The effect of instructional strategy and cognitive learning style on Jordanian EFL University students' reading achievement and motivation for reading

Other Title(s)

أثر استراتيجية التدريس و أسلوب التعلم المعرفي في تحصيل طلبة الجامعات الأردنية في الفهم القرائي و الدافعية تجاه القراءة بالإنجليزية كلغة أجنبية

Dissertant

al-Khrshah, Taysir Dayij

Thesis advisor

al-Kumi, Abd al-Salam Abd al-Khaliq

Comitee Members

Shair, Awatif Ali
al-Khawlidah, Ahmad Hamad
al-Abd al-Haqq, Fawwaz

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

2008

English Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of instructional strategy and cognitive learning style on Jordanian EFL university students' reading achievement and motivation for reading.

The study tried to test the following null hypotheses: 1.

There is no statistically significant difference (α = 0.05) in English major freshmen’s achievement in EFL reading between the analytic learning style groups and the global learning style groups.

2.

There is no statistically significant difference (α = 0.05) in English major freshmen’s motivation for EFL reading between the analytic learning style groups and the global learning style groups.

3.

There is no statistically significant difference (α = 0.05) in English major freshmen’s achievement in EFL reading between the analytic learning style groups and the global learning style groups due to instructional strategy.

4.

There is no statistically significant difference (α = 0.05) in English major freshmen’s motivation for EFL reading between the analytic learning style groups and the global learning style groups due to instructional strategy.

5.

Interaction between the instructional strategy and the cognitive learning style has no statistically significant effect (α = 0.05) on English major freshmen’s achievement in EFL reading. 6.

Interaction between the instructional strategy and the cognitive learning style has no statistically significant effect (α = 0.05) on English major freshmen’s motivation for EFL reading. The subjects of the study consisted of all English major freshmen (N=104) at Tafila Technical University in Jordan.

The study was conducted at the beginning of the first semester of the academic year 2007/2008.

The researcher developed an analytic and global learning styles inventory based on Felder and Soloman (2006) and More (1993) to identify students’ learning styles.

The subjects were divided into four groups according to the variables of the study as follows: Group A, analytic style students were exposed to the analytic instructional strategy.

Group B, global style students were exposed to the global instructional strategy.

Group C, analytic learning style students were exposed to the global instructional strategy.

Group D, global learning style students were exposed to the analytic instructional strategy.

A reading motivation questionnaire based on Mori (1999) was used to find out the students’ motivation for EFL reading before and after implementing the two instructional reading programs.

The instructional programs contained 12 reading passages.

The activities that followed these passages were developed in two ways: one for analytic style students, and the other for global style students.

A reading achievement test was administered at the beginning of the program as a pre-test to find out the students’ level of reading achievement before conducting the program.

The same reading achievement test was administered at the end of the program as a post-test to find out if there were statistically significant differences between the mean scores of the students’ reading achievement due to learning style and instructional strategy.

To measure the interaction effect between the instructional strategy and the cognitive learning style on students’ achievement and intrinsic motivation, the researcher used the two-way ANOVA.

The study adopted the Factorial Analysis Design.

The validity and reliability of all instruments were confirmed.

The findings revealed that there were no statistically significant differences in the students’ mean scores in the reading achievement and intrinsic motivation between the analytic learning style group and the global learning style group.

It was also found that there were no statistically significant differences in the students’ mean scores in the reading achievement and intrinsic motivation between the analytic learning style group and the global learning style group due to instructional strategy.

Finally, the results of the study revealed that the only factor that affected students’ achievement and motivation for reading in English as a foreign language was the interaction between instructional strategy and cognitive learning style.

In light of these findings, the researcher offered recommendations for future researchers and for EFL reading instructors at Jordanian universities.

Main Subjects

Educational Sciences
Languages & Comparative Literature

Topics

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

No. of Pages

210

Table of Contents

• APA
• MLA
• AMA

Language

English

Data Type

Arab Theses

Record ID

BIM-436013