本研究的目的是在探討「明示閱讀策略教學」對於台灣國中生英文閱讀能力之效益，並研究此教學策略對國中生在閱讀測驗中不同題型的成效。此外，更深入研究國中生對閱讀策略的使用及對閱讀策略教學的回應。 研究對象是桃園市某國中76位八年級的學生，隨機分派為一實驗組，一控制組。實驗組學生在十五週中接受六種閱讀策略的訓練，包括預測、略讀找出大意、瀏覽找到特定資訊、推測、利用上下文猜生字意思、自我修正。訓練方式採「明示策略教學」，強調老師說明及示範、引導練習、自我練習及應用。研究的主要工具是前、後測（採自全民英檢閱讀測驗）、學生應用閱讀策略問卷、及學生對此教學策略的回饋問卷。 研究結果發現： (一) 教授閱讀策略技巧有助於學生的閱讀理解。接受閱讀策略教學的實驗組學生於後測階段，在閱讀理解測驗的表現明顯優於未接受閱讀策略的控制組學生。 (二) 閱讀策略教學有助於學生對各類型測驗題目（確認大意、文章細節、推論、猜測字意等）之掌握與理解。 (三) 明示閱讀策略教學有助於增強學生對閱讀策略的觀念及用法。大部分受 試者在實驗前不知道這些策略，但於教學後都了解並喜歡使用這些策略。 (四) 問卷結果顯示：大部分的實驗組學生對於「明示閱讀教學」在英語閱讀表現上的成效抱持肯定態度，尤其以利用瀏覽找特定資訊及略讀了解主旨為大多數學生認為是最實用的閱讀策略。 本研究者建議國中生應學習閱讀策略以提昇閱讀理解能力，而英文老師應於國一時即有系統地將閱讀策略教學融入英文課中，以幫助學生長期並廣泛地使用閱讀策略。此外，老師們應加強學生靈活運用由上而下及由下而上的閱讀策略，以達到有效的閱讀。再者，老師們應加強學生使用閱讀策略回答測驗問題的能力。最後，老師們應藉由策略教學及有趣的教材提高學生的閱讀興趣及動機。 / This study explores the effects of the explicit instruction of reading strategies on EFL junior high school students’ reading comprehension. The study further investigates if there are significant effects of reading strategies on reading comprehension for students in different types of questions. It also examines the students’ use of reading strategies and their responses to the strategy instruction. The participants of this study were 76 eighth-grade students from two classes at a junior high school in Taoyuan. Class 802 was the experimental group, and Class 825 was the control group. A fifteen-week explicit strategies instruction with its focus on six strategies (making predictions, skimming for the main idea, scanning for important information, making inferences, guessing the meanings of unfamiliar words from context, and self-monitoring) was given to all the participants in the experimental group. These strategies were taught explicitly, with their emphasis on modeling, guided practice, independent practice, and application. The reading comprehension test of GEPT－elementary level was used as the pretest and posttest to measure the participants’ reading comprehension ability before and after the instruction. A questionnaire was conducted to investigate the use of reading strategies both in the pretest and posttest. The major findings of the study are summarized as follows. 1. The strategies instruction was effective in promoting the participants’ reading comprehension. There is a significant difference in the reading performance between the experimental group and control group. When reading strategies are instructed to the experimental group, the group has the significant improvement in reading comprehension. 2. The strategies instruction helped the participants better comprehend main idea questions, detail questions, inference questions, and word-guessing questions. 3. The strategies instruction helped the participants build up knowledge and use the instructed strategies. Most of the participants did not have a clear idea of these strategies before the instruction, but they had learned to use these strategies and liked to use them after the instruction. 4. Most of the subjects had a positive response toward the strategies instruction. The strategies regarded by the participants as the most practical ones were “scanning for important information” and “skimming for the main idea”. The study provides several pedagogical implications. First, EFL junior high school students should learn reading strategies to improve their reading comprehension, and EFL teachers should provide them with explicit strategies instruction in a systematic way from the first year. Second, the strategy instruction should be incorporated into regular English class to help strengthen students’ long-term strategy use. Third, EFL teachers should help students use flexibly both top-down and bottom-up models to achieve effective and efficient reading. Fourth, in assessing students’ reading comprehension, EFL teachers should strengthen students’ use of strategies in answering comprehension questions. Last but not least, EFL teachers should arouse students’ interest and motivate them in English reading through strategy instruction and attractive text resources.

