The Effect of Self-efficacy on Intermediate EFL Learner’s Reading Comprehension Improvement: Evidence from Iranian English Learners
Mohammad Javad Tandiseh,
Masood Baqeri
Issue:
Volume 5, Issue 4, December 2019
Pages:
74-79
Received:
26 July 2019
Accepted:
9 October 2019
Published:
19 December 2019
Abstract: This study was an attempt to examine the effect of self-efficacy on Iranian EFL learners’ reading comprehension. Reading comprehension plays a significant role in educational success. In spite of its importance, students still have difficulties in understanding texts. One solution to the problem of poor reading comprehension is the learning of reading strategies. The current study examined the effect of summarizing strategy on reading comprehension of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. Pretest-posttest design was employed to scrutinize the possible improvements of two classes of intermediate English learners (one experimental and one control group) as reading comprehension was concerned. Two groups were exposed to the same reading test as the pre and the post-test, however, only the experimental groups received the special treatment regarding to promote their self-efficacy. After the application of the study’s treatment, data analysis process initiated which indicated that experimental groups who received treatment had a better performance than the control group on the final reading test. In addition, the findings suggested that self-efficacy were same in male and female participants. The findings of the study indicated that summarizing strategy has a significant effect on learners’ reading comprehension. Generally, the findings imply that self-efficacy can positively affect the reading comprehension ability of the intermediate EFL learners.
Abstract: This study was an attempt to examine the effect of self-efficacy on Iranian EFL learners’ reading comprehension. Reading comprehension plays a significant role in educational success. In spite of its importance, students still have difficulties in understanding texts. One solution to the problem of poor reading comprehension is the learning of read...
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The Use of Vocabulary Learning Strategies in Relation to Vocabulary Size of Students in Chinese Universities
Issue:
Volume 5, Issue 4, December 2019
Pages:
80-85
Received:
16 December 2019
Accepted:
31 December 2019
Published:
8 January 2020
Abstract: The study tends to explore vocabulary learning beliefs and strategies employed by students in Chinese universities. The correlations between beliefs/strategies and students’ vocabulary size are also addressed to show the impact of the different vocabulary learning strategies on students’ vocabulary size in China. A questionnaire and a vocabulary test were administered to 105 students from two universities. The questionnaire is adapted from Gu and Hu [1] and the vocabulary levels test is selected from Nation’s [2] vocabulary levels test (the university word list level) to evaluate students’ vocabulary size. With SPSS, statistical descriptions and pearson correlation are undertaken to process the data collected. The analyses of the data reveal that students in Chinese universities are interested in learning vocabulary. They report adopting a number of learning strategies in their vocabulary learning processes. They appear to use metacognitive strategies more often when they learn vocabulary, especially self-initiation. At cognitive level, they are both inclined to adopt dictionary use, guessing, note-taking and activation strategies very often, while encoding and rehearsal are less used. Their vocabulary size has a strong relation with their strategy use at cognitive level, a moderate relation at overall and metacognitive level and no relation with their learning beliefs. The study suggests that teachers should encourage students to hold a positive belief on vocabulary learning and to employ both metacognitive and cognitive strategies in learning vocabulary. Students should pay as much attention to cognitive strategies as to metacognitive strategies.
Abstract: The study tends to explore vocabulary learning beliefs and strategies employed by students in Chinese universities. The correlations between beliefs/strategies and students’ vocabulary size are also addressed to show the impact of the different vocabulary learning strategies on students’ vocabulary size in China. A questionnaire and a vocabulary te...
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