Intervention of Information Synthesization, Making Inferences, and Visualization with Iranian Undergraduates' ESP Reading Comprehension Achievement
Subject Areas : Journal of Language, Culture, and Translationسمیه شیخ پور آهن دانی 1 , رامین رحیمی 2
1 - مربی گروه زبان انگلیسی، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد آستانه اشرفیه، آستانه اشرفیه، ایران
2 - استادیارگروه زبان انگلیسی، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد تنکابن، تنکابن، ایران
Keywords: reading comprehension, Visualization, English for Specific Purposes, Information Synthesization, Making inferences,
Abstract :
This study investigated the intervention of information synthesization, making inferences, and visualization with Iranian undergraduates' ESP (accounting) reading comprehension achievement. 90 ESP university students majoring in accounting have participated in this study. Based on the QPT proficiency test, they were assigned into three homogeneous groups. The pretest showed that the three groups were not significantly different, and then accounting reading comprehension was taught as the treatment. In group A, the focus was on "information synthesization strategy", in group B, the emphasis was on "making inferences strategy", and in group C, the teacher focused on visualization strategy. The results of the post-test revealed that although each of these three strategies improved ESP reading comprehension, information synthesization had the most effect, making inferences had a medium effect, and visualization had less effect on improving the students' ESP reading comprehension ability.This study has implications for students, teachers, and also curriculum developers.
References
Aghvami, D. (2019). English for the students of AccountingI. Tehran:
SAMT.
Agustina, T. (2014). English for specific purposes (ESP): An approach
of English teaching for non-English department students. Beta:
Jurnal Tadris Matematika, 7(1), 37–63.
Akyel, A., & ErÇetin, G. (2009). Hypermedia reading strategies
employed by advanced learners of English. System, 37, 136–152.
Classroom Nook. (2019). Reading Comprehension Strategy Series: How
To Teach Visualizing in the Upper Elementary Classroom. Retrieved
from https://www.classroomnook.com/blog/teaching-visualizing
Cromley, J. G., & Snyder-hogan, L. E. (2010). Reading Comprehension
of Scientific Text : A Domain-Specific Test of the Direct and
Inferential Mediation Model of Reading Comprehension Reading
Comprehension of Scientific Text : A Domain-Specific Test of the
Direct and Inferential Mediation Model of Reading Comprehension.
(August). https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019452
Dudley-Evans, T. (2001). Team-teaching in EAP: Changes and
adaptations in the Birmingham approach. Research Perspectives on
English for Academic Purposes, 225–238.
Fadel, S., & Elyas, T. (2015). ESP needs analysis to integrate a scientific
reading program in the English language institute at King AbdulAziz
University. International Journal of Educational Investigations, 2(4),
14–27.
Fang, Z. (2006). The language demands of science reading in middle
school. International Journal of Science Education, 28(5), 491–520.
Sheikhpour Ahandani, S. & Rahimy, R./ Journal of Language, Culture, and Translation 4(1) (2021), 25–43
41
Gholami, A., Ahghar, M. R., & Ahghar, M. (2012). The effect of
teaching cognitive and metacognitive strategies on EFL students ’
reading comprehension across proficiency levels. 46(1987), 3757–
3763. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.06.142
Harvey, S., & Goudvis, A. (2007). Strategies that work: Teaching
comprehension for understanding and engagement. Stenhouse
Publishers.
Hock, M. F., & Mellard, D. F. (2011). Efficacy of learning strategies
instruction in adult education. Journal of Research on Educational
Effectiveness, Vol. 4, pp. 134–153.
https://doi.org/10.1080/19345747.2011.555291
Hock, M., & Mellard, D. (2005). Reading comprehension strategies for
adult literacy outcomes. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy,
49(3), 192–200.
Hutchinson, T., & Waters, A. (1987). English for specific purposes.
Cambridge university press.
Kalua, F. (2012). Reading for empowerment: Intertextuality offers
creative possibilities for enlightened citizenry. Reading & WritingJournal of the Reading Association of South Africa, 3(1), 1–5.
Kispal, A. (2008). Effective Teaching of Inference Skills for Reading.
Literature Review. Research Report DCSF-RR031. ERIC.
Küçükoğlu, H. (2013). Improving reading skills through effective
reading strategies. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 70,
709–714.