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Key words: reading comprehension, primary school, reading strategies, instruction techniques, gender. Research indicated that the reading ability of Grade 3 to 7 learners is insufficient for them to successfully complete their grades. This is an issue which needs attention very seriously, because it is clear that many students who have problems with reading comprehension and don't use reading strategies optimally and strategically are unprepared for the academic literacy requirements that typically characterise all levels of education, and that may very well be a part of their upcoming job responsibilities. For students to become mindful, motivated strategy users, they need systematically orchestrated instruction. Good instruction is the most powerful means of developing proficient comprehenders and preventing reading comprehension problems. The purpose of the study was to determine whether: • Grade 3, 5 and 7 learners use reading comprehension strategies and, if they do, which strategies are they using during which phase (pre-reading phase, during reading phase and post-reading phase). • There is a difference in boys' and girls' use of reading-comprehension strategies. • There is a difference in the use of reading comprehension strategies and the reading comprehension between Grade 3,5 and 7 learners. • The teachers of Grade 3, 5 and 7 learners are teaching reading strategies and, if so, which reading strategies are they teaching and how are they teaching them. A single cross-section survey design was used in the study. A total of 240 Grade 3, 5 and 7 learners attending two primary schools in Pietersburg, as well as six teachers (one for each grade in each of the two schools), participated in this study. Results showed that Grade 3, 5 and 7 learners differ regarding their use of reading strategies during the before reading, during reading and after reading phases. Results further showed that girls, in their use of reading strategies, differed statistically from boys, but the difference only revealed a small effect size. Pearson product moment correlations indicated that there was a relationship between reading strategy use and reading comprehension of Grade 3, 5 and 7 learners. The results of the ANOVA and the post hoc Tukey test showed that there were statistically, as well as practically, significant differences in the use of reading strategies and reading comprehension between Grade 3, 5 and 7 learners. The results also indicated that, although teachers sometimes teach reading strategies, the teaching does not seem to be explicit. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007

The aim of the present study is to examine four teachers’ experience of pupils’ reading comprehension, with special focus on their perceptions of reading comprehension, their experience of pupils’ changed attitudes to reading in the last ten years, and the reading strategies the teachers use in their teaching The result shows that the teachers have a relatively unanimous view of what reading comprehension means, but they use different reading strategies and they have differing experiences of pupils’ attitudes to reading. The pupils’ decreasing motivation to read means that they need more guidance today than before. The teachers give the pupils a chance to develop their reading ability by revealing different reading strategies, but the lack of motivation in the pupils is an obstacle to their development.

