Implementing Scaffolded Differentiation Strategies in EFL Reading Comprehension Classes: Issues and Challenges
Masood Hasani
1
(
English Department, South Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
)
Ahmad Mohseni
2
(
English Department, South Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
)
Bahram Mowlaie
3
(
English Department, South Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
)
Keywords: Scaffolding, Differentiated instruction, Inferential Reading Comprehension, Receptive vocabulary,
Abstract :
This study tried to examine the effect of using scaffolded differentiation strategies on reading comprehension and vocabulary improvement of the intermediate students. The effect of using scaffolded differentiation strategies on reading strategy use of the intermediate students was also checked. The researcher selected 40 EFL learners with intermediate level. They were mixed learners from the institutes in Tehran. Nelson proficiency test, screening test, diagnostic test, progress monitoring test, outcome test and a close ended questionnaire were used in the study. For the quantitative part the selected students were randomly divided in to four groups. Two were experimental groups and the rest were control ones. Each group consisted of 10 students. There were 15 sessions for the treatment. In the Experimental group the instructor used scaffolded differentiating strategies for improving reading comprehension of the students and in the control group the teachers used ordinary methods. A test which subdivides the broad area into specific skills, in this case inferential comprehension and receptive vocabulary was administered before and after the intervention. The questions were constructed in the related course of study. The result of the post test showed that ‘Inferential reading’ and ‘Receptive vocabulary’ of the experimental group were noticeably greater than those of the control one. Data for the qualitative part was collected through reading strategy inventory of MARSI (Mokhtari & Reichard, 2002). The reading strategy inventory was administered to 20 participants before the instruction and next the instruction started, after the instruction it was administered again.
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