CONCLUSION
This chapter will present a summary of the findings first. Then, implications and suggestions for further research are addressed.
Summary of the Findings
This study aimed to explore seven ninth graders’ responses in 12-week literature circles and their reading attitudes toward English picture books. The participants were requested to read the chosen reading material and prepare the tasks of their discussion roles in advance. After reading an English picture book, students had to write down their thoughts in response logs. After collecting 42 response logs, the researcher analyzed their responses to explore how this group of students gave their responses and to understand their reading comprehension. Further, since students’ perceptions of literature circles were vital for further improvement and study, their opinions were collected through individual interviews with open-ended questions. Last, these students’ attitudes toward English reading before and after literature circles were also investigated. A previous survey about the students’ background of and attitudes toward English learning had been conducted before they joined literature circles. In addition, their replies in semi-structure interviews after the study were also
assembled.
The results in this case study showed that seven ninth graders had most of self-involvement responses, which showed their reflections after they involved themselves in the 12 weeks of literature circles. Then, interpretational responses to a story’s plot and characters followed. Next, the miscellaneous were the responses that could not be categorized.
Over the course of the 12 weeks, students' attitudes toward English picture book reading changed slightly. At first, most students would prefer to give narrative and interpretational responses to a story’s plot, characters, and themes. However, at the later stage, they produced more responses which were beyond literal understanding such as associational responses for life experiences, one’s value, self-reflection, sympathy, and identification. Moreover, after reading the last picture book, Just The
Way You Are, miscellaneous responses dramatically increased, and the written
messages from students’ response logs were about extensive topics which participants discussed in the literature circle. Therefore, a student’s reading comprehension and the response would not focus on the storyline, but on related topics from reading
materials.
As for students’ perceptions toward discussion roles, both discussion director and illustrator were so welcome by students. They thought to be a director provided them
a chance to train one’s leadership skills, while the role of illustrator was the easiest task because they were good at drawing. Making inferences was the toughest job for this group of students.
Other reasons also attracted these participants to like literature circles. First, they thought it was more interesting than the traditional reading lesson. Second, they enjoyed having the freedom to choose what they loved to discuss in literature circles, and an extended issue discussion would guide them to have more profound
interpretations than literal understanding. Third, the literature circle offered them a chance to understand their peers’ perceptions. Last, it would lighten a reader’s learning burdens because they would discuss with each other about the questions immediately rather than searching the answers all by themselves. It was a more effective way to read English picture books.
Some students even mentioned that they were now willing to do something that they did not love to do before they participated in literature circles. For example, two students, one girl, and one boy were willing to help with the housework after they read Piggybook. Students’ reading attitude shifted and they were more active when reading English picture books. They revealed that they would not refuse to read an English picture book after joining the literature circle.
At first, some students did not know where and what English picture books were
because they did not have a habit for extensive reading in English. No one around them had shown them how to read English picture books. That was why they did not developed the habit. However, after participating in a literature circle, most of the students developed a positive attitude toward English reading. One little girl mentioned that she went to a bookstore to buy English picture books due to the exciting experiences in literature circles. Another girl having low-level English proficiency indicated that she was willing to learn English reading because she liked the atmosphere in literature circles.
Implications
Literature circles had been conducted in Taiwan for different subjects, but they were rarely applied for ninth graders. Therefore, through this case study, it might provide some contributions toward educators in Junior high school’s English teachers and the student’s parents. As shown in the results of this study, the students could develop more profound thoughts which were inspired by English texts as long as English books of suitable readability were provided. These students not only changed their attitudes toward English reading but also enriched themselves with valuable reading experiences. Through their responses, it was easier for the researcher and the others know a student’s value, personality, and life experiences.
Compared with traditional English reading classes, literature circles might offer students more opportunities to have further discussion and know the other students’
personalities. Moreover, these responses showed that students built their values and learned from reading by themselves. Through reading students’ response logs, educators could have a better understanding of a young adult’s value building and discover what these teenagers think and how they should be taught and treated in the ways they expected. Therefore, it was the greatest pleasure and value for reading.
Since this case study showed most of the students were willing to join the literature circle again, it might be a workable reading pedagogy to implement in English reading classes at junior high school. Besides, from student’s responses, literature circles helped them to enhance their reading pleasure and their deeper thinking. Therefore, the school’s library or parents could buy more English picture books to expose students to extensive English reading materials rather than textbooks.
If there is any budget from schools, English picture books can be circulated in classes.
Then, it might cultivate an atmosphere and habit for reading English in the long run.
Suggestions for Future Studies
This case study has explored only seven ninth graders’ responses to English picture books in literature circles. Therefore, the results might be questioned. Thus,
further studies may try to increase the number of participants to boost its validity.