Moghadam.Kh, M. (2002). The effect of strategies-based instruction on
student’s reading comprehension of ESP texts. Mirza Koochak Khan
Higher Fisheries Education Centre, 1–17. Retrieved from
www.itvgil.ac.ir
Moore, C., & Lo, L. (2008). Reading comprehension strategy: Rainbow
dots. Journal-International Association of Special Education, 9(1),
124.
Motallebzadeh, K., & Tabatabaee Yazdi, M. (2016). The relationship
between EFL learners’ reading comprehension ability and their fluid
intelligence, crystallized intelligence, and processing speed. Cogent
Education, Vol. 3. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2016.1228733
Ness, M. (2011). Explicit reading comprehension instruction in
elementary classrooms: Teacher use of reading comprehension
strategies. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 25(1), 98–
117.
Oakley, G. (2011). The assessment of reading comprehension cognitive
Sheikhpour Ahandani, S. & Rahimy, R./ Journal of Language, Culture, and Translation 4(1) (2021), 25–43
42
strategies : Practices and perceptions. Australian Journal of Language
and Literacy, 34(3), 279–293.
Oglan, V. A. (2015). Chart Sense: Common Sense Charts to Teach 3-8
Informational Text and Literature. Language Arts, 92(5), 368.
Okasha, M. A. (2020). Using Strategic Reading Techniques for
Improving EFL Reading Skills.
Pourhosein Gilakjani, A., & Sabouri, N. B. (2016). How Can Students
Improve Their Reading Comprehension Skill? Journal of Studies in
Education, 6(2), 229. https://doi.org/10.5296/jse.v6i2.9201
Prado, L., & Plourde, L. A. (2011). Increasing reading comprehension
through the explicit teaching of reading strategies: Is there a
difference among the genders? Reading Improvement, 48(1), 32–44.
Preszler, J. (1925). On target: Strategies to help struggling readers.
Black Hills Special Service Cooperative (BHSSC).
Sanati, Z. (2020). The Effects of Visualization Training Techniques on
Reading Comprehension Ability of Iranian Intermediate EFL
Learners. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 11(1), 73–85.
Schumaker, J. B., Deshler, D. D., Woodruff, S. K., Hock, M. F.,
Bulgren, J. A., & Lenz, B. K. (2006). Reading strategy interventions:
Can literacy outcomes be enhanced for at-risk adolescents? Teaching
Exceptional Children, 38(3), 64–68.
Serafini, F. (2004). Lessons in comprehension. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.
Silver, H. F., Dewing, R. T., & Perini, M. J. (2012). Inference: Teaching
students to develop hypotheses, evaluate evidence, and draw logical
conclusions. ASCD.
Singhal, M. (2001). Reading Proficiency, Reading Strategies,
Metacognitive Awareness and L2 Readers. The Reading Matrix, Vol.
1, pp. 1–23.
Snow, C. (2002). Executive summary. In Reading for Understanding:
Toward an R&D program in reading comprehension.
Sujana, D. I. M. (2005). Establishing English Competencies for Students
of Tourism Department [Online](nd] Available from.
Tabatabaei, O., & Mokhtari, A. (2014). ESP Learners’ Perception of
ESP Program Problems at Iranian Universities (A Case Study of
Islamic Azad University Najafabad Branch). Theory and Practice in
Language Studies, 4(6), 1144–1154.
https://doi.org/10.4304/tpls.4.6.1144-1154
Texas Educational Agency. (2002). Comprehension Instruction, 4-8.
Retrieved from http://www.netxv.net/pm_attach/67/TRI-
Sheikhpour Ahandani, S. & Rahimy, R./ Journal of Language, Culture, and Translation 4(1) (2021), 25–43
43
Comprehension_Instr.pdf.
Woolley, G. (2011). Reading comprehension. In Reading
Comprehension (pp. 15–34). Springer.
Wu, L.-F. (2014). Technical college students’ perceptions of English for
specific purposes vocabulary learning and teaching. International
Journal of English Language Education, 2(1), 176–186.
Zimmerman, S., & Hutchins, C. (2003). 7 keys to Comprehension. Title.
New York: Three Rivers Press.
Ziyaeemehr, Z. (2012). The Efficacy of Collaborative Strategic Reading
on the Reading Comprehension of ESP Learners. 2(1), 38–42.
https://doi.org/10.3968/j.hess.1927024020120201.2198