• Refine Query
  • Source
  • Publication year
  • to
  • Language
  • 6
  • 4
  • 2
  • Tagged with
  • 6
  • 6
  • 6
  • 6
  • 4
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
1

國中生對於使用英文報紙為閱讀輔助教材之回應:個案研究

黃振祥, Huang, Chen-hsiang Unknown Date (has links)
本研究旨在分析探討運用英文報紙作為台灣國中生英文閱讀輔助教材之可 行性,並分析報紙中各種不同的主題內容對於增進閱讀能力之實際影響,期能對 於國中英語教師在選擇課外英語讀物及培養學生英文閱讀能力具有啟示作用。 參與本閱讀實驗的為37位台北市文山區一所國中的三年級學生。所有學生 在學期初以全民英檢初級考題之閱讀能力測驗結果區分為高、中、低三種程度, 繼而接受為期四個月的英文報紙閱讀訓練。實驗過程中每一單元後均以簡單的讀 後測驗來引導並檢視學生之閱讀理解力。在學期近結束前再以另一份英檢初級試 題作為本實驗的後測。 本實驗採用質與量的分析方法。質的分析涵蓋:(一)實驗對象的英文學習背 景;(二)學生對於英文閱讀上困難之分析;(三)學生對於不同類型選文的看法。 量的分析則以SPSS統計法來研究:(一)前後測統計數值的差異;(二)不同類型 選文在英文閱讀理解與後測的成效關係。 本研究結果發現:在經過以英文報紙選文的閱讀測驗訓練後,高、中、低三 種程度的學生均有明顯進步,其中又以中等程度的學生進步最大,低程度學生次 之。最後,本研究提出一些英語閱讀教學上之建議:(一)選擇與日常生活相關且 實用的短文;(二) 選擇學生已熟知或關心的新聞事件、氣象報導、廣告為主題; (三)適切的運用選文從事句型及文法教學。最後,希望本研究能提供現行台灣國 中教師及學生閱讀教學上一些啟示及方向。 / The study aims chiefly at the practicality of using English newspapers as supplementary reading materials for junior high students. It also discusses how different newspaper articles can help improve the students’ reading comprehension with a view to offering junior high school teachers an alternative in choosing the extra-curricular reading materials and cultivating students’ reading skills. Thirty-seven ninth graders were involved in this research. All the subjects were given the elementary level reading test of GEPT (General English Proficiency Test) as a pretest in the beginning of the first semester of the 2002 school year. The subjects were then divided into three proficiency levels—high, middle, and low according to the scores of the test result. A four-month English newspaper reading program was then introduced to the subjects. Throughout the program, an after-reading test was given to examine and evaluate the students’ comprehension of each unit. At the end of the semester, another elementary level reading test of GEPT was given to the subjects as a posttest. This study adopts both qualitative and quantitative analyses. The qualitative analysis consists of (1) the subjects’ English learning background, (2) difficulties encountered by the subjects in English reading comprehension, and (3) the opinions expressed by the students on different selections of the text. By executing SPSS program, the quantitative analysis includes (1) the difference of statistical values between the pretest and the posttest, (2) the correlation among text types, reading comprehension gained after the posttest. To sum up, this study offers pedagogical implications for junior high school English teachers who seek up-to-date reading materials and effective teaching.
2

