EFFECT OF DYAD READING ON ENGLISH LEARNING OF NAVAL ENGLISH TRAINING CLASS TRAINEES

• Main Authors: Li-ming Chen, 陳立民
• Other Authors: Ching-chi Chen
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/53670030670388134716

碩士 === 國立高雄師範大學 === 英語學系 === 100 === ABSTRACT The study aims to investigate the effects of dyad reading on Naval Technical School (NTS) trainees’ English learning. Three aspects are discussed in this study. The first aspect is to examine the subjects’ progress in reading fluency. The second aspect is to evaluate the subjects’ development in self-efficacy. The third aspect is to observe the subjects’ responses to the dyad reading program. The subjects of the present study include 28 military trainees from ROC Navy. The subjects’ English abilities range from 29 to 82 scores in the simulated English Comprehension Level (ECL) test. But they are separated into two different classes (class A and class B) in the first day of training. During the thirteen-week span, each of the subjects is assigned to read texts according to their class level. The selected texts are extracted from the American Language Course (ALC). To get the data for the study, the subjects’ reading fluency and self-efficacy development are tested before and after the dyad reading program. Also, the pre-study and post-study questionnaires are designed to collect the subjects’ self-efficacy development and their responses to the dyad reading program. The major findings of the dyad reading study are concluded as follows: 1. In terms of the English word recognition accuracy, tested by a graded-level wordlist and connected texts, the subjects’ average accuracy rate was increased after the dyad reading program. 2. The average reading rate of the subjects was faster after the dyad reading program. 3. Some of the subjects could read in a more natural and fluent way after the dyad reading program. They paused more properly and learned to stop at the correct punctuation marks; however, there is still some English intonation performance, like English stress and pitch which is still needed to be improved. 4. All the subjects developed certain self-efficacy in learning English after the dyad reading program. 5. The subjects’ responses to the dyad reading program were positive. They not only enjoyed participating in it but also benefited from it. According to the study findings, it is recommended that English class EFL teachers could try the dyad reading to help the students improve their English reading ability from the start of English learning. Also, teachers should adopt these methods in the study to help the students with their English pronunciation so that they can be confident while reading English out aloud. In addition, it is important to enhence students’ self-efficacy of English learning which convinces them to be successful English readers.