IMPACT OF SPEED READING INTERVENTION ON STUDENTS’ LEARNING SECOND LANGUAGE

1SHAWANA FAZAL, 2MUHAMMAD IQBAL MAJOKA, 3IRUMJABEEN, 4MUHAMMAD SAEED KHAN

1,2Hazara University, Mansehra, Pakistan, 3,4University of Haripur, Pakistan E-mail: [email protected], 2 [email protected], [email protected]

Abstract- Pretest post-test equivalent group design was used to examine the effect of speed reading intervention on students’ language acquisition in terms of reading skills, reading speed and academic achievement in English at elementary level. Female school from publicsector having conducive environment for the experiment was selected as a sample of the study. Eighty students of 8th class were randomly selected as participants of this study. On the basis of pre-test scores, 40 students were assigned to each experimental and control groups using matched random sampling technique. The experimental group was provided a treatment of speed reading for 14 weeks. The analyzed data revealed thatspeed reading intervention proved to be effective in enhancing the language acquisition in selected aspects. It has strong implications for language teachers to use speed reading in the classroom.

Keywords- Speed Reading, Reading Skills, Second Language Learning.

I. INTRODUCTION 11 to 13 years old students, Sovik, Arntzen and Samuelstuen (2000) proved that techniques such as Reading is basic to all learning and this ability is eyes span, fixation time, reduction of regression and highly useful in practical situation of life. “Teaching automaticity of recognition can be used to increase reading to students is a complex task” (Ehri et al., speed of reading. 2001, p.394). Harris and Sipay (1990) maintain that Tremendous increase in the amount of information in the problems of reading have manifold effects on modern era of information and communication students’ achievement. Stanovich (1986) pointed out technology has intensified the demand good reading that those students who struggle with reading at early skills. Proficient readers are able to read important grades, if not provided with recovery in reading, information with ease and speed and able to draw continue to face this problem in higher grades too. right conclusions. But those who find reading Therefore, it is vital to support students learn how to difficult are unable to tackle this information and read through a strong, systematic and comprehensive have to depend upon others opinions. This situation approach focusing upon all the necessary sub skills of has proliferated the responsibilities of educational reading. institutions and related teachers for developing Reading fluency is the ability to accurately and students reading skills by using effective techniques efficiently read words out of context and strategies. According to Ambe (2007), teachers (Crosson&Lesaux, 2009). Nation (2007) have have to teach students who read much below than asserted that reading fluently is essential for better their respective grades and their reading problems comprehension and one dimension of fluent reading make it hard for them to cope with class room or reading fluency is reading rate or speed reading. activities and readings assignments. Explaining the For developing overall fluency in reading, we need to intensity of this problem, Fisher (2008) adds that perform different activities and one such activity that teachers are concerned with number of students who is used for fluent reading is speed-reading. Speed lack literacy skills and struggle with reading. These reading is fast and accurate reading with students face problem in decoding the written comprehension. Speed-reading is essential for symbol, read with slow pace and understand little efficient reading and its importance has been proved what they read. The situation is more alarming in by researchers. Nuttall (1996), thought that those who developing countries where English language is read with speed read more, understand more, and taught as ESL or EFL, classrooms are overcrowded, enjoy more. Those who are slow read less, understand teachers have the responsibility of finishing content less and unable to enjoy the reading. Grabe (2009) in an academic year, teaching is content based, and writes that reading fluency has four dimensions, teachers use reading only for covering the required which are automaticity in word recognition, accuracy text. As the reading is not the focus of teaching, the in decoding, rate of reading and prosody. Among students who get poor start in reading remain hidden them, the first two automaticity and accuracy are the from teacher’s eyes in most cases. Due to lack of prerequisites for rate of reading. So, the rate of reading skill, they show poor results in many subjects reading or speed reading is an essential component of and show low academic achievement. They hardly reading fluency. It is an ability to read fast like the manage to get passing percentage, as they progress native speaker. On the basis of a study conducted on through the class levels and their academic difference