國中基測英文閱讀測驗分析與閱讀技巧及策略教學之研究

楊捷宇 Unknown Date (has links)
論文提要內容: 本論文旨在探討台灣國中基本學力測驗中英文閱讀測驗之題型,並且針對各題型相關之閱讀技巧及策略進行教學實驗,期望本論文的研究發現與建議能對國中英文閱讀教學有所貢獻。 本研究實驗對象為六十名台北市景美地區一所國中九年級的學生,這些學生來自於二個不同的班級,一班為實驗組,另一班為控制組。本研究採用Mo (1987) 及 Johnson(2004) 的閱測題型分類,並參考國中基測委員會的建議,討論基測英文閱讀測驗題型與分配情形。實驗前測內容包含二○○二年至二○○四年所有國中基測英文閱讀測驗的考題,由受試者參加測驗。接下來進行本研究的教學實驗,實驗組中的受試者接受為期十三週,每週二節課,針對基則範例進行英文閱讀技巧及策略的教學,在另一方面,控制組在相同的條件下,針對相同的範例內容進行字彙、文法、句型及文意的講解與練習。實驗結束後,二組受試者均參加二○○六年所舉辦的兩次基測, 而受試者在英文閱讀測驗的表現,即代表他們的學習成效。 本研究發現國中基測英文閱讀測驗有六種題型,分別為確認文章主旨、尋找細部資訊、猜測字詞意義、找出字詞指涉、導出暗示推論及引導正確結論,而在二○○六年的基測題目中,僅最後一個類型引導正確結論無相關考題,且各題型的次數分配顯示出相當不平均的考題分配情形,將近一半的題目都屬於尋找細部資訊的類型,且歸類於字面技巧 (literal skills) 的題型比重也遠超過屬於重要技巧 (critical skills) 的題型。此外,前測結果不僅顯示實驗組與控制組在教學實驗進行前並無顯著差異,也顯示受試者在字面技巧的表現優於重要技巧。本研究也發現閱讀技巧及策略教學在二○○六年的第一次基測是有顯著成效的,然而在第二次時,因受試者已畢業且缺乏有效練習,所以成效並不顯著。 最後,本研究建議基測委員會與試題設計者能多考慮著重各種不同的閱讀題型,尤其是要增加對於學生整體閱讀能力提昇有很大幫助的題型比重,如找出文章主旨與結論等屬於重要技巧的題型。國中英文教師也能設計適合學生的閱讀教材,經由不同題型的練習與強化,幫助學生將這些閱讀技巧與策略內化為他們閱讀能力的一部份,本研究也建議國中英文教材與課本的編寫者能將這些技巧與策略安排在適當的單元與活動中。 / The present study aims to investigate the question types of the English reading comprehension tests in the BCT and to conduct an experiment on the effectiveness of related reading skills and strategies. The findings and suggestions of the present study may be helpful for the reading instruction in junior high school. A total of 60 ninth graders in a junior high school in Jing-mei, Taipei participated in this experiment. They are from two different classes; one is the control group and the other is the experimental group. According to the categorization of the reading skills from Mo (1987) and Johnson (2004), the present study examined the question types of the English reading comprehension tests in the BCT and the frequency distribution of different question types. The reading pretest included all the reading passages and items from 2002 to 2004, and the participants were asked to take the pretest as a formal exam. Then, the experiment of the present study lasted for 13 weeks, two class periods a week. The participants in the experimental group received the instruction of the reading skills and strategies while the participants in the control group were taught the vocabulary, the grammar, the structures and their meanings in the same reading passages. After the formal reading instruction, the participants took both of the BCT in 2006, and their performances may reflect the effectiveness of the formal reading instruction. There are several findings for the present research. First, six different question types are identified in the English reading comprehension tests of the BCT and they are identifying the main idea, finding the detailed information, determining the meaning out of context, finding the targets of the reference, drawing implications and inferences and drawing correct conclusions. But the last question type drawing correct conclusions was not identified in the BCT of 2006. Second, there existed an unbalanced distribution of these question types. Nearly half of the reading questions can be classified as the type finding the detailed information, and the proportion of the question types related to the literal skills was much larger than those of the question types concerning the critical skills. Moreover, the results of the reading pretest showed that there is no significant difference between the experimental and the control groups and that the participants performed better on the literal skills than on the critical ones. At last, the results of the participants’ performances in the first BCT of 2006 revealed that the formal reading instruction of the reading skills and strategies is effective. But the participants took the second BCT after they graduated, and the effectiveness of the instruction may reduce because of time and lack of practice. Finally,the researcher would like to suggest the BCT committee include more reading question types that may emphasize students’ overall reading abilities. Junior high school English teachers may design their own reading classes and help their students improve and internalize the reading skills and strategies they need. The designers of the English textbooks may include these useful reading skills and strategies in different tasks and activities.
3

