to education programmers within the framework of the whole society. Another dimension can further be added to the use of the results. Some unknown answer to the questions of the newly-formed phenomenon (speed reading) can be supplied for the researchers to take some big step to better organize their later studies. Students have a problem to answer to all questions in reading part but if we teach them the skills of the speed reading then they have enough time to cover all questions. It is noticeable that students could transfer their reading strategy knowledge from L1 to L2. In fact, this awareness of reading strategies will help students know how to read a text believing that reading is rule-based and reading comprehension does not occur haphazardly. They will also learn how to deal with reading difficulties while reading a text, no matter in L1 or L2, and not to get dazed during reading by the text. This research can help IELTS professors to know the importance of the speed in this international test and they should teach that there is a difference between speed test and power test. In our educational system in Iran, IELTS EFL learners are expected to read efficiently but the fact is that they do not still know the importance or even the nature of reading strategies and techniques. They do not know that reading is not something done haphazardly. That is why most of the students do not know what strategies are useful for, cannot create appropriate strategies for themselves, cannot read autonomously, and are not self-dependent while reading. They must be trained to understand the importance of applying strategies in order to use them effectively. With 513

9 respect to the findings of the present study, it would be the job of material designers to design speed course to the IELTS EFL learners instructions REFERENCES Beers, J & Henderson, E. (1977). A study of developing orthographic concepts among first grade children. Research in the Teaching of English, 11(2), Biemiller, A. (2004). Teaching vocabulary in the primary grades: Vocabulary instruction needed. New York: The Guilford Press. Baumann. A., & E. Kameenui (1999.), Vocabulary instruction: Research to practice (pp ). New York: The Guilford Press. Blachowicz, C., Fisher, P., & Ogle, D. (2006). Vocabulary: Questions from the classroom. Reading Research Quarterly, Toronto, ON: Ministry of Education.41(4), Bromley, K. (2004). Rethinking vocabulary instruction. The Language and Literacy Spectrum, Toronto, ON: Ministry of Education 14(Spring), Baumann., & Kameenui, E. (2000), Vocabulary instruction: Research to practice (pp ). New York: The Guilford Press. Cunningham, A. E., & Stanovich, K.E. (1998). What reading does for the mind. American Educator, 2, Manzo, A, Manzo, U., & Thomas, M. (2006). Rationale for systematic vocabulary development: Antidote for state mandate. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 49(7), Manzo, A., Manzo, U., & Thomas, M. (2006). The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8: Language, (2006). Toronto, ON: Ministry of Education. Paynter, D., Bodrova, E., & Doty, J. (2005). For the love of words: Vocabulary instruction that works. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Read, C. (1975). Children s categorization of speech sounds in English (NCTE Research Reports No. 17). Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English. Richek, M. (2005). Words are wonderful: Interactive, time-efficient strategies to teach meaning vocabulary. The Reading Teacher, 58(5), Stanovich, K. (1986). Matthew effect in reading: Some consequences of individual differences in the acquisition of literacy. Reading Research Quarterly, 21(4), Templeton,S. (2004). The vocabulary-spelling connection: Orthographic development and morphological knowledge at the intermediate grades and Beyond. In J. Templeton,S. (1983). Using the spelling-meaning connection to develop word knowledge in older students. Journal of Reading, 27, Tompkins, G., & Blanchfield, C. (2004). Teaching vocabulary: 50 creative strategies, grades K- 12. New Jersey: Pearson. Urquhart, A. H., & Weir, C. J. (1998). Reading in a second language: Process, product, and practice. New York: Longman. Willis, D., & Willis, J.(2007).Doing task-based teaching. Oxford, Oxford University Press. 514