A study on using graphic organizers to improve reading comprehension skills for secondary school students

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

English has become an international communicative language widely used around the world, making learning it an important responsibility for many students Developing strong reading skills is essential in mastering English and other languages, as it allows students to access more information and broaden their perspectives Additionally, reading proficiency supports the improvement of other language skills like speaking, listening, and writing, contributing to comprehensive language development.

Reading comprehension is a vital skill that enhances understanding of written content and broadens vocabulary, supporting speaking, listening, and writing abilities Developing strong reading skills is highly valuable for English learners, as it enables them to read extensively in English and improve overall language proficiency Additionally, good reading comprehension is essential for passing academic achievement tests and reading effectively for professional success.

Poor reading comprehension skills hinder readers from understanding texts effectively, making it challenging to identify key themes, connect new information with prior knowledge, and grasp the main ideas of a story Developing strong reading comprehension is essential for better understanding and engaging with written content.

Many teachers struggle to match their teaching styles with their students' diverse learning preferences Incorporating graphic organizers into lessons can significantly enhance student understanding and engagement By allowing students to create their own graphic organizers, they can tailor note-taking to their individual learning styles, making information more memorable and accessible This personalized approach fosters a more effective learning experience, ultimately making a teacher truly exceptional.

Many teachers and lecturers are using graphic organizers to enhance classroom presentations, develop innovative handouts, and create memorable learning experiences for students Advanced graphic organizers are also being employed to manage large-scale projects, such as long-term educational planning and weekly lesson organization, effectively addressing the individual needs of students.

It is undeniable that the English language has gained more and more signiﬁcance

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Recognizing the crucial role of English in education and society, Vietnam has implemented numerous policies and reforms to enhance English teaching and learning Since the 2006-2007 school year, the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training has reformed secondary school English textbooks, focusing on developing the four key skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing This curriculum innovation aims to align Vietnamese education with societal demands during national integration and development While this reform offers various advantages to both teachers and students in mastering English, it also presents certain challenges and disadvantages in the teaching and learning process.

Reading is generally considered the most challenging skill for both students and teachers to master In the "English 7" textbook, students are tasked with activities like identifying main ideas, understanding the main topic, sentences, and paragraphs However, some reading exercises in the new textbooks do not effectively support students’ language development Additionally, teachers also encounter difficulties when teaching reading skills, indicating a need for more effective instructional materials and strategies.

For many years, reading comprehension instruction focused on teaching isolated skills like word identification, main idea extraction, understanding cause-and-effect relationships, comparing and contrasting, and sequencing This approach emphasized mastering individual skills to improve overall reading comprehension.

Many students find learning reading skills challenging, but graphic organizers are a powerful tool to enhance reading comprehension By visually illustrating relationships between concepts, graphic organizers help students understand and retain information more effectively Additionally, incorporating group reading and tutoring sessions can further support the development of strong reading skills, making the learning process more engaging and effective.

When I have graduated university, I applied for a job at Ben Thuy secondary school I teach English subject as a second language There are four skills each lesson but my favorite skill is teaching reading because from the text, students can be easy to use words, structures, sentence to communicate with many people There is some difﬁculty in the reading text, They do not understand how to answer the questions So

This is a problem I need to address by finding effective solutions to assist readers Many people read quickly but retain little information, often due to insufficient reading skills Reading comprehension depends on the reader's level and the use of appropriate strategies, which can significantly impact the amount of valuable information they grasp Improving reading techniques is essential to help readers understand and retain more content efficiently.

This study explores the effectiveness of using graphic organizers to enhance reading comprehension skills among secondary school students, based on the researcher's eleven years of teaching experience It highlights that many 7th grade students struggle to acquire reading skills efficiently, often completing reading tasks without meeting lesson objectives The research aims to determine whether graphic organizers can help students read more effectively by examining current teaching activities and their impact on students’ academic achievement Additionally, the study provides practical suggestions for teachers to incorporate graphic organizers into textbook tasks, improving students’ reading skills The findings are intended to benefit colleagues facing similar challenges and contribute to improving reading instruction in secondary education.