放聲思考法在國中生英文閱讀上字彙推論的效益

楊純妹, Yang, Chun-mei Unknown Date (has links)
本文旨在探討台灣國中生在英語閱讀時, 運用「放聲思考配對練習法」結合「單字解讀策略」教學的成效及影響, 研究對象是依安置測驗所選出兩班具有高度同質性的國三學生, 隨機分派為一實驗組, 一控制組, 並依其安置測驗結果分為高、低兩組。 實驗組在老師教完單字解讀策略後, 由一高分組學生和一低分組學生隨機配對做為期八週的放聲思考閱讀訓練, 並且在訓練活動前後, 實驗組和控制組所有的學生皆施予單字解讀成就測驗, 閱讀理解成就測驗, 及英語閱讀學習態度量表, 實驗組更多加施予後設認知問卷及對此訓練活動的反應問卷, 同時在實驗組訓練過程中, 隨機抽取一組配對的學生將他們運用「放聲思考配對練習法」作答的過程錄音下來以便分析。 本研究結果顯示: (一)實驗組和控制組在單字解讀成就測驗有顯著差異。亦即, 運用「放聲思考配對練習法」結合「單字解讀策略」的教學有效地增進了學生字彙推測的成績表現, 對低程度的學生效果尤其明顯。(二)在四種單字解讀策略中, 「放聲思考配對練習法」最能增進學生在「往前線索策略」和「背景知識線索策略」的成績表現, 對不同程度的學生而言, 低程度學生的「往前線索策略」成績進步最多。(三)實驗組和控制組在閱讀理解成就測驗並沒有顯著差異。亦即, 此一訓練活動並不能改進學生在閱讀理解的成績表現。(四)實驗組和控制組的英語閱讀學習態度量表有顯著差異。即運用「放聲思考配對練習法」結合「單字解讀策略」的教學有效地增進了學生對英語閱讀的學習態度, 尤其對高程度的學生效果尤其明顯。在四種分項學習態度中, 學生的「免除對英語閱讀的恐懼」學習態度進步最多。(五)在後設認知方面, 實驗組的學生在接受此一閱讀訓練活動後, 對自己在文章大意、文章相關知識及猜字技巧的閱讀困難上有顯著的認知, 並且也認定猜字技巧是有效的英語閱讀策略。(六)從反應問卷中顯示, 接受此一閱讀訓練活動後, 大部分的學生認為運用「放聲思考配對練習法」結合「單字解讀策略」的教學對他們的字彙推測技巧是有幫助的, 且其幫助大於單獨運用「放聲思考配對練習法」或單獨運用「單字解讀策略」, 並且認為此一閱讀訓練活動有助於對自己和對他人閱讀過程的了解。但大多數的學生對運用此一閱讀訓練活動於未來英語課程中仍採保留態度。 根據上述的結果, 本研究建議國中英語教師可以運用「放聲思考配對練習法」結合「單字解讀策略」的教學來增進學生在英語閱讀時字彙推測的技巧和對英語閱讀的學習態度, 以及加強他們對自我閱讀過程的認知。同時, 為了能讓「放聲思考配對練習法」在學生身上發揮最大的學習效果, 教師應考慮學生在語言學習上的個別差異現象以及此一合作學習法時間掌握的問題, 以避免學生心理上的排斥作用和學習上的反效果。 / This thesis explores EFL lexical inferencing abilities and reading behaviors of junior high school students in Taiwan. Thinking Aloud Pair Problem Solving (TAPPS) and instruction of Word-solving Strategies were integrated to see whether they had effects on students’ lexical inferencing abilities, reading comprehension, learning attitude toward and metacognitive awareness of English reading. Two third-grade junior high school classes were selected as one experimental group and one control group, both with high-and low-proficiency levels. Results were found from the statistical analysis of the experiment. First, TAPPS training in word-solving strategies proved quite beneficial in enhancing students’ lexical inferencing abilities, and the low-proficiency students benefited more than the high-proficiency students. Second, TAPPS training in word-solving strategies indeed facilitated students’ use of forward cues and background knowledge cues, and the low-proficiency students improved most in their use of forward cues. Third, TAPPS training in word-solving strategies did not benefit students in their general reading comprehension. Fourth, TAPPS training in word-solving strategies successfully helped the students change their learning attitude toward English reading, especially the high-proficiency students. As to the different learning attitudes, students’ learning attitude of “The freedom from fear of English reading” changed most. Fifth, after receiving this training activity, the students’ metacognitive awareness of English reading was significantly higher. Sixth, the response questionnaire revealed that most of the students considered TAPPS training in word-solving strategies helpful and gave positive responses to this training activity. However, most of the students were conservative about recommending this training activity to future English classes. These aforementioned findings in this study suggested that junior high school English teachers could adopt TAPPS training in word-solving strategies to enhance students’ lexical inferencing abilities, change their learning attitude and reinforce their metacognitive awareness of English reading. However, it should be cautioned here that when teachers try to implement TAPPS training in English reading comprehension, they should consider students’ personal difference in language learning and the disruptive and time-consuming drawback of TAPPS to avoid students’ potential rejection and failure of the whole training activity.
4

