CHAPTER 4 RESULTS
4.4 Research Question 4: How well do FD/FI Learners perceive the effectiveness of the
4.4.8 Students’ Responses to FD/FI Learning Style Instruction in RSI
17 comparison-contrast FD
FI
6(19%)
12(28%) 18 24%
18 subtractive/ exception, or particularity the comparative degree, and the superlative degree
FD
25 Illustrative, distractive, and explicative
FD FI
7(22%)
11(26%) 18 24%
26 logical order/ the order of the importance
FD FI
15(47%)
12(28%) 27 36%
27 number or date in Arabic numeral or in English
4.4.8 Students’ Responses to FD/FI Learning Style Instruction in RSI
Based on the results shown in Table 4.24, 68% of the participants made positive comments on the effects of RSI on FD/FI learning style instruction, while 2% of them expressed negatively. However, the rest of the participants, 30 % made “No comments.”
Concerning Item 12 “Whether FD/FI is in conform to my own learning style,”
97% FD’s and 95% FI’s participants revealed that their FD or FI learning style was in
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line with their own characteristics. Only 3% of the participants (actually just one student) in the FD group disagreed with the result of her FD learning style. Additionally, only 5% of the participants in the FI group expressed “no comments” on this item.
With regard to Item 13 “Whether FD/FI learning style instruction facilitates learning reading strategies,” 53% of the participants in the FD group and 58% of the participants in the FI group revealed that FD/FI learning style instruction did help them with learning reading strategies. Only 2% of the participants in the FI group disagreed. Additionally, 47% of the participants in the FD group and 40% of the participants in the FI group expressed “No comments” on this item.
Last but not least, for Item 14, 63% of the participants in the FD group and 47% of the participants in the FI group expected teachers to offer them more chances to be familiar with these FD/FI learning styles. Only 3% of the participants in the FD group and 2% of the participants in the FI group disagreed with it.
Additionally, 34% of the participants in the FD group and 51% of the participants in the FI group expressed “no comments” on this item.
Table 4.24 Students’ Responses to FD/FI Learning Style Instruction in RSI Item
No. Questions Group
Frequency (Percentage) Agree Disagree No
comment 12
Whether FD/FI is in accordance with my own learning style?
Whether FD/FI learning style instruction does help learning reading strategies?
I will recommend English teacher to give students more chances to be familiar with these FD/FI learning styles.
FD
1. FD = Field Dependent group, FI = Field Independent group 2. N = 32 for the FD group, N = 43 for the FI group
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A Summary of Responses to Research Question 4
Based on the results of Table 4.17, only 2% of the participants expressed negatively, while 72% of them made positive comments on the effects of RSI on reading strategy use.
26% of the participants made no comments.
Based on the results of Table 4.18, only 6% of the participants held the opposite position toward the effects of RSI on English writing, while 43% of them agreed that RSI is beneficial to their writing. Besides, 51% of the students conveyed “no comments.”
Based on the results of Table 4.19, only 1% of the participants disagreed with more RSI in the future, while 54% of them expected their teacher to offer classes in the future so that they could receive more RSI. 45% of the students made “no comments.”
Based on the results of Table 4.20, the most beneficial global reading strategies were in Items 1, 4, 5, 7, 9, 37, 38 and 39, while the least beneficial ones were in Items 2, 3, 6, 8, 34, 35, 36 and 40.
Based on the results of Table 4.21, the most beneficial local reading strategies were in Items 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 31, and 32, while the least beneficial ones were in Items 12, 13, 19, 20, 24, 28, 29, 30 and 33.
The most and least beneficial global and local reading strategies by the FD and FI groups after RSI are displayed in Table 4.25 and Table 4.26.
Table 4.25 The Most Beneficial Global/Local Reading Strategies by the FD/FI Groups
Global Reading Strategy
1 the opening paragraph, the main paragraph and the closing paragraph 4 every sentence in the first paragraph, especially in the thesis statement 5 every sentence in the last paragraph
7 the possible development patterns of the supporting sentences (paragraph development)
9 the closing sentence echoes with the topic sentence 37 get conclusion, inspiration, implication, or moral lesson 38 the writing purpose
39 style/tone
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Local Reading Strategy 10 time order
11 who, when, where, why, how, which, and what 14 cause & effect
15 condition 16 aiming
17 comparison-contrast
18 subtractive/ exception, or particularity 21 defining
22 exemplifying 23 listing order
25 illustrative, distractive, and explicative 26 logical order/ the order of the importance 27 number or date in Arabic numeral or in English 31 emphatic
32 bold word
Table 4.26 The Least Beneficial Global/Local Reading Strategies by the FD/FI Groups
Global Reading Strategy 2 the coherence of paragraphs
3 title, subtitle, figure, and table
6 the topic sentences and the closing sentences in the main paragraph 8 the cohesion of the preceding or the next sentences
34 how to arouse reader’s interest
35 the specific details and substantial evidence 36 the writing purpose
40 the possible sources of the text
Local Reading Strategy 12 spatial order
13 additive
19 the positive degree, the comparative degree, and the superlative degree 20 concessive
24 classifying 28 appositive 29 stylistic 30 inversion 33 reference
Regarding students’ responses to the difficult global reading strategies in RSI, Table 4.22 shows that six of the most difficult global reading strategies were in Items 2, 6, 7, 8, 35, and 39, while six of the easiest ones were in Items 1, 3, 5, 9, 37 and 38.
