METHODS AND TECHNIQUES TO TEACH READING IN ENGLISH TO LIBYAN CHILDREN AMNA MOHAMED ALI MELAD A dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Education (TESL) Faculty of Education Universiti Teknologi Malaysia FEBRUARY 2010
ii I declare that this thesis dissertation entitled Methods and Techniques to Teach Reading in English to Libyan Children is the result of my own research except as cited in the references. The thesis has not been accepted for any degree and is not concurrently submitted in candidature of any other degree. Signature:... Name : Amna Mohamed Ali Melad Date : February, 2011
iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious and Most Merciful My gratitude goes to my supervisor, Prof. Madya Dr. Salbiah bt. Seliman for her guidance and counseling to me all along the working on my thesis. Thank you very much. I also thank my parents who paved the way for me to learn and all my family members who encouraged me to pursue my studies abroad. To my husband and my two children, I present the fruit of my effort. To all of those people who helped me, thank you very much for your support and encouragement.
iv ABSTRACT Since reading in English is a very important skill, the learners need to read and have considerable knowledge pertaining to the current developments in the field of learning. It gets more difficult with foreign learners especially the young ones. Parents and teachers should have remarkable methods in teaching the skills of reading in English, This study searched the methods and techniques used by the Libyan teachers and parents to teach reading in English to children. In addition to that, the researcher investigated the learners views about those methods and techniques. The views of teachers and parents on the methods they used are also included. The third objective of the study was to uncover the obstacles confronted by younger learners when reading in English. The primary pupils of the Libyan school, their parents, and their teacher were the respondents of this research. There were three instruments used in this study: an observation list, a questionnaire, and interview questions. The data collected from the participants were analysed qualitatively. The findings took the form of descriptions, described as values. The findings are hoped to be used, adopted and adapted for further improvement in the process of learning and teaching of English as a foreign language.
v ABSTRAK Kerana membaca dalam Bahasa Inggeris ialah kemahiran yang sangat penting, pelajarpelajar harus membaca dan mempunyai pengetahuan yang cukup berkaitan dengan pembacaan dalam bidang pembelajaran. Ianya menjadi semakin sukar dengan pelajar asing terutama sekali pelajar yang masih muda. Para ibubapa dan para guru mata pelajaran Bahasa Inggeris tentunya memiliki banyak kaedah yang efektif dalam mengajar kemahiran membaca dalam Bahasa Inggeris. Kajian ini mencari kaedah yang digunakan oleh para guru dan para ibubapa dari Libya untuk mengajar membaca dalam Bahasa Inggeris kepada anak-anak. Selain itu, pengkaji telah menyiasat pendapat responden mengenai kaedah yang digunakan. Tujuan ketiga ialah untuk mengungkap hambatan-hambatan yang telah dihadapi oleh murid-murid yang masih kanak-kanak dalam pengalaman mereka belajar membaca dalam Bahasa Inggeris. Pendapat guru dan ibu bapa juga telah dimasukikan. Murid sekolah rendah dari sekolah Libya di Kuala Lumpur, ibubapa mereka, dan guru telah menjadi responden dalam kajian ini. Ada tiga instrumen yang digunakan dalam kajian ini: senarai pemerhatian, sebuah soalselidik, dan senarai soalan wawancara. Data yang dikumpul dari para peserta dianalisis secara kualitatif. Hasil kajian dipersembahkan dalam bentuk diskripsi dan digambarkan sebagai nilai-nilai. Hasil kajian ini diharapkan akan digunakan, diadopsi dan diadaptasi untuk perbaikan lebih lanjut dalam proses pembelajaran dan pengajaran membaca dalam Bahasa Inggeris sebagai bahasa asing.
