Title: Extensive Reading and Its Effects on Reading Comprehension Performance of Iranian Efl Students According to Bloom's Taxonomy
Abstract: 1. IntroductionIn extensive reading programs reading a large amount of texts is the main aim and the readers' comprehension is rarely tested (Day & Bamford, 2009). On the other hand, classroom assessment is necessary to facilitate learning. In fact assessment is one of the ways to align the material and the instruction with the objectives or standards (Bumen, 2007). Bloom's Taxonomy has been introduced as one of the ways to assess students' performance and make their learning align with the objectives, here enhancing students' reading performance (Eber & Parker, 2007). Bearing in mind the abovementioned information, the present study is an investigation to figure out the effects of extensive reading materials on EFL students' reading performance. In so doing, principles of Bloom's Taxonomy are used to assess the students' reading performance.When students engage in the construction of knowledge, an element of uncertainty is introduced into the instructional process and the outcomes are not always predictable; in other words, the teacher is not certain what the students will produce. In helping students become producers of knowledge, the teacher's main instructional task is to create activities or environments that allow them opportunities to engage in higher-order thinking (Karaali, 2011). This environment and opportunity can be provided through extensive reading. However, Bloom's Taxonomy can be used to ensure the effectiveness of such environment.2. Review of the related literatureExtensive reading has been introduced as a method to teaching reading comprehension that motivates and interests students most (Day & Bamford, 2009). One of the weaknesses of this method which is mainly aimed at creating interest and motivation in students was reported to be that no method of reading comprehension assessment was introduced to gauge the students' final reading performance (Day & Bamford, 2009). To fill in this gap, Bloom's Taxonomy was applied to construct suitable reading comprehension questions.The theory which underpins extensive reading's effectiveness in terms of enhancing comprehension is Krashen's Comprehension Hypothesis which stresses that acquisition of a second language is facilitated if students are given enough comprehensible input, and when learning is conducted in a tension-free environment (Krashen, 2004). The input hypothesis states that acquire language in one way: by understanding messages and we acquire language when we obtain comprehensible input. In extensive reading programs, students will be saturated or immersed with reading materials which provides a great deal of comprehensible input.Besides reading materials, the environment for reading is equally important. Krashen's Affective Filter Hypothesis (1993) states that in anxiety-producing situations, there is an affective filter which acts as a mental block preventing acquirers from fully utilizing the input they receive. But when the filter is low or down, the acquirer can fully comprehend the message and use the input to enhance their language competence. This hypothesis states that in a low-anxiety environment, that is, an environment where students feel relaxed and at ease, students learn better. Extensive reading creates this en vironment since students read books of their own choice i.e. according to their interest and they read them at their own pace and level. They do not make a conscious effort in reading since they are not required to take tests. They only read for pleasure a nd for enjoyment.2.1. Models of readingThe purpose of Reading is to comprehend the meaning of the text and the writer's message the readers pay attention to message of the text and to gain information from the text not to forms or structure of written materials. Models of reading include bottom-up, top down and interactive processes (Grabe and Stoller, 2002).1. Bottom - up ModelsAccording to Alderson (2000), the bottom up process of reading is defined as a serial model where the reader begins with the printed word, recognizes graphics stimuli, decodes them to sound, recognizes word, and decodes meaning. …
Publication Year: 2015
Publication Date: 2015-12-01
Language: en
Type: article
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