Efficacy of a Training Program in Some Self-Managed Strategies on Developing English Language Reading Comprehension and Reader's Self-Perception of 11th Grade Female Students

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Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 177 ( 2015 ) 71 – 76

ScienceDirect

Peer-review under responsibility of the Scientific Committee of GLOBE-EDU 2014. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.02.337

Global Conference on Contemporary Issues in Education, GLOBE-EDU 2014, 12-14 July 2014,

Las Vegas, USA

Efficacy of A training Program in Some Self- Managed Strategies

on Developing English Language Reading Comprehension and

Reader's Self- Perception of 11

th

Grade Female Students

Noura Shabak Alrwele

a

*

a_{Imam Mohammad Bin Saud University , Riyadh, KSA}

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a self-managed training program on developing the accuracy in responding to text-explicit, text-implicit questions, and reader's self-perception of 11th_{grade female students learning English as}

a foreign language, and to determine if significant differences existed between the research groups. A quasi- experimental design was used. Participants assigned to experimental group were (24) while (23) students were assigned to the control group that received traditional instruction. A program consisting of 18 sessions was designed and implemented. Data were collected using a reading comprehension test and the "Reader Self Perception Scale" (RSPS/2), each instrument was administered as Pre- and Post-test. Findings revealed that students in the experimental group performed better than those in the control group during the post-test on both text explicit, text implicit reading comprehension questions, and also on the Reader Self- Perception Scale (RSPS/2). statistically significant differences (P<.05) were found between the experimental and control group regarding their scores in text explicit , text implicit reading comprehension , and overall reader self- perception mean scores. Based on the findings of the study, the research came out of several recommendation.

Peer-review under responsibility of the Scientific Committee of GLOBE-EDU 2014.

Keywords: Self-Managed Strategies; Reading Comprehension ; Reader's Self-Perception.

* Noura Shabak Alrwele.Tel.:+4-345-544-56. E-mail address: [email protected]

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1. Introduction

Saudi Researches have shown that students reading comprehension is beneath the desired level and that they lack the knowledge and application of effective reading strategies. (Matar, 1990; AlSamadani, 2008). In a study conducted by Al-Arfaj, results revealed that students lack self confidence in themselves as readers (Al-Arfaj, 1996 ).As a result of these findings , Saudi researches have suggested solutions to enhance students reading comprehension performance and self-confidence ;one of which was implementing reading strategy training programs(Atari.2003). such suggestions depended on results of previous studies that have made Comparisons between good and poor comprehenders had shown that there is a great difference between their methods of dealing with texts. Good comprehenders are self- managed readers who have their own strategies that they employ before, during and after reading while poor comprehenders are not. Self –managed strategy is a term that have been used in Literature in psychology and education to describe how children and youth independently go about solving academic and social problems (Lenz, 1992).Good readers employ a variety of reading strategies that help them to understand… they predict, ask questions, look for the author main interest, and make use of hints and clues in the text . Poor Comprehenders on the other hand do not, they merely start at the top of the page and read all the way to the bottom without stopping or thinking very much about why or what they are reading (Khanji, 2001; Duke and Pearson 2002; Greenday, 2007; Yin, 2002).

A great deal of educational research was conducted to investigate and list reading comprehension strategies which are commonly used among successful readers .The results of these descriptive studies were utilized by empirical educators who investigated the probability of training poor comprehenders in using these strategies to enhance their reading performance .Results of empirical studies revealed that instructing poor readers the strategies of good readers can improve their reading.( Eilers and Pinkley, 2006; Butler, 2007).

There is an assumed correlation between an individual's performance in a task and his\her self perception( Lynch, 2002, p.56) . The term "self –perception" refers to the person's judgment of his or her ability to perform a task (Wangsgard, 2008, p.10). According to Schunk ,self –perception may go up or down depending on success or failure (Wangsgard, 2008, p.42).Schunk and Rice conducted an experimental study to investigate the influence of improving reading comprehension performance through a strategy training program on students' self perceptions .Results revealed that students who had received reading strategy training attained the highest levels of self perception among research groups (Schunk and Rice.1992).similar studies supported the results of Schunk and Rice (Russell, 1997; Adunyarittigun.1998; Horner and shwery, 2002; Nash, 2008). Nash interpreted these results claiming that training students in self managed strategies allow them to work independently and with confidence .

A well –documented research based multi component self- managed strategy program is reciprocal teaching which was developed by Palincsar and Brown (1982). Reciprocal Teaching includes four reading strategies : prediction ,clarification, summarization , and questioning which have been proven to be the most common strategies used among good comprehenders Palincsar , and Brown (1983 ), Lubliner , (2001), Sundheim, (2005), Oczkus, (2006). In reciprocal teaching the four strategies are taught in a way that starts with explicit demonstration and modeling by the educator , then gradually transfers the responsibility for application of strategies to the student. Antoniou and Souvignier (2007). Finding of previous studies have revealed that Training students in reciprocal teaching strategies seem to improve their reading comprehension (Bruce and Chan, 1991; - Rosenshine , and Meister, 1993; Russell, 1997; Galloway, 2003; Yoosabi; 2009; Wisaijorn, 2005 ).

Based on the earlier research that demonstrates reciprocal teaching efficacy in improving reading comprehension , taking in account the findings of earlier research that claims a correlation between individual's performance and self perception , it is reasonable to assume that improving students' reading comprehension performance would improve their self perception of themselves as readers

2. Objectives

The purpose of this study was to:

1- Investigate the efficacy of a training program in some self-managed strategies on the accuracy in responding to text-explicit , text-implicit reading comprehension questions.

