Ivana Lukica, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Dr. Agnieszka Kaldonek-Crnjakovic, George Mitchell School, London, UK
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All-through school in East London, UK
Approx. 80% are pupils with English as an
Additional Language (EAL pupils)
Different stages of language proficiency in
English and home language, more than 30
languages, very multicultural … different needs
Thank you to one Y11 pupil for helping out with
data
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‘…reading skills have improved in the UK, there is
some indication that fewer pupils nowadays read
for enjoyment’ (National Literacy Fund)
‘Mean reading performance has remained
unchanged since 2006 and 2009.’ (OECD, Pisa,
2012)
Changes to the curriculum – more focus on
literacy skills
Reading classes – what and how to teach?
Reading
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Singhal, 2001
“…processes used by the learner to enhance
reading comprehension and overcome
comprehension failures.”
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Secondary school pupils age 11-16 (year 7-11)
Total – 408
Girls -218 Boys – 190
Languages - 33; groups of languages - 16
Literate in the home language – 67%
Proficiency in English
L1 and L2 (A2/B1) – 6%
Int – L3/4 (B1/B2) – 22%
Adv – L4/5 (B2/C1) – 72%
Questionnaire – adapted MARSI
1.
(Mokhtari and Reichard, 2002)
Gave out the original version to 52 pupils
(different language proficiently: 29% adv; 42% int; 29% L1L2)
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‘Question’
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Underline the words you don’t understand
1 2 3 4 5 I don’t understand
adv/int/L1-L2 pupils circled ‘I don’t understand’
29 out 30 needed to be changed
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Simplified the questions (Oxford Advanced dictionary)
by giving a synonym, an explanation in brackets or
changing a word order
the word was changed when more than 3 pupils circled it
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Gave the new version to 10 native speakers
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1.
2.
The question from the original questionnaire
The question from our version
Different or the same?
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Made further changes in accordance with their
recommendations
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Gave the new version of the questionnaire to
60 pupils (adv-29%; int-38%; L1/L2-33%)
16 questions still circled ‘I don’t understand’
but only by 2 L1 pupils
Did factor analysis and obtained different
categories
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MARSI – 3 categories
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Our questionnaire – 2 categories:
(global, problem-solving and support)
Cognitive(internal/higher) Support
Focusing
Visualising
Using prior knowledge
Purposeful reading
Anticipating
Selecting information /key words
Adjusting pace
(external/lower)
Underlining
Talking partner
Using tables/ pictures
Using a dictionary
Text features
Taking notes
Guessing
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Questionnaire on reading habits and motivation
7Qs: How often? What ? Is it important? Do
you like it?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Are there any differences between boys and
girls regarding reading habits, attitutes
towards reading and strategies use?
Does age make any difference?
Is there a significant difference between
advanced and intermediate students
regarding strategies use?
Does L1 make a difference?
Girls
Boys
Group Statistics
Cognitive
strategies mean
Support
strategies mean
Gender
F
M
F
N
Mean
Std.
Deviation
Std.
Error
Mean
217
3,5069
,68951
,04681
190
3,3046
,68343
,04958
217
2,7880
,73133
,04965
190
2,6846
,72349
,05249
M
Total
strategy use
EAL stages
Adv
Int
Cognitive
strategies mean
Adv
Support
strategies mean
Adv
Int
Int
N
Mean
Std.
Deviation
Std.
Error
Mean
294
3,1107
,66492 ,03878
88
3,2021
,60244 ,06422
294
3,4163
,70198 ,04094
88
3,3939
,68269 ,07278
294
2,6617
,73206 ,04269
88
2,9196
,65041 ,06933
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Should we teach cognitive strategies explicitly
to less competent readers (intermediate and lower
EAL stage pupils)?
Will there be any effect on reading competence and
English proficiency?
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Boys should be taught cognitive strategies
(boys are underachievers at the school)
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The same research in another school; will it
replicate our findings?
◦ Adding – the effect of non-verbal intelligence
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Adaptation of the MARSI questionnaire on a larger
group
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Teacher training
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Reading strategies instruction
◦ within the class work or as a separate course?
◦ For how long? Is it age-dependent? Effectiveness?
Thank you!
Q&A