vi TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE DECLARATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABSTRACT ABSTRAK ii iii iv v TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS LIST OF APPENDICES vi-x xi xii xiii xiv CHAPTER TITLE PAGE 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background of the study 2 1.2 Statement of the Problem 5 1.3 Purpose of the Study 7 1.4 Objectives of the Study 7
vii 1.5 Research Questions 8 1.6 Significance of the Study 9 1.7 Scope of the Study 10 2 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 11 2.1 Importance of reading 12 2.2 Brief Overview of Language Teaching Methodology 16 2.2.1 The Grammar Translation Method (GTM) 16 2.2.2 The Direct Method (DM) 17 2.2.3 The Communicative Approach (CA) 19 2.3 Techniques, Methods and Approaches 19 2.4 Methods and Techniques of Teaching Reading to Children 21 2.4.1 Phonics Method or Technique 22 2.4.2 Whole Word Method or Technique 23 2.4.3 Language Experience Approach or Technique 24 2.4.4 Context Support Method or Technique 25 2.4.5 Look and say Method or Technique 26 2.5 Other Techniques of Teaching Reading to Children 28 2.6 The Process of Reading and its Connection to Teaching Methods and Techniques 30
viii 2.6.1 Bottom-up and Top-down Processing and Teaching Reading 33 2.6.2 Schema Theory and Techniques of Teaching Reading 34 2.7 Frameworks to Scaffold Reading as a Technique of Teaching Reading 36 2.8 Strategies of Teaching Reading 38 2.9 Types of Teaching Reading Skills 42 2.10 Principles of Teaching Reading to Children 45 2.11 Related Research 49 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 52 3.1 Introduction 52 3.2 Research design 52 3.3 Respondents of the Study 53 3.4 Sampling design 54 3.4.1 Sampling Design for Pupils 54 3.4.2 Sampling Design for the Teachers 55 3.4.3 Sampling Design for Parents 55 3.5 Research Instruments Used 55 3.5.1 Observation 56 3.5.2 Questionnaire 57 3.5.3 Interview 58
ix 3.6 Research Procedure 59 3.6.1 Preliminary study 59 3.6.2 Preparation of the Instruments 60 3.6.3 Piloting the Instruments 60 3.6.4 Revising the Instruments 61 3.6.5 The Actual Study 62 3.6.6 Data Collection 63 3.7 Data Analysis 65 4 RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 67 4.1 Introduction 67 4.2 Methods and Techniques Used 68 4.2.1 The Teacher 69 4.2.2 The Parents 70 4.2.3 The Pupils 71 4.3 The Views of the Teacher, the Parents and the Learners on the Methods and Techniques Used 74 4.3.1 The Teacher s Views 75 4.3.2 The Parents Views 75 4.3.3 The Learners Views 76 4.4 The Obstacles Faced by Learners When They Read 78 4.4.1 The Teacher 79
x 4.4.2 The Parents 80 4.4.3 The Pupils 82 4.5 Discussion of the Research Findings 84 5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 89 5.1 Conclusions 90 5.2 Pedagogical Implications 95 5.3 Limitations 96 5.4 Recommendations 96 5.4.1 Recommendations Based on the Findings 97 5.4.2 Recommendations for Future Research 98 REFERENCES 100-108 Appendices 109-123
xi LIST OF TABLES TABLE NO. TITLE PAGE 4.1 The Methods and Techniques Used to Teach Reading in English 68 4.2 Views on the Methods and Techniques 74 4.3 Obstacles Faced by Learners in Reading in English 79
xii LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE NO. TITLE PAGE 2.1 The correlation of Approaches, Methods and Techniques 20 2.2 Finocchiaro s (1989) Schema Theory 35
xiii LIST OF ABBRIVIATIONS CA DM EFL ESL ERP Communicative Approach Direct Method English as a foreign language English as second language Extensive reading programme GTM Grammar Translation Method IQs L1 L2 RR Measurements of a person s intelligence First language Second language Reading recovery
xiv LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX TITLE PAGE A List of factors observed 109 B Interview with the Teacher 110 C Interview Questions (To the Pupils) 112 D1 Questionnaire 2 (To the Parents) 114 D2 Questionnaire 2 (To the Parents - Translated) 118 E The Pupils Coded Responses to the Interview Questions 121 F The Teachers Responses to the Interview Questions 123