The Islamic University of Gaza Deanery of Graduate studies Faculty of Education Curriculum & English Teaching Methods Department The Impact of Using Written Retelling Strategy on Improving Reading Comprehension Achievement and Retention for Ninth Graders in Palestine presented by Reem Yahia Mohammad Al manyrawi Supervised by Prof. Abed Al Moetee Al Agha Dr. Sadeq Firwana A Thesis Submitted to the Curriculum & English Teaching Methods Department- Faculty of Education in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Master Degree in Education 2013 Dedication To my dear husband, Who constantly encouraged and supported me to complete this journey. To my parents, Who always prayed Allah to help me in my endeavors To my son Mohammad and my daughters Lena and Lama, Who suffered during these years. To my brothers and sisters, who supported and encouraged me a lot. I dedicate this work. i Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to give praise to the Almighty God for blessing me with all needed skills to complete this dissertation and program. Deep and sincere thanks are due to my supervisors Prof. Abed Al Moatee Al Agha and Dr. Sadek Firwana for their guidance and support throughout this dissertation. Special thanks are due to the referees' committee, who guided and helpedto put my tools in the best form. Deep thanks to Mrs. Zulfa Bader Al-Deen for her precious advice which helped me a lot in conducting this dissertation. Special thanks to my husband who encouraged and helped me a lot to finish this work. Deep thanks and regards are due to my family and friends, especially my beloved parents and my sole dear sister, Elham. ii Abstract The Impact of Using Written Retelling Strategy on Improving Reading Comprehension Achievement and Retention for Ninth Graders in Palestine The study aims at investigating the effectiveness of using written retelling strategy(WRS) on improving reading comprehension achievement and retention. The study handles the following reading comprehension skills, retention of information embedded in the reading text, relating to real life experience and expressing opinions. To answer the questions of the study, the researcher adopted the quasi- experimental approach. The researcher purposively select a representative sample of (72) ninth graders from Amena Bent Wahab Secondary School for girls in Rafah. The participants were distributed into two equivalent groups, each of which consisted of (36) students. WRS was used in teaching the experimental group, while the traditional method was used with the control one during the second term of the school year (2011-2012).An achievement test was designed and validated to be used as a pre–post test. In addition, the researcher prepared an interview to investigate students' opinions towards the written retelling strategy as a new strategy in learning reading texts. The data of the study were analyzed by using T-test independent sample. Effect size technique was used to measure the effect size of written retelling strategy on the experimental group in each scope of the text. The results of the study revealed that the written retelling strategy was effective in improving reading comprehension achievement and retention. Taking into account this large impact that the findings showed, the researcher recommends the use of WRS to develop reading comprehension skills and retention. Moreover, she recommends the use of the same strategy to develop other English language skills and other school subjects, as well. iii Abstract in Arabic و مهفلا و ةءارقلا تاراهم نيسحت يف ايباتك عوضوملا درس ةداعإ ةيجيتارتسإ مادختسا رثأ نيطسلف يف يساسلأا عساتلا فصلا تابلاط ىدل ركذتلا ةساردلا صخلم عقوتملا نسحتلا ىدم ىمع ايباتك عوضوملا درس ةداعإ ةيجيترا تسإ مادختسا ةيلاعف ىدم نايب ىلإ ةسرا دلا هذى فديت ةيوناثلا بىو تنب ونمآ ةسردمب يساسلأا عساتلا فصلا تابلاط ىدل ركذتلاو ميفلاو ةءرا قلا تراايم يف وثودح يف تدرو يتلا تامومعملا عاجرتسا يى اينيسحت فديتسملا تراايملا ركذلاب ريدجلا نمو .حفر ةظفاحب تانبمل وبش جينملا ةثحابلا تمدختسا .اييف ةبمطمل يصخشلا يرأ لا ءادباو ةيقيقحلا ةيتايحلا فقاوملاب ايطبر و ,صنلا عساتلا فصلا تابلاط نم ةبلاط 27نم ةفلؤم ةيئاوشع ةنيع تر اتخا ثيح ةسرادلا ةمئسأ ىمع ةباجلإل يبيرجتلا اينم لك نوكتت ,ةيبيرجت ةيناثلا و ةطباض ىلولأا :نيتعومجم ىمع يواستلاب ايتعزوو بىو تنب ونمآ ةسردم يف يف ايباتك عوضوملا درس ةداعإ ةيجيترا تسإ مادختسا ىمع ابيردت ةيبيرجتلا ةعومجملا تقمت دقلو . ةبلاط 63 نم امك ,تراايملا سفن ةسرا دل ً ايديمقت ً ابيردت ةطباضلا ةعومجملا تقمت امنيب ركذتلا و ميفلاو ةءرا قلا ترا ايم ةسرا د لوصحمل ايئاصحإ نيناحتملاا يف تابلاطلا تاباجإ ليمحتب تماق و ,ىدعبو يمبق ً ايميصحت ً اناحتما ةثحابلا تقبط مدقتلا ىوتسم ناك امنيب ةيبيرجتلا ةعومجممل ةبسنلاب ةيباجيا جئاتنلا تءاج .جمانربلا ذيفنت دعبو لبق جئاتنلا يمع لوح تابلاطلا ءراآ يمع علاطلال ةمباقم دادعإب ةثحابلا تماق امك .ةطباضلا ةعومجملا تابلاط ىدل افيعض دقف ثحبلا جئاتن ىلإ ً ادانتساو .ةمىافلا ةءراقلا ةرايم ممعت يف ايباتك عوضوملا درس ةداعإ ةيجيتراتسإ مادختسا تصوأ امك ركذتلاو ميفلاو ةءرا قلا تراايم ريوطتل ايباتك عوضوملا درس ةداعإ ةيجيتراتسإ مادختساب ةثحابلا تصوأ .ىرخلأا ةيسرادلا داوملا ىلإ ةفاضلإاب ىرخلأا ةيزيمجنلاا ةغملا تراايم نيسحت يف ةيجيترا تسلإا هذى مادختساب iv Table of Contents Dedication ......................