Linguistic Knowledge Aspects in Academic Reading: Challenges and Deployed Strategies by English-Major Undergraduates at a Jordanian Institution of Higher Education

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the linguistic knowledge aspect in academic reading, the challenges and the deployed strategies by English major undergraduates at a Jordanian institution of higher education. The importance of the study is attributed to the importance of the academic reading at university which is closely related to the academic achievement across the different academic disciplines. Data were collected by administering a questionnaire among English major students at the Hashemite University in the year 2016. The number of the respondents was 297. The data collected were analysed for its descriptive statistics, Post Hoc Tests, Scheffe Method, and frequency using the SPSS software. Cronbach's alpha of the reliability coefficient was .93 to the difficulties of reading and .87 was to the strategies deployed by the students, which indicated high internal consistency reliability. Results showed that students faced difficulties related to their insufficient knowledge of text-structure, constructing meaning, and fluent reading. The study revealed that students most employed strategies were the metacognitive followed by the social ones. The cognitive strategies were the least to be used among the students. The study provided some pedagogical implications to be considered.

The Calla-Based Elena Model for Linguistics: Does It Work?

“…e-Jurnal:http://journal.unj.ac.id/unj/index.php Linguistics is a science that has a reciprocal relationship with other sciences, especially social science and humanity. As explained by (Albashtawi et al, 2016;Haspelmath & Sims, 2010), the branch of linguistics is divided into five core branches traditionally, namely phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. Along with the times, some branches of Linguistics emerged such as pragmatics, stylistics, dialectology.…”

“…Along with the times, some branches of Linguistics emerged such as pragmatics, stylistics, dialectology. Furthermore, Linguistics engages in interest in other fields of science so that other branches of Linguistic science (interdisciplinary approaches) emerge such as sociolinguistics, anthropological linguistics, biolinguistics, clinical linguistics, computational linguistics, ethnolinguistics, philosophical linguistics, and psycholinguistics, (Albashtawi et al, 2016) Introduction to Linguistics course is a prerequisite course for English Language Education learners UNNES. After completing this course, the learners are expected to have adequate knowledge of the nature and characteristics of language, linguistic research methodology, the history of the development of linguistics, the linguistics scholars and the dichotomy of language studies (linguistics) as the basis for language learning.…”

“…It will support learners' language competence. Introduction to linguistics course, besides, providing a basis for further study in linguistics and sufficient insight into the field of linguistics for those interested in language disciplines (Albashtawi, Jaganathan, & 2016). Understanding of linguistic concepts becomes the main foundation for learners to study linguistic-oriented courses for higher levels.…”

The Implementation of Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach-based Elena: An analysis of introduction to linguistics course

“…The important thing in teaching learning strategies is the use of methods for strategy instruction, namely how to introduce certain strategies to learners, influence the use of these strategies, maintain their use and transfer these strategies at the next opportunity. Following is the strategy instruction framework presented by Chamot and O'Malley [4]. These three learning strategies form the basis of the CALLA approach.…”

“…Furthermore, learning linguistics concepts is the same as learning academic language. Albashtawi, Paramaswari, and Manjet stated that "Learning the academic language in addition to the content areas knowledge simultaneously form a challenge to the learners" [4]. Similarly, Chamot & O'Malley, also provide "academic reading relies heavily on the academic language which is distinguished by its formality, difficult vocabulary, precision and concision, and its structures" Related to it, the instructors have to consider and to come up with solution to help learners in comprehension of linguistics concepts [5].…”