Further, the researcher did not explore the differences between the responses of boys and girls, so investigating responses based on gender differences could be another topic for further study. Since the study indicated literature circles has promoted students’ reading comprehension, a further study can focus on their performance in proficiency exams such as GEPT after literature circles.
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APPENDICES
Appendix A
同意書(中文版) 親愛的家長您好:
我是國立屏東大學英語學系碩士班學生王姵文。在我的研究裡想運用文學 圈，研究學生對英語繪本的閱讀態度，反應和英文繪本內容對他們的意義。
這項研究為期 12 週，並將在我所居住的公寓裡進行。每次文學圈的舉行都 是一小時。為了收集研究資料，文學圈的研究將需要全程錄影、錄音，但這些資 料只會用於學術研究分析。研究完成之後，將刪除所有資料，並匿名分析以保護 參與者的權利。
在研究過程中，如果您認為有任何不當之處，歡迎您詢問任何問題。如果您 願意讓貴子弟參與此研究，請填寫下方的回條。非常感謝!
國立屏東大學英語學系碩士班 指導教授: 余慧珠 研究生: 王姵文
回條
□不同意參加
□同意參加
週日可配合讀書會的時間為:
_______________________________________________________________
學生姓名: ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿ 連絡電話：＿＿＿＿＿＿______＿＿
家長簽名：＿＿＿＿＿_＿＿＿ 中華民國: ＿＿＿年＿＿月＿＿日
Appendix B
Consent Form Dear parents,
My name is Pei-Wen Wang, a graduate student from National Pingtung University. In my study, I want to apply literature circles to investigate into students’
attitudes toward English picture books, reactions, and meanings of the texts for them.
If you are interested in this study, I would like to invite you to join this research.
This study will take 12 weeks and it will be conducted at my apartment. Each literature circle will last for an hour. In order to collect research data, video record and voice record are needed in the process, but the data will only be used for academic research. To protect participants’ privacy, all the data will be anonymously analyzed and eliminated after the research is finished.
In the research process, you are welcome to inquire any questions if there are any inappropriateness. If you grant your permission for your children to participate in this research, please fill out the reply slip below. Thank you so much for your assistance.
Sincerely yours, Pei-Wen Wang National Pingtung University
Replied Note
□
unwilling to participate□
willing to participate Name of student: ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿ Telephone number：＿＿＿＿＿＿_____Available time for literature circle on Sundays:
_______________________________________________________________
Signature：＿＿＿＿＿_＿＿＿
Date: _________________
Pei-Wen Wang:
Appendix C
家庭閱讀活動問卷、英文繪本閱讀態度問卷及英文繪本閱讀行為問卷 親愛的同學你好:
這是一份有關於你平時家庭對英文繪本閱讀活動及對英文繪本閱讀態度和閱讀英文 繪本行為表現的問卷調查。請您仔細閱讀題目並依你真實情況回答即可，同學的資料也會 以匿名方式作為日後的研究使用，因此請你放心作答。感謝你的耐心填寫和協助!
國立屏東大學英語教學碩士班 研究生: 王姵文 敬上
第一部分: 基本資料
請依據你的情況在下列□中或填寫
1. 英文名字: _______________________
2. 就讀學校: ___________________
3. 年級: □國一 □國二 □國三 4. 性別: □男 □女
5. 英文學習經驗: □3 年以下 □4-6 年 □7-9 年 □10 年以上
6. 在校英文段考平均: □60 分以下 □60-75 分 □76-90 分 □90 分以上 7. 英語特殊檢定: □全民英檢(初級) □全民英檢(中級) □其他____________
8. 爸爸教育程度: □研究所 (碩士、博士) □大學、大專院校畢業 □高中、高職畢業 9. 媽媽教育程度: □研究所 (碩士、博士) □大學、大專院校畢業 □高中、高職畢業 10. 爸爸的職業: ___________________；媽媽的職業: ___________________
11. 我喜歡英文繪本閱讀的類型(可複選): □科幻小說 □寓言故事 □推理冒險 □愛情與羅曼史 □宗教 □名人傳記 □幽默故事 □超級英雄漫畫 □社會議題 □恐怖與鬼故事 □童話故事 □知識與生活 12. 家裡存有英文繪本量: □0 本以上 □10 本以下 □11-20 本 □20 本以上
13. 大約多久看一次英文繪本:
□每天都看 □一周一次 □一個月看一、兩次 □從來不看(請跳過 14、15 題) 14. 周一至周五你大約花多少時間看英文繪本:
□2 個小時以上 □1-2 個小時 □10-50 分鐘 □10 分鐘以下 15. 放假的時候你大約花多少時間看英文繪本:
□3 個小時以上 □2-3 個小時 □1-2 小時 □10 分鐘以下
第二部分: 家庭閱讀活動問卷
10. 爸媽為我買書錢會詢問我的意見。……… 4 3 2 1
10. 爸媽為我買書錢會詢問我的意見。……… 4 3 2 1