The Effect of Summarizing Strategy on Reading Comprehension of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners

Abstract

Reading comprehension plays a significant role in educational success. In spite of its importance, students still have difficulties in understanding texts. One solution to the problem of poor reading comprehension is the learning of reading strategies. The current study examined the effect of summarizing strategy on reading comprehension of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. Sixty-one students were selected and randomly divided into two control and experimental groups. The homogeneity of their proficiency level was established using a TOEFL proficiency test. All students in both groups participated in a reading comprehension test as pretest. The experimental group utilized summarizing strategy three times a week typically 45 minutes in duration for ten weeks. After each two week instruction, an immediate posttest was administered. At the end of the treatment, a post-test was administered to both groups. The findings of the study indicated that summarizing strategy has a significant effect on learners' reading comprehension.

Cognitive Reading Strategies Employed by Form Three Malaysian English as Second Language (ESL) Students

“…Paksadian and Rasekh (2012) reported in their study that summarization strategy created a positive effect in the respondents' level of comprehending reading comprehension texts. Similarly, in another study conducted by Khoshsima and Tiyar (2014), the findings also indicated that summarizing strategy enhances the reading comprehension skills of the students. All these clearly show that if low proficiency students employ this strategy, they will be able to improve their level of comprehension.…”

The Effect of Teaching Summarization Strategies on Reading Comprehension of Science and Humanities Iranian High school Students

“…According to the findings, sufficient time is needed to develop particular reading skills and strategies such as summarizing strategy and indeed encourage content reading intending to make students ready for autonomous reading and understanding (Khoshsima & Rezaeian Tiyar, 2014). Through the summarizing strategy instruction, teachers can identify students' weaknesses in reading comprehension and make the essential efforts to solve their comprehension problems as much as possible.…”

“…Often, they face problems even with the typical question and answer format that is provided after they read a passage. Research (Dole, Brown, & Trathen, 1996;Janzen, 2003;Karbalaei & Rajyashree, 2010;Khoshsima & Rezaeian Tiyar, 2014;Pakzadian & Eslami Rasekh, 2012;Nurhayati, 2014;Roohani, et al, 2015;Deshpande, 2016;Teng. 2016;Damayanti, 2017) has shown that together with direct instructions when students are taught reading strategies this will improve not only their comprehension of the reading passage but also their performances on the tests.…”

Interplay of Working Memory, Strategy Use, and Task Difficulty in L2 Reading Comprehension

“…Unlike the knowledge or task variables, strategy use has rarely been included as a factor in WM studies, especially in L2 contexts. Although it has long been recognized as an important facilitator of various aspects of L2 acquisition, including L2 RC (e.g., Khoshsima & Tiyar, 2014;Malcom, 2009;Shang, 2010), studies that examined strategy use in relation to WM's function in L2 reading are not easily found. Based on a study involving L1 adult learners, Naumann, Richter, Christmann, and Groeben (2008) claimed that WM capacity was a prerequisite for strategy training to be effective in learning.…”