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Concerning students’ responses to the difficult local reading strategies in RSI, Table 4.23 indicates that six of the most difficult local reading strategies were in Items 13, 20, 26, 29, 30, and 33, while six of the easiest ones were in Items 10, 11, 14, 22, 23, and 27.
Six of the most difficult and the easiest global and local reading strategies by the FD and FI groups after RSI are displayed in Table 4.27 and Table 4.28
Table 4.27 Six of the Most Difficult Global/Local Reading Strategies by the FD/FI Groups
Global Reading Strategy 2 the coherence of paragraphs
6 the topic sentences and the closing sentences in the main paragraph 7 the possible development patterns of the supporting sentences
(paragraph development)
8 the cohesion of the preceding or the next sentences 35 the specific details and substantial evidence
39 style/tone
Local Reading Strategy 13 additive
20 concessive
26 logical order/ the order of the importance 29 stylistic
30 inversion 33 reference
Table 4.28 Six of the Easiest Global/Local Reading Strategies by the FD/FI Groups Global Reading Strategy
1 the opening paragraph, the main paragraph and the closing paragraph 3 title, subtitle, figure, and table
5 every sentence in the last paragraph
9 the closing sentence echoes with the topic sentence 37 get conclusion, inspiration, implication, or moral lesson 38 the writing purpose
Local Reading Strategy 10 time order
11 who, when, where, why, how, which, and what 14 cause & effect
22 exemplifying 23 listing order
27 number or date in Arabic numeral or in English
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A Grand Summary of the Description of Each Reading Strategy Used by FD/FI With an eye to having a comprehensive understanding of the global & local reading strategy use by both FD and FI groups before & after RSI, the researcher synthesizes all the Tables－Table 5.1, Table 5.2 (A), Table 5.2 (B), Table 5.3 (A), Table 5.3 (B), Table 5.4, Table 5.5, Table 5.7, Table 5.8, Table 5.9, Table 5.10 in this section (see Table 4.29), which presents the samenesses, differences between the FD and FI groups, and students’ responses to RSI. Firstly, the samenesses show that both FD and FI groups frequently used global and local reading strategies before RSI, after RSI, and significantly different used reading strategies after RSI.
Secondly, the differences show that the global and local reading strategies frequently used by the FD group or the FI group before RSI, after RSI, and significantly different used reading strategies after RSI. Thirdly, the students’
responses display the participants’ reactions to the most beneficial, the least beneficial, the most difficult, and the easiest reading strategies.
Table 4.29 lists the specific features of each reading strategy used by the FD and FI groups, and has potentially profound implications for us to comprehend the forty reading strategies we previously discussed in Chapter Two, in which sixteen global reading strategies appear in Items 1-9, 34-40, and twenty-four local reading strategies, in Items 10-33.
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Table 4.29 A Grand Summary of the Description of Each Reading Strategy Used by FD/FI Samenesses Differences Students' Responses
Item
Global and Local Reading Strategies
Both Groups Frequently Used Reading Strategies before RSI Both Groups Frequently Used Reading Strategies after RSI Both Groups used significantly Different Reading Strategies after RSI Frequently Used Reading Strategies by the FD or FI Group before RSI Frequently Used Reading Strategies by the FD or FI Group after RSI Significant Difference in the Use of Reading Strategies by the FD or FI Group after RSI The Most Beneficial Reading Strategies The Least Beneficial Reading Strategies Six of the Most Difficult Reading Strategies Six of the Easiest Reading Strategies
1
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spatial order Signif
icant
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exemplifying Both groups
listing order Both groups
classifying The
least
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appositive Both
groups
stylistic Both groups
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bold word Freque
ntly
reference The
least
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Table 4.29 can be multifunctional in use. We can use it either from the horizontal or vertical columns, from which we get important messages through crosschecks.
