نوع المستند : المقالة الأصلية
المؤلف
کلية التربية جامعة سوهاج
Ain Shams University
Faculty of Education
Curriculum & Instruction Department
Using Reading Circles Strategy for Developing Preparatory
Students' Critical Reading Skills and Social Skills
A Paper presented
By
Mohamed Mahmoud Ibrahim Abdelrasoul
(A Teacher of English at the Ministry of Education,
Sohag Governorate)
Using Reading Circles Strategy for Developing Preparatory Students' critical Reading Skills and Social Skills.
Abstract:
The present study aimed at developing the necessary critical reading skills and social skills for Egyptian EFL second year preparatory school students, through a proposed program based on using reading circles strategy. The study adopted the quasi-experimental pre-post test one study group design. The study sample consisted of 44 students from Sohag Experimental Preparatory School in Sohag Governorate. Who were trained to use the reading circles strategy. The program lasted for about 30 weeks during the academic year 2012/2013. Tools of the study included: A social skills questionnaire, a pre-/post critical reading skills test, reading circles roles sheets, and reflection sheets. The study results revealed that there were statistically significant differences at 0.01 level between the mean scores of the study group in the pre and post test in favor of the post administration. The main differences were clearly shown in the overall critical reading skills as well as in each sub critical reading skill. There were also statistically significant differences at 0.01 level between the mean scores of the study group in the pre and post-administrations of the social skills questionnaire in favor of the post-administration. .
The use of reading circles strategy increased students’ critical reading skills and social skills. Students mentioned that they learned how to summarize topics in few sentences. They acquired the following skills: (1) looking up words in a dictionary, (2) differentiating between a fact and an opinion, (3) expecting, the topic of a passage or a story, (4) making connections between the stories they read and similar incidents they knew about; and (5) working in groups. Moreover, they enjoyed drawing pictures of the lessons and stories. They also acquired some social skills like respecting friends, listening to others and helping them..
Key Words: Reading Circles, Critical Reading Skills, Social Skills
Context of the problem
Several studies have been implemented in Egypt to investigate students' reading skills such as El-Didi (2001), Abdelmoaty (2002) and Abouhadid (2002) emphasized that EFL reading comprehension skills are neglected in Egyptian classes. They also highlighted the need for adopting better teaching strategies to enhance EFL learner's reading skills. Similarly, Ibrahem (2007, p.5) mentioned that there was a low level of reading comprehension among students at the second year of preparatory governmental schools. She added that students are not proficient in reading, are poor readers and consequently are poor comprehenders. Furthermore, in Iran, Sharifian (2005) found that there is a significant correlation between the ability to determine fact and opinion, and the general reading comprehension skill. Critical reading skills require deep understanding. Also, Bedee (2010) added that teachers have begun to use literature circles within their classrooms, but some teachers are still apprehensive because they do not know whether they are as beneficial as the traditional reading instruction/discussion strategies that they are already using. Hence, more empirical studies are needed to investigate the effectiveness of reading/ literature circles in classrooms, and specially in EFL classrooms. The above mentioned studies pave the way to this study to be tried here in Egypt.
In the Egyptian context, there are some studies which investigated social skills such as Basta (2001) and Aboulaila (2002) who found that parents and educators maltreatment of children lead to their misbehaving and resistance. According to Salha (2007, p.4) Misbehaving is one side of the lack of social skills. Misbehaving of children who are maltreated can be seen at school when those school children are aggressive, refuse to abide by regulations, cause chaos, resist and refuse to cooperate with their mates. Basta (2011, p.15) mentioned that behavioral problems increase when students have weak ties with their teachers. This happens when students are not allowed to talk about themselves or express their opinions. Students also misbehave when they do not participate in discussions or ask personal questions. She confirms that when students are given opportunity to participate in and comment on topics being discussed in classrooms this lessens troubles, aggression and bad-behaving
It is really important to pay attention to preparatory students' social skills. Lacking proper social skills may lead to improper sequences on preparatory students.
