Concept mapping and reading comprehension: a qualitative exploration of EFL teachers' attitudes

Abstract EN

Reading comprehension is a complex cognitive activity.

To improve reading and maximise material understanding in EFL contexts, students can employ an arsenal of comprehension strategies.

The latter may include strategies such as prediction, summarisation, questioning, making inferences, and graphic organisers.

One popular graphic organiser is the use of Novakian concept mapping (henceforth CM).

To this end, the current inquiry attempts to explore the reading course EFL teachers' perceptions and attitudes towards the use of CM to reinforce students' reading comprehension.

To achieve this purpose, and following the qualitative research approach, a case study design was adopted.

Using a semi-structured interview, data were collected from 4 teachers who originally constituted the sample of this study.

In this respect, the participants volunteered to participate in the study, thereby accepting to be interviewed and to be recorded.

Data analysis was accomplished by employing Braun & Clarke's (2006) thematic approach of data analysis.

Ultimately, the study's results revealed that CM was not known to the participants; therefore, it was infrequently used in reading classrooms.

Moreover, it was also found that the interviewed teachers appeared to have positive attitudes towards the application of this strategy to improve students' reading achievement.

Therefore, such findings supported the initially formulated hypotheses, thereby yielding positive results.