輔助閱讀教材對低成就者語言習得之影響:宜蘭高中個案研究

Abstract

本研究主要目的在於探討輔助閱讀教材對低成就者語言習得之影響。研究對象是六十二位宜蘭高中英文重補修二年級的學生，分為實驗及控制組。兩組分別施以輔助閱讀及傳統教學法。所有學生在兩週內在課堂上學習五課英文教材，但在實驗組則將控制組單字教學的時間多所挪用於輔助閱讀。針對兩組研究對象的閱讀理解及單字學習成果，研究者分別施以兩份閱讀能力測驗及兩份單字成就測驗，作為效益之比較分析。至於研究對象對於輔助閱讀之反應，則施以輔助閱讀問卷，以評估輔助閱讀之成效。 本研究的主要發現摘要如下： 1. 在一個男性低成就者組成的同性質班級，輔助閱讀可增進學習者的閱讀能力。 2. 調整閱讀材料的版面，使其中的某些語言元素，如單字等更為顯眼，或者可促進這些元素的學習，但就短期學習成效而言，機械式的重複背誦同樣有效。 3. 切合學習者語言能力的閱讀材料可正向增進學習者之興趣及信心。而就語言學習來說，與較困難之讀物同等有效。 根據本研究的主要發現，研究者提出一些輔助閱讀對英語教學之建議： 1. 即使語言能力不佳，低成就者仍需要交學者給予獨立閱讀的機會，只要閱讀教材難度適中。 2. 難易適中的閱讀材料可以增進低成就之閱讀能力及對自我的信心。 3. 傳統機械式的背誦單字在短期內成效如其他有上下文義的單字練習。 4. 教師不應是學生全然的學習來源。學習者的自主性應被適當地支持。

This study aims to investigate the effects of modified supplementary reading material on senior high low achievers’ reading comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. The subjects of the study were sixty-two second-year senior high school repeaters. In the experimental group, thirty-four subjects were required to independently read passages supplementary to the selected texts in the text book in addition to receiving traditional teacher-centered instruction, while the other twenty-eight students were only given the traditional instruction of the control group. Five lessons from the textbook were scheduled to be covered in both groups, but the experimental group was assigned ten supplementary reading passages during the class period. Their comprehension of each passage was assessed immediately via a multiple-choice test. Before the experiment, students from both groups participated in a pretest of reading proficiency and vocabulary performance. In addition, their motivation in language learning and their teachers’ instruction style were surveyed. After the experiment, both groups’ progress was examined in a posttest of reading proficiency and vocabulary performance. A questionnaire regarding the subjects’ responses to the reading experience was distributed among the experimental group to understand their perceptions of supplementary reading. The major findings of this study are summarized as follows: 1. Supplementary reading experience can foster learners’ reading ability in a class of male low achievers with similar language proficiency and learning motivation, in terms of their local and global understanding of a passage. 2. Modifying the layout of reading material to make prominent certain linguistic elements such as the vocabulary may be facilitative in the acquisition of these elements, but mechanical repetitive memorization can also yield similar progress in language learning. 3. Reading material which is well within learners’ competence can positively boost their confidence and interest in language learning. In terms of improving reading proficiency, such material will work as well as, if not better than, the more complicated ones. Based on the findings of this study, some pedagogical suggestions are provided for EFL teachers. 1. Low achievers, despite their low language proficiency, need more opportunities to read independently. Such a task is never impossible as long as suitable material is provided. 2. Reading material that caters to low achievers’ language proficiency can facilitate their reading ability and help increase their confidence in reading as well. 3. Traditional word memorization strategies may work as well as other contextualized vocabulary-enhancing exercises in helping build up learners’ vocabulary size in a short period of time. 4. Teachers are not always students’ sole source of learning. Learners’ autonomy should be encouraged and supported whenever possible.