Date of Graduation

12-2021

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction (PhD)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Curriculum and Instruction

Advisor/Mentor

Bowles, Freddie A.

Committee Member

Jones, Linda C.

Second Committee Member

Liang, Xinya

Keywords

Culturally unfamiliar texts; English as a Second Language (ESL); Reading comprehension; Text-relevant video segments; The Schematic Information-Processing Model of Reading Comprehension; Video-based instruction

Abstract

The purpose of this mixed-methods sequential explanatory study was to investigate the effects of watching text-relevant video segments on reading comprehension of a culturally unfamiliar text when technical words are present or absent. Therefore, 44 adult English Language Learners (ELLs) with higher-intermediate to advanced English language proficiency levels from the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD) School of Languages located in the Dominican Republic were chosen and randomly assigned to two different groups: control vs. experimental.

First, the researcher compared two different types of reading instruction—traditional text-based vs. video-based reading instruction supported by the Schematic Information-Processing (SIP) model of reading comprehension—and investigated their effects on reading comprehension of a culturally unfamiliar text when technical words were present or absent in the immediate post-test. The results of the independent samples t-tests indicated a statistically significant difference between the two types of reading instruction.

To compare the effects of the reading instructions on reading comprehension of different parts of the culturally unfamiliar text in the delayed post-test, the scores of the delayed post-tests from 30 participants were analyzed. The results of the independent samples t-tests showed no significant difference between the two groups in the delayed post-test when technical words were absent while a statistically significant difference between the two groups when technical words were present.

A two-way mixed ANOVA was also performed to find the possible interactions between the reading instructions and time. The results showed a statistically significant interaction between the type of reading instruction and time, statistically significant differences in reading comprehension between two types of reading instruction in both immediate and delayed post-tests, a statistically significant effect of time on reading comprehension in both groups, and a statistically significant reduction in reading comprehension scores from immediate to delayed post-test.

Concerning the qualitative phase of the study, six participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview format. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the findings of the qualitative phase of the study. The findings highlighted the importance of video segments in enhancing readers’ interest and familiarizing readers with the target culture and unfamiliar vocabulary. In addition to this, the findings supported the role of video segments in readers’ schema activation and deeper levels of information processing.

The integration of the quantitative analysis with the findings of the qualitative phase indicated the applicability of the video-based reading instruction followed by the guidelines of the SIP model in language classrooms. This type of reading instruction could improve readers’ comprehension of the content of the culturally unfamiliar text, enhance their familiarity with the text, facilitate their ability to recall similar information faster from previously constructed schemas, and help readers retain the content longer. Limitations of the study, suggestions for future research, and implications of the study for teachers and teacher education were discussed in detail.

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