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2- Investigate the efficacy of a training program in some managed strategies on reader's

self-perception of 11th_{grade female students learning English as a foreign language.}

3- Determine if significant differences existed between the research groups in reading comprehension and reader's self-perception.

3. Method

3.1.Participants and Setting

Two intact classes of (47) 11th_{grade female students from Riyadh city participated in this study .The two class}

were located in a public school in Olaya district northern Riyadh .All participants were female native speakers of Arabic learning English as a foreign language.

A class of (24) students was assigned to the experimental self- managed training group, the second class of (23) students was assigned to the control group receiving traditional reading instruction. 3.2. Materials

Materials used in this study included:

x

a training program in reciprocal teaching 4 self-managed strategies which were prediction, clarification,

questioning , and summarization was designed and implemented .

The program included eighteen instructional sessions. each of (45) minutes. fourteen sessions were devoted to explicit instruction of individual strategies , 3 sessions for each of prediction , clarification , questioning, while 5 sessions were devoted to summarization .The four remaining sessions were devoted to practicing the (4) strategies

all together. Instructional materials used in the training program are based on English for Saudi Arabia, 11th_grade

student’s text book. Easy texts have been selected to introduce strategies. At the end of each session an evaluation worksheet was handed to students.

x

Observational checklist was used to investigate treatment fidelity.

x

Researcher developed Reading comprehension test was prepared and validated.

x

the Reader Self Perception Scale (RSPS 2).This scale was developed by Henk, Marinak & Melnick (2013)

.RSPS 2 is based on Bandura's theory of perceived self-efficacy and includes 47 items distributed among 4 subscales that represent the sources of information about one's efficacy (progress ,observational comparisons, social feedback , physiological states. (Henk, Marinak & Melnik, 2013).

3.3. Experimental Design and Procedures:

Since random distribution of participants among the two experimental groups was impossible due to administrational constrains, a quasi- experimental 2 groups pre-test-post-test design was used .

3.3.1.Pre-test

Prior to the intervention , each participant in research groups was administered a reading comprehension test and a reader self -perception scale .The tests were collected and scored .The pre-test was used to assure the equivalency of the two groups in the research variables and to offer data about participants scores before treatment so that it could be compared to their post-test scores to investigate the efficacy of the training program.

3.3.2.Training Procedures

Students received explicit instruction in the appropriate use of the four strategies via demonstration and modelling , followed by guided practice , then student were to work in groups in which the investigator distributed roles, designated the passage to be read , passed out group activity worksheets , directed students to practice and

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exchange roles after each segment .In the last two sessions ,when students became familiar with the strategies, the investigator directed students to practice independently without her support.

3.4. Data Collection and Statistical Analysis

Data were collected through experimenter developed reading comprehension test and the Reader Self Perception Scale (RSPS), each instrument was administered as Pre- and Posttest. Data were analyzed using (SPSS) program. 4. Findings

Table 1. Differences between traditional and self- managed group reading comprehension posttestscores. Probability t- value Standard deviation Mean # of cases Group Variable 0.01 4.27 1.09 3.86 23 Traditional Explicit reading comprehension Self-managed 24 4.87 0.33 0.01 3.82 1.50 2.72 23 Traditional Implicit reading comprehension Self-managed 24 3.41 1.17

Findings indicated that students trained in self- managed strategies performed better than the control group during the post-test on both text explicit, text implicit reading comprehension questions. There were statistically significant differences (P<.01) between the research groups on text explicit and text implicit reading comprehension post-test scores.

Table 2.Differences between traditional and self- managed group reader self- perception (RSPS) post-test scores. Probability t- value Standard deviation Mean Group Variable 0.01 4.7 9.56 61.8 Traditional Progress _Self-managed _71.54 _5.08 0.43 0.78 5.88 28 Traditional Observational Comparison Self-managed 30 10.75 0.04 3.15 6.38 29.78 Traditional

Social feedback _Self-managed _36.20 _7.12

0.04 3.09 10.94 39 Traditional Psychological State Self-managed 47.37 7.35 0.05 2.97 27.12 157.86 Traditional

Overall scale scores _Self-managed _185.11 _25.97

Findings indicated that students trained in self- managed strategies Had higher scores on Reader's self –perception during the post-test . There were statistically significant differences (P<.05) between the two groups on overall reader self -perception mean scores and for three of the four subcategories (progress, social feedback, and physiological states). No statistically differences were found for the subcategory (observational comparison).

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5. Discussion

Findings of the current study replicates the findings of (Aninao, 1993; Naranunn, 1996; Boamah, 1997; Wisaijorn, 2003; Wisaijorn, 2005; Yoosabi, 2009) that demonstrates the efficacy of self- managed strategies included in reciprocal teaching in improving reading comprehension of students learning English as a foreign language .It also replicate the results of (Rusell, 1997; Airhart, 2005; Nash, 2008) that training students in self – managed strategies enhance their self perceptions of themselves as readers .It is reasonable to conclude that reciprocal teaching as a multi-component strategy program is a promising approach to fostering both students performance and self efficacy in reading .

6. Recommendations

Based on the findings, the study recommends :

1- Training teachers and student teachers of English in using and implementing self-managed strategies and interactive teaching methods that depend on discussion and dialog .

2- encouraging teachers to assess students' perceptions of themselves as readers using (RSPS) and work to enhance their perceptions .

3- encouraging teachers to detect information sources which cause some students to have a low perception of themselves as readers using (RSPS) and use the results offered by the scale to foster these students self- perceptions.

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