Proceedings of ISER 6th International Conference, Sydney, Australia, 12th September 2015, ISBN: 978-93-85465-99-4 12 Impact Of Speed Reading Intervention On Students’ Learning Second Language from their class fellows grow bigger and bigger. The the pretest, which was .78 for reading skill test and most important problem in reading is the slow and .738 for achievement test. laboured pace of students. And this problem is associated with classroom teaching, where the 2.2 Treatment Procedure primary focus is on learning the grammatical rules The techniquespresented by Cutler (1985) and Zorn and structure rather than the reading (Hamp-Lyon, (1994) translated by Kazmi (1999) in their respective 1983; Nuttall, 1982). bookswas followed. But the texts/content, which were In Pakistan, the situation of learning English is not presented in these books were not used, as it was more different because the students are unable to more difficult for the 8th grade students. Instead, the show good performance in English language authentic text from textbooks for 8th and 9th grades acquisition (Rahman, 1999). English is taught was used. Only those techniques used for oral reading through Grammar translation method and mostly weretaken into consideration along with some students are bound to translate the text. Oral work is supplementary techniques (repeated reading and neglected altogether, which induces poor reading and guided oral reading). As students were divided in two comprehension skills, and ultimate result in low equivalent groups (experimental and control performance (Warsi, 2004). In this context, it was group),the experimental group was provided with considered imperative to investigate some curative speed reading intervention for 50 minutes instruction technique or method for improving reading skill for per day. Speed reading intervention used special second language learners. Hence, a study was techniques for improving speed and accuracy along conducted to explore the effect of speed reading comprehension of the text. Following techniques intervention on English language acquisition at were used. elementary level. i) Control on eye movement: The participants used Window card technique along with hand technique to II. METHODOLOGY control the movements of eyes. Participantswere trained to use the card along the line of written Pre-test post-test equivalent groups design was material and the eyes were made to follow the card selected as Shadish, Cook and Cambell (2002) similarly hand was used to read the sentences and the considered it strong experimental research design eyes followed the movement of hand. These because it is effective in controlling the most of the techniques were used to control the wasteful threats of internal and external validity. Female movements of eyes such as distraction, regression and Elementary/ Secondary schools of Abbottabad, progression. Continues movements of eyes hinder the Pakistan were surveyed for feasibility of experiment. process of reading. Students were trained to focus on Government Girls Higher Secondary School the written material and make fewer stops per line of Havelian, Pakistan having condition conducive for the text. the proposed experiment, was selected as a sample of ii) Expanding eye vision: The participants were the study. Eighty students of 8th Grade were trained to read more words in one glance of eye by randomly selected as participants of this study. On developing the habit of focusing on the larger area of the basis of pre-test scores, 40 students were assigned the text. Students were trained to see more words per to each experimental and control groups using line and eliminate the habit of word by word reading. matched random sampling technique. iii) Blocks of words or chunking: The participants 2.1 Research Instruments of the experimental group were provided with the For collecting data in this study, test for reading skills study material in daily lesson plan consisting upon and achievement test in English were prepared after the passages taken from their textbook. In the extensive study of the literature under the guidance of beginning, the passages were presented in the style experts. Word correct per minute (WCPM) measure that whole text was written in two words per line. was used as a measure for reading speed of the Then the next passages were presented in three words students. This technique was used and recommended per line. Again next passages were presented in four by Deno&Mirkin’s (1977) and Good & Kaminski words per line. Last few passages were presented in (2002). For pilot-testing, the research instruments five words per line. Each passage was repeated in were administrated among the students other than the number of lesson plans, until the students were able selected sample. The research instruments were to learn to read it in one glance of eye. The refined in the light from feedback of pilot testing. The participants were trained to eliminate the habit of validity of instrument was ensured by using word-by-word reading, and used the chunks or blocks judgmental validation by committee of experts. The of words as a unit of reading. However it was split-half method (odd-even items) was used to test dependent upon the text, that, how much words per the reliability of the tests given to sample students. line could be read by the students as a unit of reading. The coefficient of reliability was determined through the use of spearman-brown prophecy formula, iv) Knowledge of vocabulary: Vocabulary is estimating reliability from the comparable halves of essential for comprehension of the written material.

Proceedings of ISER 6th International Conference, Sydney, Australia, 12th September 2015, ISBN: 978-93-85465-99-4 13 Impact Of Speed Reading Intervention On Students’ Learning Second Language During this study,the participants of experimental for learning new techniques of reading (control on group were provided with list of words related to text eyes, reading blocks of words and expanding eye passages. They were provided practice to learn new vision).They were provided with written material for words prior to learning new technique of speed learning to read in new way.Daily teaching reading in daily lesson plans. intervention to experimental group included model reading by the teacher, then practice by the students, v) Reading rate: The participants of the reading by accelerated reader and group reading, experimental group were trained to read under time finally 5 to 10 minute reading using time pressure. pressure. Reading rate is determined by the number of stops human eyes made per line. They were trained 2.3 Data Collection& Analysis to read by making few stops per line. Actual reading Before starting the experiment, reading skills test is done when human eyes are still. By using along with WCPM were administered among sample combination of above-mentioned techniques students students. After an intervention of 14 weeks, the same were trained to read with speed, accuracy and research instruments were again administered to the comprehension. sample of study. The scores of students in both These techniques were used along with the groups provided data for the study. supplementary repeated reading and guided oral Reading skill test consisted upon 40items. Each reading techniques for providing opportunities for correct response was given 1 score. Total score of this students to practice new skills.Speed reading test was 40. WCPM measure was scored by intervention was provided to the students of measuring the reading speed of the students under experimental group for 14 weeks, while the students time pressure. Words correct per minute read by of control group were not provided with speed student were counted. Written materials from the text reading intervention. And both experimental and books of 8th and 9th gradewere taken and students control group were kept studying English as a subject were asked to read under time pressure, mistakes in their usual classes. made by students were ticked and at the end of Daily lesson plans covering a variety of speed reading allocated time, correct words read by students were techniques and activities were used for teaching how counted.The data collected through reading skill test, to improve reading skills. Time 10 to 15 minutes word correct per minute (WCPM) measure were allocated for vocabulary practice on daily basis wereanalysedthrough SPSS version 21. using word lists (of text related words). The participants practiced these words before taking part III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION in next activity.Time 20 to 25 minutes were allocated