Aims of the Study

This study aimed to enhance students' reading comprehension skills by assessing their comprehension level within the text It highlights the benefits of using graphic organizers as an effective teaching tool to improve understanding of written materials Incorporating graphic organizers into lessons can significantly boost students’ reading comprehension and motivation The research specifically examines how reading sections in the “English 7” textbook are taught in secondary schools, emphasizing the effective use of graphic organizers to facilitate learning.

Research questions

The study aimed to seek the answers to the following questions:

- Will the graphic organizers help to increase student’s reading comprehension?

- Will the graphic organizers help to improve students’ motivation to learn reading skill?

Scope of the study

This study was conducted at Ben Thuy Secondary School in Vinh City to investigate the impact of graphic organizers on students' reading comprehension during English lessons The research findings highlight the effectiveness of using graphic organizers to enhance 7th-grade students' understanding of reading material Based on these results, targeted activities will be recommended to improve the teaching of English reading skills among middle school students.

Methods of the study

The main methods are questionnaires, pre and post tests

Organization of the study

The thesis consists of five chapters:

Chapter 1: Introduction includes rationale of the study, the aims, scope, methods, and organization of the study.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Reading and reading comprehension

Reading is a crucial skill, especially for learners of English as a second language, as it encompasses various criteria, features, and functions According to Carrell (1988), "Without solid reading proficiency, second language learners cannot perform at levels they must in order to succeed," highlighting the vital role of reading in academic and communicative success.

Reading plays such a significant part in the success of second language learning and it is essential to understand what reading really is

Reading is the process of interpreting written symbols, such as letters, punctuation marks, and spaces, to derive meaning It involves using our eyes to perceive these symbols and our brains to convert them into words, sentences, and paragraphs that convey information and understanding.

Reading is a fundamental means of language acquisition, communication, and sharing information and ideas It involves a complex interaction between the text and the reader, influenced by the reader’s prior knowledge, experiences, attitude, and cultural and social context Developing strong reading skills requires consistent practice, ongoing development, and adaptation over time.

Reading is an interactive process between the reader and the text that results in comprehension It involves interpreting letters, words, sentences, and paragraphs that encode meaning Readers apply their knowledge, skills, and strategies to decode and understand the intended message, making reading a vital skill for effective communication and learning.

Reading is one of the most essential skills worldwide, often considered the most important foreign language skill, especially when students need to read English material for their specialist subjects without necessarily speaking the language Such situations are known as ‘English as a library language,’ highlighting the focus on reading comprehension Although this article examines each language skill separately, it’s important to recognize the overlap between reading and writing, as a ‘text’ must be written down before it can be effectively understood and analyzed.

In many societies, literature is regarded as the quintessential form of writing, making reading a fundamental skill for students Classroom practices emphasize reading because it’s often seen as more practical to provide written texts for comprehension than spoken language Modern perspectives on reading highlight its purpose, demonstrating that even when reading is for enjoyment, it remains a purposeful activity essential for language development and literacy.

Reading is a psycholinguistic process in which the reader reconstructs the encoded message by a writer, leading to increased knowledge and comprehension (Goodman, 1988) It involves both visual recognition of written symbols and understanding their meaning within context (William, 1990) Effective reading requires simultaneous skills of observing the text and interpreting its content, enabling readers to decode words and grasp overall messages.

Reading is an active cognitive process where the eyes receive messages and the brain interprets their significance, as described by Harmer (1989) Readers often struggle with idioms, proverbs, synonyms, metaphors, and other figurative language, which complicate comprehension Effective reading requires guessing, predicting, and utilizing grammatical, logical, and cultural clues, especially when encountering new words and structures A lack of strong guessing skills can lead to frustration and reduced understanding, discouraging learners from continuing Teaching reading comprehension is particularly important for high school students learning English as a second language, who often face limited prior knowledge, inadequate learning environments, and scarce materials.