透過後設論述觀念教授高中生英文閱讀之研究 / The Use of Metadiscourse to Teach High School Students' Reading Comprehension

楊憶琴, Yang, Yih-chin Unknown Date (has links)
本文旨在探討透過後設論述觀念的教授,對高中生英文閱讀表現有否顯著效益,同時加以深入分析後設論述觀念,對於不同英語能力程度的學生在其閱讀表現有否不同的效益。 壹、研究方法 (一) 本行動研究以八十位桃園縣立某高中二年級兩班社會組學生為本實驗教學之對象。將兩班學生分成實驗組和控制組,同時在實驗組班級中,依據其在英語分級測驗的成績分配出高分組和低分組。 (二) 兩組受試者先進行閱讀理解的前測,並填寫一份有關其已知語言學習策略之問卷,實驗組學生接受十二週後設論述觀念的閱讀教學,而控制組學生只接受一般高中英文課程教學。 (三) 此外,實驗組學生並填寫有關於後設論述觀念的前後問卷,兩組受試者前後測成績皆以獨立及相依樣本t 檢定統計方法來分析學生的成績。 問卷的結果以百分比形式及統計卡方方法表列;百分比同質性檢定用來分析高分組和低分組學生們對於後設論述觀念教授的不同反應。 統計顯著水準.05 用於所有分析中以決定顯著差異是否存在。 (四) 最後,實驗組受試者須填寫一份有關於他們對後設論述觀念教授的觀感以及策略應用之問卷。 貳、研究結果 (一) 實驗組和控制組間其閱讀表現並有顯著差異。 實驗組學生因有後設論述觀念教授而在閱讀表現上有顯著提升。 (二) 實驗組的高分組與低分組在前後測閱讀表現有顯著差異。 高分組及低分組學生皆因有後設論述觀念教授而在閱讀表現上有顯著提升。尤其對高分組學生閱讀表現助益更大 (三) 問卷結果顯示,大部分實驗組學生對於後設論述觀念教授在閱讀表現上的效益抱持肯定態度。高分組及低分組學生皆持正面態度。 (四) 問卷結果顯示,大部分實驗組學生認為對於後設論述基模中的文本後設論述觀念的學習,較優於人際間後設論述觀念的學習。 (五) 問卷結果顯示,大部分實驗組學生認為,應用文本後設論述中的連接轉折詞及順序詞 對於提升他們英文閱讀能力幫助極大。  參、研究限制 (一) 本研究在實際高中英文閱讀教學情境中進行,僅以研究者所任教之兩個班級為對象,目的在於透過後設論述觀念教授高中生英文閱讀之研究,探討此教學方法應用於台灣高中學生在英語閱讀學習之成效及可能遭遇的學習瓶頸。因此,若欲據以推論其它不同學校與不同程度學生之教學應用,尚需進ㄧ步探究。 (二) 國外文獻多數討論後設論述觀念與英文作文教學應用,有關於和英語閱讀學習成效的文獻則極為稀少。本研究根據研究結果,提出後設論述觀念教授與第二外語英語閱讀教學意涵上的探討,提供台灣英語教師教學策略的的思考和想法。 / This study explores whether if there are significant effects of metadiscourse schema on senior high EFL students’English reading comprehension. The study further investigates if there are significant effects of metadiscourse schema on reading comprehension for students with different language proficiency levels. It also reports the students’responses to metadiscourse schema on: the textual and interpersonal aspects. The subjects are eighty second-graders from Y.F. Senior High School in Taoyuan County. They are equally divided into the experimental and control groups based on the statistical s-shape distribution. The experimental group is further categorized into high-and low-proficiency subgroups based on the score of the placement test. Subjects in the experimental group take the instruction of metadiscourse schema for reading comprehension in twelve weeks. All subjects take the pre-and post-test for reading comprehension and fill in Questionnaire I.   The independent and dependent-sample t-test is used to analyze the subjects’ scores in the tests. The results of Questionnaire II are tabulated in terms of frequency and percentage. The results of Questionnaire II between high-and low-proficiency groups are analyzed by the test of homogeneity of proportions. Besides, the results of Questionnaire III also be discussed and analyzed. The .05 level of significance is used in all analysis as the criterion level for determining a significant difference. The major findings in this study are summarized as follows: 1.There is a significant difference in the reading performance between the experimental and control groups. When metadiscourse schema is instructed to the experimental group, the EG subjects have the significant improvement in reading performance. 2.There are significant differences for the high-and low-proficiency groups in the experimental group between Questionnaire II before and after the metadiscourse instruction. HPG gain more benefit from the instruction of metadiscourse schema than LPG. 3.The results of Questionnaire III on the students’ responses to metadiscourse schema show that most subjects’ perception of the effects of metadiscourse schema on the reading performance is positive. 4.EG subjects gain more benefit from the instruction of the textual metadiscourse than the interpersonal metadiscourse. 5.The results of Questionnaires II on the instruction of metadiscourse schema indicate that logical connectives and frame markers in the textual metadiscourse are the features most frequently used by senior high EFL students Based on the above-mentioned findings, pedagogical implications are provided and further research suggested.
5

