Developing an instructional programme based on English word learning strategies and measuring its effect on the acquisition of police terms and the development of reading and writing skills at the Jordanian Royal Police Academy

Other Title(s)

تطوير برنامج تعليمي مبني على استراتيجيات تعلم المفردات و قياس أثره على اكتساب المصطلحات الشرطية و تطوير مهارات القراءة و الكتابة في أكاديمية الشرطة الملكية الأردنية

Dissertant

al-Umari, Ibrahim Tawfiq

Thesis advisor

al-Duwayk, Badr Said

Comitee Members

al-Jadri, Adnan Husayn
al-Abbas, Sulayman Awwad
al-Sharah, Nail D.

University

Amman Arab University

Faculty

Faculty of Educational Sciences and psychological

Department

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

University Country

Jordan

Degree

Ph.D.

Degree Date

2007

English Abstract

The aim of this study was to develop an instructional program based on word learning strategies (synonyms, antonyms, word structures, and concept mapping) and to measure its effect on the participants in the English language courses for international police monitors held at the Jordanian Royal Police Academy.

The specific objective was to examine the effect of the program on the participants’ acquisition of police terms, and the development of their reading comprehension and report writing skills.

The study attempted to answer the following questions: 1- Are there any statistically significant differences in the participants' acquisition of police terms related to the instructional program? 2- Are there any statistically significant differences in the participants' development of reading comprehension skills related to the instructional program? 3- Are there any statistically significant differences in the participants' development of police report writing skills related to the instructional program? 4- Are there any statistically significant differences in the participants' achievement in the English language related to the instructional program? 5- Are there any statistically significant differences in the participants' achievement in the English language related to the interaction between instructional programme and the police rank? The population of the study was composed of participants who enroll in the English language courses for the United Nations Civil Police to participate in UN peace keeping missions, after fulfilling specific prerequisites related to age, police rank and experience, and educational level. The sample of the study comprised 120 participants in the course held from January 7th to April 11th, 2007.

The sample was distributed randomly into four equal sections, and was divided into an experimental group consisting of one officers' section and one non-commissioned officers' (NCOs) section, and a control group consisting also of one officers section and one NCOs section.

The researcher ensured the equivalence of the experimental and control groups by a pre-test conducted prior to the experiment.

Analysis of t-test results indicated no significant differences between the two groups.

To answer the questions of this study, the researcher developed the word learning strategies program and achieved validity and reliability for its components.

The researcher processed the data obtained through the proper statistical analysis.

The major findings of this study showed significant differences in favor of the experimental group in: a.

the acquisition of police terms, b.

the reading comprehension skills, c.

the report writing skills, d.

and there were significant differences between the officers and the NCOs' scores that can be attributed to the police rank of the participant, and to the interaction between the programme and the police rank of the participants.

These differences indicated that the program might be more appealing to the officers rather than to the NCOs.

Based on these findings, the researcher presented some conclusions and recommendations including the following: A.

Participants come to the ESP courses at JRPA motivated by the need to participate in the United Nations peace keeping missions.

Using appropriate word learning strategies with these participants can be very rewarding when they are properly applied. B.

ESP teachers and learners are advised to adopt proper word learning strategies and participatory approaches and materials based on realia. C.

Finally, the researcher proposed that this study is worth to replicate taking more independent variables from other police work domains.

Main Subjects

Educational Sciences
Languages & Comparative Literature

Topics

• Education
• Higher education
• Learning
• Second language learning
• Reading
• Writing
• Jordan
• English language

No. of Pages

165

Table of Contents

• APA
• MLA
• AMA

Language

English

Data Type

Arab Theses

Record ID

BIM-435427