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgements............................................................................................................ ii Abstract ............................................................................................................................ iii Abstract in Arabic ............................................................................................................ iv Table of Contents ............................................................................................................. v List of tables .................................................................................................................. viii List of Charts ................................................................................................................... ix List of Appendixes .......................................................................................................... ix List of Abbreviations ........................................................................................................ x Chapter I Study Background ....................................................................................... 0 1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 1 1.2 The need and rational for the study: ..................................................................... 3 3.5 Statement of the problem: ..................................................................................... 3 3.6 Research questions : ............................................................................................. 4 3.7 Research Hypotheses: ........................................................................................... 5 3.8 Purpose of the Study: ............................................................................................ 6 3.9 Significance of the Study: ..................................................................................... 6 1.8 Limitations of the Study: ...................................................................................... 7 3.; Definitions of the operational terms: .................................................................... 7 Chapter II Literature Review ...................................................................................... 10 Section (A): Theoretical Framework .......................................................................... 11 2.1 Retelling strategy ................................................................................................ 11 4.3.3 What is retelling? ......................................................................................... 11 4.3.4 Retelling is not recalling: ............................................................................. 12 4.3.5 History of telling and retelling: ................................................................... 12 4.3.6 Variations of Retelling:................................................................................ 13 4.3.7 Similarities and differences between written and oral retellings: ................ 15 4.3.8 Strategies of retelling : ................................................................................. 16 2.1.7 Teacher's role in retelling process: .............................................................. 16 2.1.8 Advantages of retelling: ............................................................................... 17 2.1.9 Advantages of retelling for the teacher:....................................................... 18 4.4 Reading Comprehension ..................................................................................... 18 2.2.1 What is reading comprehension: ................................................................. 18 4.4.4 The relation between retelling and reading comprehension: ....................... 19 2.2.3 Reading Theories: ....................................................................................... 20 4.4.6 Reading sub -skills:...................................................................................... 22 v 4.4.7 The relation between retelling, comprehension theories and reading strategies: ................................................................................................................. 26 4.4.8 What is the difference between summarizing and retelling ? ...................... 27 4.4.9 Levels of Reading Comprehension: ............................................................ 27 4.4.: The relation between levels of comprehension and retelling: ..................... 29 Section (B): Previous Studies ..................................................................................... 29 2.3 Studies related to the effect of written retellings on improving language skills. 30 2.4 Studies related to the effect of written retellings on improving reading comprehension ............................................................................................................ 35 2.5 Studies related to the effect of written retellings on improving reading comprehension achievement and retention ................................................................ 41 2.6 Summary of the findings of previous studies .................................................... 43 2.7 Summary: ............................................................................................................ 46 Chapter III The Methodology ..................................................................................... 47 5.3 Research design: ................................................................................................. 48 3.2 Sample of the study: ........................................................................................... 48 5.5 Study variables: .................................................................................................. 49 3.3.1 The independent variable:............................................................................ 49 3.3.2 The dependent variable: ............................................................................... 