交互教學法對台灣國中生英文閱讀能力與後設認知之效益 / The Effects of Reciprocal Teaching on Taiwanese Junior High School Students' English Reading Comprehension and Metacognitive Awareness

林思燕 Unknown Date (has links)
本研究的目的在探討「交互教學法」對台灣國中生英文閱讀能力與後設認知之效益,並研究國中生對此教學的回應。參與本研究的學生為82名苗栗縣某公立高中的兩班九十五學年度九年級學生,實驗組施以12週交互教學法,控制組則為傳統老師講授方式,在教學活動前後,實驗組和控制組所有學生皆施以閱讀理解測驗(採自全民英檢初級閱讀測驗)及後設認知問卷,實驗組多加施以交互教學法回饋問卷。 本研究結果摘要如下: 1. 實驗組與控制組在閱讀理解測驗表現有顯著差異,亦即,交互教學法有效地增進學生閱讀理解表現。 2. 後設認知方面,實驗組在「閱讀信心」、「閱讀困難」和「閱讀能力強的人應具備的能力」三項後設認知能力表現顯著提高,在「有效閱讀策略」與「補救策略」二項之後設認知表現亦有明顯進步。 3. 交互教學法有助於增強學生對閱讀策略的觀念和用法,大部分受試者認為「摘要」與「預測」是最實用的閱讀策略。 4. 回饋問卷顯示,大部分實驗組學生對交互教學法持正面支持態度,並表示願意將所學之閱讀策略運用在未來的英語閱讀中。 根據上述結果,本研究建議國中英語教師可運用「交互教學法」增進學生英 語閱讀能力與後設認知能力,並提升學生學習英語的興趣。同時為了讓「交互教學法」發揮最大效用,教師應考慮學生在語言學習上之個別差異,以避免學生心理上的排斥與學習上的反效果。 / This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of reciprocal teaching in promoting EFL junior high school students’ reading comprehension and metacognitive awareness. In addition, students’ responses to reciprocal teaching were probed. Participants of this study included 82 ninth-graders from two intact classes in one public senior high school in Miaoli in the fall semester of 2006. The experimental group was engaged in reciprocal teaching and the control group was instructed in the traditional teacher-centered method. The reading comprehension test of GEPT at elementary level was used as the pretest and posttest to measure the participants’ reading ability before and after the instruction. Additionally, two questionnaires were adopted: one for investigating the effects of reciprocal teaching on students’ metacognitive awareness and the other for measuring the experimental group’s attitudes towards reciprocal teaching. After twelve weeks of experiment, the main results of this study can now be summarized as follows: 1. The participants’ reading comprehension ability improved significantly after the implementation of reciprocal teaching. 2. The participants’ metacognitive awareness was significantly higher especially in the categories of students’ reading confidence, students’ perceptions of reading difficulties, and students’ perceptions of a good reader. Students’ perceptions of repair strategies and effective strategies, though no significantly different , the participants did make progress in recognition of top-down and bottom-up strategies. 3. Reciprocal teaching helped the participants build up knowledge and use the instructed strategies. The strategies viewed by the participants as the most practical ones were “summarizing” and “predicting”. 4. According to the findings from the response questionnaire, the participants’ attitudes toward and responses to reciprocal teaching may be described as being supportive and positive. In addition, most of the participants expressed their willingness to employ the instructed strategies in their future English reading. The results suggest that reciprocal teaching can be a viable approach to help improve junior high school students’ reading comprehension ability and metacognitive awareness of English reading. Besides, students’ interest in learning can be stirred up. Yet, it should be noted that when conducting reciprocal teaching, teachers need to be taken into account students’ personal difference in language learning to avoid potential rejection.
6

英文小說教學與英文閱讀能力之關聯性探討及學生態度之研究 / An Approach to Teaching the English Novel to High School Students in Taiwan: its Correlations with English Reading Ability and the Students’ Attitudes to Novel Reading and Teaching