Costley (2012) adds that parents' focus has turned from positive behavior skills and character building skills to content area instruction and test scores. He comments that society has changed drastically throughout history. Students twenty years ago behaved differently than the students of today. Students do not seem to be getting the same core, moral, and character values that were previously taught by the parents. Therefore it has been left up to the schools to fill in the gap. Costley also claims that parents do not care about their children's morals and values as they used to be twenty years ago
It can be inferred from the above mentioned studies that depriving students from reading skills can result in violence and crime as mentioned in the Reading at risk report. There is a demand to encourage Egyptian preparatory students to read and to use critical reading skills to be able to understand, comment, analyze and judge what they read. Students' social skills need attention to be paid to. Those skills need to be developed and improved. Akasha and Abdelmeguid (2012) see that even gifted students who excel their mates in subject matters are still in need of improving their social skills.
Statement of the Problem
The research problem can be summarized as follows:
The preparatory students are weak in using critical reading skills in reading English articles, stories or books and lack the proper social behavior in their communication.
Questions of the study
The study tried to answer the following questions:
1- What is the effect of using the reading circles on developing preparatory students' critical reading skills and social skills? To answer this main question, the following sub-questions were also answered:
2- What is the current situation concerning the reading skills and social skills of preparatory students?
3- What are the principles upon which a reading circles strategy-based program will be based for developing preparatory students' critical reading skills and social skills?
4- What is the framework of a reading circles strategy-based program in light of the previously mentioned principles?
5- What is the effectiveness of the proposed program in developing preparatory students' critical reading skills and social skills?
Hypotheses of the study
The investigated hypotheses were as follow:
1- There are statistically significant differences between participants mean scores on the overall pre and post test on the critical reading skills in favor of the post test.
2- There are statistically significant differences between participants mean scores on the pre and post test on each critical reading sub-skill in favor of the post test.
3- There are statistically significant differences between the mean scores in the social behavior skills in favor of the post treatment.
4- There are statistically significant differences between the mean scores in each sub-social skill in favor of the post treatment
Design of the study
The present study made use of the quasi-experimental one group pre-post test design. It aimed at investigating the effectiveness of the proposed program based on using reading circles in developing some critical reading skills and social skills of the study participants. Two classes (one for boys and one for girls) were selected at random in order to represent the study group. The students received the instruction through the proposed program. A pre-post test and questionnaire were administered to the participants.
Variables of the study
In this present study there is one independent variable and two dependent ones. They are as follow:
1- The independent variable
It is a suggested training program based on reading circles strategy.
2- The dependent variables
a) developing some EFL critical reading skills.
b) developing social skills.
Participants of this study:
The expected number of participants was 57 students (26 f +31 m). A total of 13 students were not included in the assessment of the program (as 6 students used to be absent most of the days of the academic year and 7 their guardians refused their participation in the program). The rest of students who attended were punctual and got their guardians' approvals to participate in this study (n= 44), 2nd preparatory grade students in an experimental school in Sohag governorate called Sohag Experimental language school. The participants were selected randomly from the academic year 2012/2013. They were assigned into one group of boys and girls. The group consisted of 22 boys and 22 girls. The age of those students ranged from 13-14 years.
Instruments of the study
The present study utilized the following instruments:
1- A Critical reading skills test
2- A Social skills Questionnaire
3- A Student’s reflection log
Duration of the proposed program
The experiment lasted 30 weeks during the school year 2012 / 20103. It started on September 25th, 2012 and ended in April, 2013. The program was taught by the researcher himself in Sohag Experimental Language School. The researcher used to meet the students five days a week according to his timetable – Every unit took about four weeks to be taught. The time allocated for English was 90 minutes every day with total of 450 minutes per week. Every Thursday was dedicated to the program and students' presentations.