This study asked two questions. First, to what extent can metacognitive strategies instruction increase metacognitive awareness in released-time seminary students? Second, if metacognitive awareness is increased, is this increase correlated with changes in released-time seminary students' attitudes towards scripture study, their scripture study behavior, how they perceive the quality of their study, and how much they enjoy studying the scriptures? A control group and two experimental groups were used for this study. Experimental group 1 was taught basic scripture reading strategies without metacognition. Experimental group 2 was taught metacognitive strategies related to scripture study. Students in each experimental group used these strategies for 10 consecutive class sessions. Pre- and post-survey data was collected for comparison. Statistically significant gains in metacognitive awareness were found when comparing the pre- and post-survey scores of experimental group 2. When comparing experimental group 2 to experimental group 1 and the control group, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) demonstrated that these gains in metacognitive awareness were not significant by comparison. Students in experimental groups 1 and 2 were asked to rate themselves in the post-survey on the effort they expended utilizing the strategies presented. When students in experimental group 2 who rated themselves high for effort were isolated, an analysis of covariance yielded statistically significant gains for metacognitive awareness in comparison with the other two groups. The same analyses were performed on measures related to scripture study. While experimental group 2 showed statistically significant gains from pre-survey to post-survey, when analyzed against experimental group 1 and the control group, no significant changes were observed. This was also the case for students who rated themselves high for effort in implementing the strategies presented. The results from this study suggest that metacognitive strategies can increase metacognitive awareness in released-time seminary students when they put forth the required effort to learn them. Further research in metacognitive application to scripture study is warranted. Qualitative studies with small focus groups could be a valuable avenue of exploration in future studies.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Title: “The letters jump”- to struggle with decoding and still understand what you are reading.Author: Maria EkUniversity of UmeåDepartment of EducationSupervisor: Asbjörg WestumExaminer: Fredrik KarlssonKeywords: Poor readers, Structured text talks, Reading strategies, Reading comprehension, Commitment and Motivation.During the past decades, Swedish studies show that reading comprehension and skills in reading strategies have decreased. In secondary school for individuals with learning disabilities there has been a focus on care-taking rather than on comprehension in general, and on reading comprehension in particular.The purpose of this study was to investigate whether Reciprocal Teaching would increase reading comprehension and motivation among upper secondary school for individuals with learning disabilities. The study presents how three 17-year-old pupils and their teacher, discussed expository fact texts during twelve lessons using the reciprocal method combined with power point-presentations to get the students to read more actively with interferences and reflections. The ambition was to make the structured text talks as interesting as possible with texts easy to read, technical aids, structure to make the students feel security when reading and to get committed pupils with an increased interest in reading.The results show an increase in motivation in reading, and the students were more prone to take an active part in discussions.

Although substantial research has been conducted into reading strategies, the difference between the reading strategies the students think they learn in class and the reading strategies the teacher considers she teaches is given little critical attention in the academic world. This study aims to investigate the relationship between non-English major students’ application of seven reading strategies for the CET-6 test and the teacher’s formal instruction in these with a view to improving teaching practices at university level.   A reading comprehension test and a questionnaire were given to 16 non-English major sophomore graduate students to establish what reading strategies are most and least utilized by students. A questionnaire was also presented to the teacher to ascertain what reading strategies she had taught. It is established that there are differences in the students’ and the teacher’s perceptions of what reading strategies have been taught and their suitability in the CET-6 reading comprehension text.

While there has been tremendous growth in the numbers of Hispanics and English language learners (ELLs) in our public schools, there has been a lack of educational opportunities offered to these students resulting in low educational achievement and attainment. Additionally, increases in the linguistic and cultural diversity of the student population have not been accompanied by diversification of the corps of teachers and many teachers who serve ELLs are not certified or prepared adequately to meet the linguistic and academic needs of second language learners. This context, in which the potential of our nation's ELLs is not being met by our education system, calls for research focusing on the education of ELLs. The three studies that constitute this dissertation address two critical areas, reading and mathematics, by documenting the cognitive reading strategies that middle school Hispanic ELLs utilize and evaluating professional development activities for teachers of ELLs. The mixed methods studies used student self-report data from the Reading Strategies Questionnaire (RSQ) as well as observational and survey data from a professional development program. Means and standard deviations were reported from the RSQ. Data from the observations of the professional development program were coded to determine the topics that were addressed in the program. Results from the RSQ indicate that Hispanic ELLs, in general, do not consistently adopt a strategic approach to reading in English. Additionally, while professional development is one avenue to improve the instruction that Hispanic ELLs receive, results from the observations indicate that teachers receive professional development of limited quality and that little of the professional development is connected to instruction for ELLs. Findings from this series of studies can be utilized to inform reading instruction for ELLs and to enhance professional development opportunities for teachers of ELLs.

Research into reading strategies and strategy instruction has indicated their effectiveness and beneficial effects on reading improvement. However, additional effort and support is needed in real-world teaching environments for students to benefit from these research findings. This report reviews research on the effectiveness of the use of L2 reading strategies and strategy instruction. Based on research conclusions, this paper discusses the patterns of strategy use adopted by both proficient and less proficient readers to shed light on what kinds of strategies should be taught and how. It argues that teachers have important roles to play in selecting strategies for instruction and teaching them; teachers need to consider such factors as proficiency levels, text type and task goals. This paper concludes with pedagogical implications, suggesting teachers play roles as coaches and scaffolders, and offering nine strategies for instruction. / text