Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
https://ptsldigital.ukm.my/jspui/handle/123456789/519764| Title: | Effects of metadiscourse instruction on reading comprehension of Iranian EFL tertiary learners |
| Authors: | Zahra Zarrati (P46759) |
| Supervisor: | Radha M. K. Nambiar, Prof. Dr. |
| Keywords: | Metadiscourse instruction Reading comprehension Tertiary EFL learners Dissertations, Academic -- Malaysia |
| Issue Date: | 10-May-2015 |
| Description: | Tertiary EFL learners in Iran encounter difficulty in reading and comprehending academic texts in university and this is largely because the Grammar Translation Method (GTM) is the prominent method of teaching English. These learners rely on lower level text processing strategies like word for word translation and syntactic decoding which does not help them develop critical reading skills. Hence, to help them read and learn more effectively it is necessary to equip these learners with strategies that go beyond word and sentence level and help foster critical reading required to read and comprehend academic texts at tertiary level. Metadiscourse knowledge can help readers recognize the organization of a text, grasp writer’s message and help them to engage in dialogue with the writer which leads to successful comprehension of a text. This study investigates the effect of incorporating metadiscourse instruction in the Iranian EFL reading classroom to see if reading performance can be improved with better text processing strategies. In addition, students’ perception of metadiscourse knowledge was also explored. Using a quasi-experimental research design, 113 undergraduates majoring in TEFL from a university in Tehran were randomly assigned to an experimental and a control group. The experimental group received instruction on metadiscoursal features of expository reading texts while the control group was given the conventional approach in their classes. Data was collected in two phases – pre and post intervention. A Reading Comprehension Test (RCT) was administered together with the Survey of Reading Strategies (SORS) in both phases while students in the experimental group were given a questionnaire after the instruction to explore their perceptions of metadiscourse knowledge. The analysis of data from RCT and SORS through ANOVA, ANCOVA, MANOVA, and MANCOVA indicated a significant difference between the two groups. The findings revealed that incorporating metadiscourse instruction into EFL tertiary learners’ reading classes enhanced their reading performance and also increased their metacognitive awareness of reading strategies. Students also indicated that the instruction did benefit them as it helped them better comprehend their academic materials. The findings have implications for the selection of a suitable model to teach metadiscourse, the duration spent for the instruction, designing systematic lesson plans and catering to vaying levels of English proficiencies.,Ph.D. |
| Pages: | 278 |
| Publisher: | UKM, Bangi |
| Appears in Collections: | Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Effects of metadiscourse instruction on reading comprehension of Iranian EFL tertiary learners.pdf Restricted Access | Partial | 2.92 MB | Adobe PDF |  View/Open |
Items in DSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.