Procedures
Instructional procedures
To achieve the program objectives, the coming procedures were followed:
A- Introduction:
At the beginning of every unit, the researcher introduced the unit and its aims to the students. Units varied in sequence and time according to the school year variables, nature of units and students' readiness. For example unit one was introduced in two successive weeks and students kept practicing the cooperative and administrative roles throughout the classroom English activities. They were integrated with the regular teaching process as well as the program. Unit two was introduced after that also in two successive weeks. The members of groups were met separately according to their roles to assure that they understood the roles thoroughly and could implement them accurately. The meetings were held during the break time. This unit was also integrated with the regular teaching and the cooperative roles. It was mainly applied to the novel of Charles Dickens ' David Copperfield" (See sample of the chapters, Appendix E). Units three and four of the program were dedicated to the introduction and practice of the social skills. Unit three consisted of 12 sessions and unit four consisted of seven sessions. The sessions were introduced in the form of a daily 15 : 20 minute session. Every day a new concept was introduced and modeled by the researcher. Students then practiced it. After that they performed a task related to this skill either at school or at home. Unit five of the program contains the reading passages used in the program. They consist of 43 different passages. The passages which are selected from the text books are studied by all students. (no =27). There are other passages for groups to select from (no = 16)
B- The researcher stated the objectives of every session.
C- Warm up
The researcher made appropriate warm up using various techniques such as reviewing roles, definitions and other techniques. Warm up activities were used in a pre-reading stage in this program.
D- Presentation
The presentation steps of each session followed the following pattern:
(8) for program teaching's plan.
10. Each group kept a porto-folio which contained a copy of the group performance and work.
11. Each member of the groups kept a copy of the Respect Building note book to register the progress of their social skills.
12. Weekly meetings were held with the group leaders to distribute the selected passages to be prepared for Thursday presentations. In the following lines the roles of the teacher and students are presented.
Instruments of the study
The present study utilized the following instruments:
Results
Findings
The findings of the study can be summed up in the following:
First: The use of reading circle strategy increases students’ critical reading skills. This can take place through developing their abilities to differentiate between fact and opinion, learning and identifying new words, anticipate what a passage is going to be about and how it is going to finish, refer to information in the passage, summarize, and connect with previous knowledge.
Second: Reading circles strategy helps students acquire self-monitoring and problem solving skills through the use of student partnerships for practice with each student participating in reading and tackling passages from different perspectives.
Third: Reading circles strategy could be used to improve and foster active listening skills in students.
Fourth: Reading circles strategy was an opportunity for building students’ cooperation and dedication to their groups.
Fifth: reading circles strategy could be used to create situations for students to show respect for themselves, the others and the environment
Conclusions
Based on the findings of the present study, the following conclusions could be stated:
10. Students should be taught strategies to summarize reading texts.
11. Students should be encouraged to take notes to summarize.
12. Students showed their skills to invent and narrate similar stories to the ones they read in the role of the Connector when they found no connections so they should be encouraged to narrate their own stories.
Recommendations:
In light of the results obtained in the present study, a number of recommendations could be helpful in the methodology of teaching English as a foreign language (EFL).These recommendations are as follow:
- Students should be given a safe and unthreatening learning environment which enables them to read independently and critically in English.
- Students should be encouraged to join reading circles in the experimental governmental preparatory schools to enhance their critical reading skills and social skills.
- Students' social behavior should be given due attention in the Egyptian schools.
- Teachers should assign out of class activities as well as in class activities to help students read more often using critical reading skills.
- Teachers should model critical reading strategies and social skills strategies with students.
- Schools should supply libraries with English books and stories.
- School leaders should encourage critical reading skills activities and inaugurating book clubs at schools.
- Curriculum developers are invited to enrich text books with activities which enhance students' critical reading and social skills and how to implement them
- Teacher's Guide should contain a checklist of the necessary EFL Critical Reading Skills and Social Skills and guidelines for hands on activities to foster them.
- MOE should supply English curriculum with books and stories in all preparatory grades not only with preparatory three.
- Ministry of Education should encourage preparatory teachers implement cooperative learning, reading circles and social skills.
- Supervisors should encourage teachers to pay attention to students' social skills and critical reading skills.
Suggestions for further studies:
Replication of this study with modification is recommended. While it was the purpose of the study to investigate the effectiveness of using reading circles in enhancing preparatory two students' critical reading skills and social skills.
1) Further research is needed to develop other language skills (listening, speaking and writing through literature circles
2) Further research is needed with other student populations at different levels of education and in different locations of Egypt with the purpose of investigating the effectiveness of making use of reading circles strategy in developing their critical reading skills and social skills.
3) Other studies are needed to investigate the effectiveness of applying similar program over a longer period of time on students.
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