Reading is a vital receptive skill that encompasses various sub-skills similar to listening, making it essential for effective communication In everyday life, reading holds significant importance as people read for both pleasure and work-related purposes Language learners can develop proficiency by exploring different reading styles, enhancing comprehension and overall language skills.

7 understand a text very quickly while others read slowly and fail to understand what they read

Reading involves two key actions: studying with the eyes and comprehending with the brain, with understanding being the most important Effective reading requires not only visual recognition of words but also deep comprehension of the author's ideas and intentions Readers must go beyond mere surface reading to grasp the underlying thoughts and messages conveyed by the author This comprehensive approach enhances overall reading comprehension and enriches the learning experience.

2.1.1.2 The role of reading in learning

Reading is essential for understanding texts and achieving fluency in a foreign language According to Grabe (2009), developing strong reading skills directly impacts future success and opportunities Ensuring every individual has access to effective reading instruction is a crucial societal responsibility, especially in helping learners become proficient second-language (L2) readers.

Reading plays a crucial role in language learning, offering significant benefits to learners According to William (1984), the advantages of reading include providing learners with additional practice in the target language, which enhances their overall linguistic knowledge It also allows learners to apply their language skills across other areas such as speaking and writing, as comprehension is essential for understanding Additionally, reading helps learners effectively extract information from texts, thereby improving their cognitive abilities and overall intelligence.

Reading offers numerous benefits that accelerate language learning, making it an essential skill for learners Improved reading skills positively impact listening, speaking, and writing abilities, creating a well-rounded language competence Regular reading enhances vocabulary and grammar understanding through repeated exposure to words and patterns, aiding memory retention It also provides insight into various vocabulary and sentence structures, allowing learners to grasp their correct usage Additionally, reading is a flexible activity that learners can do independently, enabling personalized and consistent practice to boost language proficiency.

8 time as they wish on reading by themselves Language learners are able to practice reading skill whenever they want The skill does not extremely depend on others

Reading is a complex cognitive process involving decoding symbols to construct meaning, which enhances language acquisition, communication, and the sharing of ideas It is a dynamic interaction between the text and the reader, influenced by the reader’s prior knowledge, experiences, attitudes, and cultural and social context Developing strong reading skills requires ongoing practice and continuous improvement.

Readers employ various reading strategies to enhance decoding and comprehension, such as using morpheme, semantics, and syntax clues to understand unfamiliar words They integrate new vocabulary into their existing knowledge framework, following schemata theory to improve understanding While most reading involves decoding printed words on paper—like in books, magazines, or newspapers—or electronic displays such as computers, TVs, and e-readers, some forms of reading, like music notation or pictograms, are not based on speech systems These diverse reading methods highlight the importance of effective decoding skills for successful comprehension across different formats.

METHODOLOGY

An overview of Ben Thuy secondary school

Ben Thuy Secondary School, established in 1960 in Vinh City, offers a comprehensive curriculum that emphasizes the importance of English language learning Students in groups A, B, and C receive three periods of English instruction per week, while students in group D benefit from an intensive nine-period weeklyEnglish program This emphasis on English education aims to enhance students' language skills and prepare them for global opportunities.

Learners and learning requirements

This study involved 60 thirteen-year-old students from classes 7A and 7B at Ben Thuy Secondary School, all from Vinh City These young students often study English under pressure from their parents, leading to weak and unclear motivation Many find English challenging and tend to neglect it, typically approaching learning in a test-oriented manner rather than with genuine interest.

