Effect of text nativization on the literal and higher order comprehension of grade four readers of English as a foreign language

النوع : Mémoire

Several studies on text nativization have provided evidence that students who read culturally familiar texts have done better than students who did not. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of text nativiztaion on the literal and higher-order comprehension of grade four readers of English as a foreign language. In this experimental classroom study, twenty-eight (n=28) students studying English as a second foreign language were randomly assigned into two groups. Both the experimental and the control group respectively read two stories about basketball and baseball and were then administered a comprehension test. Statistical procedures were used to analyze all the data including descriptive statistics. The results revealed an overall significant difference in reading performance between the control and experimental group. Second, the results of the Mann-Whitney indicated that there were statistically significant differences between the experimental and the control groups on the literal comprehension scores as well as on the higher order comprehension scores in favor of the experimental group which read the nativized version of the story. The results were then discussed in the light of previous research findings, and recommendations for further research were made.