Though the present study has answered the above research questions, due to the
limitations found in the present study, there are a few recommendations for future research. First, due to the class size of the school, the students’ class schedules and their attendance, as well as the time limitation, the researcher only selected one class, 25 students, to do the pilot study, and two classes, 42 students in total, to participate in the main study. The sampling of students in one school may not precisely represent the performances of the majority of EFL junior high school students’ reading with picture cues. Hence, the results might not be generalized to students from different sites in Taiwan or of different ages. For more extensive knowledge of using picture cues in reading, it is suggested that future research can take students’ language learning background and age into consideration for further understanding about the effects of picture cues on different students’ reading.
Second, since the two reading passages used in this study were both narratives with similar structures and language levels for their comparability, the literary style and difficulty level of the reading materials were not varied. Therefore, the results may not be inferred when the students’ reading is in different literary styles or with different difficulty levels. Therefore, future research may investigate the effects of picture cues on EFL students’ reading of various genres, such as description, comparison and contrast, which can be found in students’ textbooks as well. Through more in-depth investigation in this aspect, EFL teachers can realize how picture cues work on different literary styles and then select favorable reading practices for students.
Third, this study had its limitations in estimating the students’ overall comprehension in reading. Referred to Platt et al.’s definitions (2003), reading comprehension should include literal comprehension, inferential comprehension, critical or evaluative comprehension, and appreciative comprehension. However, by
using immediate recall as the instrument to evaluate comprehension, the researcher can only report the students’ literal comprehension related to their understanding and memory for the reading passages. Since immediate recall scored by pausal units was the only instrument to evaluate students’ reading comprehension in this study, future research may adopt other instruments for different types of comprehension in reading besides literal comprehension related to understanding and memory (Platt et al., 2003).
For example, open-ended questions for three types of comprehension (literal, interpretive and evaluative comprehension) can be designed for longer and more complicated texts (Liu & Chu, 2008). With efforts for adequate instruments, future researchers will have a clearer picture about the effects of picture cues on students’
overall comprehension.
Fourth, the picture cues used in this study only represented one black-and-white picture, one of the most common and available visual aids aside each written passage.
However, as there are various kinds of visual aids nowadays for EFL teachers to choose in teaching, it is practical for future researchers to find out which kind of visuals, such as colored pictures, comic strips, or animations, benefit EFL students’
reading more remarkably. The findings may inspire students to read with more fun and achievement.
Lastly, the findings in this study didn’t show significant difference in the memorability of the texts between students’ using and not using picture cues in reading. Future researchers may conduct further investigation on other types of reading materials or longer reading passages which may help students perceive their improved memory for the texts and pick up useful language learning strategies for progressive English abilities.
Conclusion
This research was designed to investigate the effects of using picture cues in EFL junior high school reading in consideration of the popularity of comic books among teenagers and the similarity of some reading practices in students’ textbooks. Starting from the essential need of EFL teachers to solve students’ reading difficulties and to help them achieve better reading comprehension, the experiment was made to explore EFL junior high school students’ recall and text-perceptions with and without using picture cues in reading.
Through the experiment in this study, the researcher found that picture cues helped the students’ English reading comprehension, as presented by their recall.
Meanwhile, picture cues could make the students feel the texts more interesting, clearer, and less difficult. Also, by interviewing the students at different English proficiency levels, the researcher received distinguishing opinions on using picture cues in reading. The outcome not only confirms several theories and hypotheses but also inspires EFL junior high school teachers to actively find practical solutions for students’ English learning problems by offering students opportunities to practice different reading strategies with suitable materials for better achievement.
Reflecting on the above perspectives, the researcher deliberates the significance of the present study in bringing up workable reading exercises to improve students’
English reading proficiency and offers suggestions for future investigations on EFL junior high school reading. This research, derived from both quantitative and qualitative data analyses, hopefully can be useful reference for EFL teachers to understand their students’ needs in English learning process, to practice various efficient teaching techniques, and eventually to promote students’ English proficiency.
References
Anderson, R., Ganschow, L., Javorshy, J., Patton, J., Sparks, R., & Skinner, S. (1994).
Differences in language performance among high-, average-, and low-anxious college foreign language learners. The Modern Language Journal, 78(1), 41-55.
Bell, T. (1998). Extensive reading: Why? And how? The Internet TESL Journal, 4, Retrieved February 10, 2008, from http://iteslj.org/Articles/Bell-Reading.html Bell, T. (2001). Extensive reading: Speed and comprehension. The Reading Matrix, 1,
Retrieved February 2, 2008, from
http://www.readingmatrix.com/articles/bell/index.html
Bernhardt, E. B. (1991). Reading development in a second language. New Jersey:
Ablex.
Chen, Y. Z. (陳映竹) (2007). 基測英語雙峰，但能力分佈是常態 [Though there are twin-peak distributed grades in the BC English Test, students’ capabilities are observed in normal distribution] Retrieved March 9, 2008, from
http://enews.tp.edu.tw/paper_show.aspx?EDM=EPS20071226144900ZGX Chou, C. T. (周中天) (2003). 英語科成績兩極化的省思 [The reflection on the
twin-peak distribution phenomena of English learning results]. Retrieved March 8, 2008, from
http://www.bctest.ntnu.edu.tw/flying/flying11-20/flying19-6.htm
Chu, H. (2002). Inference generation in L2 text memory: Effects of rhetorical convention, content familiarity, and grade level. English Teaching and
Learning, 26(3), 59-78.
Clement, R., MacIntyre, P. D., & Noels, K. A. (1997). Biases in self-ratings of second language proficiency: The role of language anxiety. Language Learning, 47(2), 265-287.
The Committee of The Basic Competence Test for Junior High School Students. (國 民中學學生基本學力測驗推動工作委員會) (2006). 民國 96~100 年基測英 語 科 之 命 題依 據 [Guidelines of BC English Test from 2007 to 2011]
Retrieved September 7, 2008, from http://www.bctest.ntnu.edu.tw/
Cooper, M., Marcus, N., & Sweller, J. (1996). Understanding instructions. Journal of
Educational psychology, 88(1), 49-63.
anxiety. The Modern language Journal, 70(2), 125-132.
Crookes, G., & Schmidt, R. W. (1991). Motivation: Reopening the research agenda.