Teachers and teaching methods

Ben Thuy Secondary School's English teaching staff comprises seven teachers, including three males and four females aged between 25 and 45, with degrees from various Vietnamese universities and teaching experience ranging from 4 to 15 years Despite their enthusiasm and willingness to innovate teaching methods, their relatively young age and limited experience often present challenges in the classroom They tend to rely on traditional teaching approaches, primarily focusing on grammar translation, where grammar and vocabulary are emphasized in every lesson Typically, new words and structures are written on the blackboard, with immediate explanations of their meanings, leaving little room for students to predict or infer meanings from contextual clues.

Materials

Participants in this study used “Tieng Anh Thi Diem Lop 7,” the official English textbook published by the Vietnam Education Publishing House This standard textbook is specifically designed for seventh-grade students, offering appropriate grammar and vocabulary to support their English language learning.

The new English 7 curriculum includes twelve units spread across two terms, organized into four themes with two themes per term Each theme is divided into three units that cover specific topics, providing a structured learning pathway Students explore each topic through authentic dialogues and grammar instruction, building foundational language skills Before developing their reading, speaking, listening, and writing abilities, students become familiar with the theme through engaging real-life conversations Following each lesson, students participate in projects that encourage applying their knowledge to real-world situations, fostering practical language use.

The themes’ content in the book offers reading texts or communicational situations with information about the culture, people and language corresponding to the learners’ hobbies and interests

The pre-test and post-test were carefully designed with a similar number of words and familiar topics to accurately assess students’ reading comprehension These assessments aimed to measure students' progress by comparing their performance before and after the instructional period, ensuring reliable evaluation of their reading skills.

Six reading texts from the English 7 textbook were utilized to implement new teaching strategies The first text, from Unit 7 "Traffic," is approximately 110 words and includes a comprehension assignment to evaluate students' reading skills The second, from Unit 8 "Films," is about 155 words and also features a comprehension task to assess understanding The third text, from Unit 9 "Festivals Around the World," contains roughly 153 words with an accompanying comprehension exercise The fourth, from Unit 10 "Sources of Energy," spans about 160 words and includes a comprehension assessment The fifth, from Unit 11 "Traveling in the Future," has around 150 words with a related comprehension task The final text, from Unit 12 "An Overcrowded World," is approximately 162 words and comes with a comprehension activity, all aimed at enhancing students' reading comprehension skills.

Procedures

The procedures to get the data consists of the following stages:

1 Collecting data through pre-test, post-test and questionnaires

2 Clarifying the data into intended group

4 Describing the collected data presented in tables

5 Generalizing and giving comments and evaluation.

Tools for Data collection

The main instruments for data collection include questionnaires, pre and post tests

Survey questionnaires were chosen because large amounts of information can be collected from a larger number of people in a short period of time and a relatively cost effective way

The student questionnaire was designed to assess students' feelings and attitudes toward the reading process, with students instructed to answer honestly based on their personal experiences Comprising five questions (see Appendix D), the questionnaire aimed to gather meaningful insights into their perspectives To ensure privacy, students covered their desks with folders and were guided through the instructions by the author The author explained the purpose of the questionnaire, read each question and answer choices aloud, and allowed sufficient time for students to respond, facilitating an accurate and confidential data collection process.

The Vietnamese versions of the questionnaires were carefully designed to ensure all students grasp the main ideas, with structures and content aligned across versions Crafted within the Vietnamese cultural context, they aim to provide a comprehensive overview of each situation while capturing participants’ responses and reflections Technical terms were simplified for clear understanding, and questions were organized logically to guide respondents through the study’s themes The design was informed by the author's knowledge, observations, and experience to enhance relevance and effectiveness.

Sixty participants completed a 60-minute English general test consisting of 35 multiple-choice questions (Appendix C) prior to treatment The test results were used to assess their initial English proficiency levels.

31 as a criteria to divide the 60 students in to two groups named control group and treatment group

The researcher initially introduced students to the concept of graphic organizers and demonstrated how to use them effectively while reading texts Students were trained to select and utilize different graphic organizers tailored to various types of passages, enhancing their comprehension skills They learned to apply a range of existing graphic organizers and progressively began creating their own customized tools These graphic organizers were employed at all three stages of learning—before, during, and after instruction—to reinforce understanding and retention of the material.