We can get meaningful message from the horizontal column. Item 1“the opening paragraph, the main paragraph and the closing paragraph” is the reading
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strategy both FD and FI groups frequently used before and after RSI. Significant difference is made in the use of reading strategies by both FD and FI groups after RSI. Item 1 is also the most beneficial and the easiest reading strategy.
Item 2 “the coherence of paragraphs” is the least beneficial, and the most difficult reading strategy.
Item 3 “title, subtitle, figure, and table” is the reading strategy both FD and FI groups frequently used before RSI and after RSI. It is also the least beneficial, and the easiest reading strategy. The descriptions of Items 4-40 can be referred to Table 4.29.
One thing should be noticed about items 39 and 25. Item 39 “style/tone”
alone is the most frequently used reading strategies by FD group before RSI, but it shifts to FI group in use to FI group after RSI. This indicates that FI group does learn the reading strategy they are not well equipped with by nature. This complementary shift reflects the genuine effect of RSI.
In addition, Item 25 “illustrative, distractive, and explicative” alone is the most frequently used by FI group before RSI, but it shifts to FD group in use after RSI. This indicates that FD group does learn the reading strategy they are not well equipped with by nature. This complementary shift reflects the genuine effect of RSI.
Secondly, we can even get more precious information from the vertical column. The results in the fifth and eighth columns can directly answer Research Question 2, providing us with the information closely related to the effectiveness of RSI. Thus, we attempt to elaborate on these two vertical columns here.
The fifth column under the category of samenesses shows that after RSI both the FD and FI groups used significantly different reading strategies in Items 1, 4, 5,
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28 and 34, as discussed in Table 4.7, or Table 4.8 (A) and Table 4.8 (B). In other word, after RSI, both FD and FI groups had significantly different change in the use of reading strategies in Item 1 “the opening paragraph, the main paragraph and the closing paragraph,” Item 4 “every sentence in the first paragraph, especially in the thesis statement,” Item 5 “every sentence in the last paragraph,” Item 28
“appositive,” and Item 34 “how to arouse reader’s interest.”
The eighth column under the category of differences displays significantly different used reading strategies by the FD or FI group after RSI. Checking from Table 4.29, we can know that Items 17, 19, 25 and 36 are the significantly different used reading strategies by the FD group, while Items 12, 20, 29, 30, 31, 38, 39 and 40 are the significantly different used reading strategies by the FI group, as discussed in Table 4.7, or Table 4.8 (B). In other words, after RSI, the FD group had significantly different change in the use of reading strategies in Item17 “comparison or contrast,” Item 19 “the positive degree, the comparative degree, and the superlative degree,” Item 25 “illustrative, distractive, and explicative,” and Item 36
“how to conclude the text.” In the meantime, the FI group had significantly different change in the use of reading strategies in Item 12 “spatial order,” Item 20
“concessive,” Item 29 “stylistic,” Item 30 “inversion” Item 31 “emphatic,” Item 38
“the writing purpose,” Item 39 “style/tone,” and Item 40 “the possible sources of the text.” That is, RSI had more effects on the FI group than the FD group. The descriptions of the other columns (3~4, 6~7, 9~12) can be referred to Table 4.29.
Thirdly, Table 4.29 also gives us very important messages through crosscheck. Items 1, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 14, 16, 18, 22, 23, 27, 29 and 37 are the most frequently used reading strategies before & after RSI.
Items 1, 4 and 5 are the most frequently used reading strategies before and
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after RSI. Significant differences were made in the use of reading strategies by both groups after RSI. They are also the most beneficial reading strategies.
Except for item 29, Items 1, 4, 5, 10, 11, 14, 16, 18, 22, 23, 27, and 37 are the most beneficial reading strategies.
Items 1 and 4 are the most frequently used reading strategies before RSI and after RSI. Significant differences were made in the use of reading strategies by both groups after RSI. They are also the most beneficial and the easiest reading strategies. Obviously, Table 4.29 is of great importance to show all the results of this entire experiment.
More important and precious information could be further obtained through cross-checks depending on the demands of our readers.
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CHAPTER 5 DISCUSSION
This chapter contains three parts: (1) discussion of major findings; (2) pedagogical implications that come along with the results, and (3) limitations of this study and suggestions for future studies.
5.1. Discussion of Major Findings
This section shows the results of the present study. First, the researcher examines the performance of FD/FI groups before and after RSI. Second, the results of the global & local reading strategy use before & after RSI based on the Reading Strategy Questionnaire (Questionnaire I) will be clarified. Third, the researcher talks about the FD/FI Learners’ performance in the respective reading comprehension question types. In the final part is an interpretation of the participants’ responses to RSI based on the results of the Students’ Responses to RSI (Questionnaire II).