鄒文仁 Unknown Date (has links)
論文內容摘要:本研究探討對台灣的高中生教導一本完整英文原著小說與其閱讀能力的關聯性以及學生們對於小說閱讀和小說課的態度。 一、 研究方法: 1. 受試者為台北地區某一所高中高一的124名學生,其指定讀物為C.S.Lewis所著之小說「獅子、女巫、魔衣櫥」,所進行的小說閱讀和教學從2005年九月至2006年元月為期四個月,以每週一節課的時間用於小組討論和發表,並由教師導引上課流程,受試者須完成課後作業單並繳交給教師評閲。 2. 在施教前和施教後分別對受試者實施閱讀能力前測及後測,復加之以成對母體t檢定,以檢驗全體受試者和高中低不同能力組別學生的前後測差異,此外亦實施ㄧ有關小說內容的開書測驗,以便檢驗受試者了解小說的程度,以及蒐集受試者的期末考英文成績(考的是英文課本)。研究者檢驗了以下三種測驗時間相當接近的測驗中任兩種之間的關聯:閱讀能力後測、小說測驗、期末考英文測驗。 3. 最後,小說閱讀和教學的問卷調查由受試者填完,並以頻率和百分比分析全體受試者,而以卡方檢定分析在受教前有無閱讀其他英文小說經驗和受教後是否讀完整本小說之差異。 二 、研究結果 1. 在小說教學結束後,受試者的英文閱讀能力不只顯著地提升,而且與小說測驗成績顯著相關。 2. 而對全體受試者和中低成就組學生而言,小說測驗成績則和期末考成績顯著相關。 3. 對中成就組學生而言,閱讀能力後測成績和期末考英文成績有顯著相關。 4. 受試者對於英文小說閱讀的反應正面多過於負面的有:對於讀小說的感覺、對於增進英文閱讀速度及字彙的幫助、提升學習英文興趣的幫助。而對於是否增進英文文法知識與幫助課本學習,只有少數學生持肯定態度。 5. 受試者對於小說課及其活動的態度呈高度肯定,對於再教一本英文小說的反應十分熱烈。 6. 讀完指定小說確實與未讀完者在「認為讀指定小說提升今後讀英文小說的意願」上有顯著不同,而受教前讀過其他小說與教學後讀完小說者,則皆比未讀過其他小說及未讀完指定小說者,更願意在時間許可下自行閱讀英文小說。 7. 受試者的閱讀技巧增進從多到少依次為:閱讀理解、字彙、文法句型。 三 、結論: 英文小說閱讀做為一種延伸閱讀其對高中學生學習英文的幫助,不只是認知上的也是情意上的,與其讓學生自行摸索閱讀英文小說之道,將之當作課堂學習教材並施以教學將更能有效幫助學生。本研究證明英文小說在台灣高中英文課程為一門值得教的課,而非僅是一種單單留給學生自行閱讀即可的讀物。 / The present study explored the correlations of teaching a complete English novel to high school students in Taiwan with their reading ability and investigated their attitudes to the novel reading and the novel class. The subjects were 124 freshmen students of a senior high school in Taipei, whose assigned material was the novel The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. The reading and teaching of the novel lasted a semester from Sept. 2005 to Jan. 2006, with one period of English class each week spent on small group discussion and presentation monitored and facilitated by the teacher. After-reading worksheets were done by the subjects and handed in for teacher review and assessment. A reading pretest and a post-test were administered to the subjects before and after the treatment, and their reading ability improvement was examined using Paired T tests for all subjects and different ability groups from high to middle and low proficiency groups. Besides, an open-book novel test concerning the content of the novel was given to find out how well the subjects understand the novel. The subjects’ scores of the final periodic test on the English textbook were also gathered so that the researcher could investigate the correlations, with Significant Correlation tests, between any two of the three tests which all took place near the end of the semester: the reading post-test, the novel test and the final periodic test. Finally the