The control group received identical instructional materials as the experimental group but did not utilize graphic organizers during the reading process Instead, they relied on traditional methods, such as rereading passages to grasp content and answer comprehension questions While they were able to understand the overall meaning of the passages, they struggled with identifying and classifying key elements like the main idea, topic sentence, and supporting details.

The pre-test, adapted from a Cambridge A1 reading passage of 160 words suitable for 7th-grade students, was administered to assess reading comprehension Participants timed their reading using a stopwatch, answered comprehension questions, and recorded their reading time on a chart This test aimed to evaluate students’ reading ability and understanding of the passage.

Six reading lessons were conducted as part of the regular English reading session for both groups Each lesson structured 30 minutes of standard instruction, followed by 15 minutes dedicated to rereading the text and engaging in additional activities The lessons began with the teacher introducing key vocabulary and grammatical structures, followed by the use of graphic organizers to help students identify main ideas To assess comprehension, the teacher administered questions, including multiple-choice items, and collected all student responses to evaluate understanding.

In a series of six practice reading lessons, the author effectively utilized four types of graphic organizers—mind maps, KWL charts, 5W questions, and Venn diagrams—applied appropriately across pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading stages These visual tools significantly enhance students' reading comprehension by helping them organize information, activate prior knowledge, and analyze content more effectively Incorporating diverse graphic organizers into reading instruction supports active engagement and promotes deeper understanding of texts, making the learning process more interactive and impactful.

Engaging students in this activity helps activate their prior knowledge and stimulates their interest, encouraging full participation It also aids students in identifying the sequence of events, which enhances their understanding of the material As a result, students improve their reading comprehension skills at the reorganization level, leading to better overall comprehension.

The author introduced this activity in pre-reading stage and post-reading stage

At first, before they read the text, the author told the students to share some information, for example:

What you already know about the topic

What you want to know about the topic

After students finished reading the text, the teacher asked, "What did you learn in the lesson?" This encourages students to reflect on their learning and reinforces comprehension Utilizing the KWL strategy helps students activate their prior knowledge (schema) and identify the main ideas of the text, enhancing understanding and retention.

The authors divided the students into groups of four and asked them to discuss five questions in the chart as follows:

Who is the text about?

What happened in the text?

Students analyzed the chart to identify relationships between characters, events, times, places, and reasons, helping them develop essential skills in summarizing and understanding text This activity enhances their ability to gather and retain important information, boosting comprehension and memory Engaging with visual data like charts fosters critical thinking and reinforces their understanding of how different story elements connect Overall, interpreting charts to summarize content supports improved academic performance and information retention.

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This activity engaged students in identifying differences and similarities among sets or groups of objects, enhancing their comparison and contrast skills By drawing circles to illustrate their ideas, students analyzed and synthesized information from texts, fostering deeper understanding Practicing these exercises improves reading comprehension at both inferential and evaluative levels, strengthening their analytical abilities.

Following the six practice reading lessons, all participants will complete a post-test, identical in procedure to the pre-test Both control and treatment groups will be given a 165-word English passage, selected from Cambridge tests appropriate for seventh graders, and asked to read it while timing themselves with a stopwatch Participants will record their reading times on a time chart, allowing for consistent measurement of reading fluency before and after the intervention.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION

Tiêu đề	A Study on Using Graphic Organizers to Improve Reading Comprehension Skills for Secondary School Students
Tác giả	Đặng Thị Thanh Thùy
Người hướng dẫn	Dr. Nguyen Thi Kim Anh
Trường học	Vinh University
Chuyên ngành	Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Thể loại	Master’s thesis in education
Năm xuất bản	2017
Thành phố	Nghệ An

Định dạng
Số trang	69
Dung lượng	1,61 MB