Table 1: Significance of difference between the mean reading skills score of experimental group and control group on Pre test & Post-test

*p<0.05

Table 1 shows that there was no significant (p>0.05) students of experimental group (31.22) and mean difference between mean score of experimental group score of students of control group (24.5) in reading (23.5) and mean score of control group (23.4) in skill on post- test. Thus students of experimental reading skill on pre-test. However, there is significant group outdid students of control group in reading skill difference (p<0.05) between the mean score of test after treatment.

Table 2: Significance of Difference between the Mean Reading Speed Scores of Students of Experimental Group and Control Group on the Pre-Test& Post-test

Proceedings of ISER 6th International Conference, Sydney, Australia, 12th September 2015, ISBN: 978-93-85465-99-4 14 Impact Of Speed Reading Intervention On Students’ Learning Second Language *p<0.05 Table 2 depicts no significant difference between speed scores of students of experimental group mean scores of experimental and control groups (121.52) and mean reading speed scores of students (P>0.05) in reading speed on pre-test. Thus students of control group (74.9) on post test. The students of of both groups were almost at the same level of experimental group did much better than students of reading speed before treatment.While there is control group in reading speed after treatment. significant difference between the mean reading

Table 3: Significance of difference between the mean academic achievement scores of students of experimental group and control group on pre-test & Post test

*p<0.05

Table 3 depicts no significant difference (p>0.05) correlation between reading fluency and reading between mean academic achievement score of comprehension (Rasinski, Homan & Biggs, 2009; experimental group (16.6) and mean academic Riedel, 2007). Experimental group outperformed the achievement score of control group (16.9) on pre-test control group in academic achievement at the post- in English. However, there is significantdifference test in academic achievement after treatment(Table (p<0.05) between the mean academic achievement 3). Bell (2001) and Iwahori (2008) studies revealed scores of students of experimental group (45.1) and that after receiving treatment in speed reading mean academic scores of students of control group students improved their reading rate as well as (23.15) on post-test. Thus students of experimental general language proficiency. group out performed students of control group in The study showed gain for students of experimental academic achievement after treatment. group in reading skill, reading rate and academic achievement as measured through reading skill test, DISCUSSION word correct per minute (WCPM) measure and achievement test. Students also developed positive Both the experimental and control groups were attitude towards reading in particular and English compared on the variable of achievement on pre-test. language in general. The findings of present study The results obtained from the statistical analysis support the statement of Chung and Nation (2006) showed that no significant difference existed between that speed reading course must be a part of reading the two groups with respect to achievement in pre-test instruction in classroom. i.e. reading skill test and word correct per minute The characteristics of speed reading techniques such (WCPM) measure. Hence the students of both as control on eye movement, reading blocks of words, experimental and control groups were at the same knowledge of vocabulary and expanding eye vision level before the treatment. proved their effectiveness in developing reading skill The performance of the experimental group was and they added weight to automaticity theory, verbal significantly better than that of the control group on efficiency theory and segmentation theory.The post-test (reading skill test). The difference between present study focused on the oral language the two means was statistically significant at 0.05 proficiency. Students’ speed in reading aloud was levels (Table 1). The experimental group was considered only due to the fact that it can be significantly better in reading rate too.The difference measured objectively. Students’ speed in reading between two means is statistically significant(Table silently was not covered in this study.It is 2). Findings related to reading skill proficiency are in recommended that future researcher use speed line with Lai (1993) and Masuhara et al (1996) in reading for investigating the speed in reading silently. which students after using extensive reading as speed reading strategy improved their reading skill REFERENCES proficiency and reading rate. So far as the reading rate is concerned, present study findings are in line [1]. Ambe, E.B. (2007). Inviting reluctant adolescent readers into with earlier studies conducted by Kadota, Yoshida the literacy club: Some comprehension strategies to tutor individuals or small groups of reluctant readers. Journal of and Yoshida (1999) and Macalister (2008) in which Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 50(8), 632-639. students after using segmentation technique of speed [2]. Bell, T. (2001) Extensive Reading: Speed and reading improved their reading rate much more than Comprehension. The Reading Matrix,1(1) Retrieved from those who did not use it. The other studies also depict http://www.reading matrix.com/articles bell/article.pdf

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