questionnaires on the novel reading and teaching were filled in by the subjects and analyzed based on the subjects as a whole with frequency and percentage. Furthermore, distinctions were made based on the differences between those subjects who had read other novels before the treatment and those who hadn’t, and on the differences between those who finished reading the novel and those who didn’t, with Chi-square tests. The major findings of the study are as follows: 1. After the treatment ended, the English reading proficiency of all subjects in general has increased significantly, and was found to be correlated with the novel test significantly. 2. The novel test was found to be significantly correlated to the final periodic test for all subjects and the Middle and Low Proficiency Groups. 3. For the Middle Proficiency Group., the post-test was correlated to the final periodic test significantly. 4. The subjects’ more positive responses than negative ones to the novel reading included: feelings about the novel, how the novel reading helped increase reading speed and vocabulary, how the novel helped raise their interest in learning English. As to whether reading the novel increased English grammar knowledge or helped them learn the English textbook, only a minority of them answered positively. 5. The subjects’ attitudes towards the novel class and its activity were highly positive and the responses to having another English novel taught were quite enthusiastic. 6. Having finished reading the novel made a difference for the subjects in believing reading the designated novel promoted their willingness to read more English novels, while being experienced novel readers and having finished reading the novel both made significant differences in the subjects’ willingness to read other English novels on their own when time is allowed for reading. 7. The reading benefits for our subjects in order of importance were: reading comprehension, vocabulary, and grammar and sentence patterns. In conclusion, novel reading, as a form of extensive reading, helps senior high school students learn English cognitively as well as affectively. Instead of letting the students grope their own ways to the English novel, it helps them more when the novel becomes the class material and is taught in class. This study explores the English novel as a worthwhile course to teach in high school curriculum in Taiwan, not just as something left for the students to read all by themselves.

Page generated in 0.0223 seconds