49 3.4 Instrumentation: .................................................................................................. 50 3.4.1 Achievement test: ........................................................................................ 50 5.6.4 Focus Group Interview: .............................................................................. 58 5.7 Controlling the variables ..................................................................................... 59 5.7.3 Age variable: ................................................................................................ 59 3.5.2 General achievement variable: ................................................................... 60 5.7.5 General achievement in English language variable: ................................... 61 5.7.6 Variable of previous reading comprehension learning: ............................... 61 3.6 Statistical Analysis Procedures ........................................................................... 62 3.7 Description of the intervention: .......................................................................... 63 5.9.3 Content of the intervention's material: ......................................................... 63 5.9.4 Validity of the intervention' material: .......................................................... 64 3.7.3 The purpose of the intervention: .................................................................. 64 3.7.4 Objectives of written retelling strategy: ...................................................... 64 3.7.5 Steps of reading comprehension and written retelling strategy: .................. 64 Chapter IV Data Analysis ............................................................................................ 66 4.1 The first hypothesis: .......................................................................................... 67 4.2 The second hypothesis: ....................................................................................... 70 4.3 The third hypothesis: ......................................................................................... 71 vi 4.4 The fourth hypothesis: ........................................................................................ 72 4.5 Focus group interview Findings: ........................................................................ 73 4.6 Summary: ............................................................................................................ 75 Chapter V Findings, Discussion, Conclusion, and Recommendations .................... 76 7.3 Interpretation of the results of the first hypothesis: .......................................... 77 7.4 Interpretations of the results of the second hypothesis: ...................................... 79 5.3 Interpretations of the results of the third hypothesis: ......................................... 80 5.4 Interpretations of the results the fourth hypothesis: .......................................... 82 5.5 Conclusions: ....................................................................................................... 83 5.6 Recommendations: ............................................................................................. 84 5.6.1 Teachers are recommended to: .................................................................... 84 5.6.2 Supervisors are recommended to: ................................................................ 84 5.6.3 Course designers are recommended to: ....................................................... 85 5.6.4 Recommendations for further studies: ........................................................ 85 References...................................................................................................................... 86 Appendices .................................................................................................................... 95 vii List of tables Table (1) Distribution of the study sample ................................................................... 49 Table (2) Table of test specifications ............................................................................. 50 Table (3) Internal Consistency Validity ......................................................................... 53 Table (4) Split half coefficients of the test domains ..................................................... 54 Table (5) (K-R20) coefficients of the test domains ....................................................... 55 Table (6) Difficulty coefficient for each item of the test ............................................... 56 Table (7) Discrimination coefficient for each item of the test ....................................... 57 Table (8) T-test results of controlling age variable ........................................................ 60 Table (9) T-test results of controlling general achievement variable ............................ 60 Table (10) T-test results of controlling English achievement variable .......................... 61 Table (11) T.test results of previous reading comprehension learning .......................... 62 Table (12) T-test independent sample results of differences between experimental and control group in the post test. ......................................................................... 68 Table (13) The table references to determine the level of size effect (η2) and (d) ........ 69 Table (14) "t" value, eta square "η2 " , and "d" for each ability and the total degree..... 70 Table (15) T-test differences between the experimental and the control groups in the post test in retention sub- skill ....................................................................... 71 Table (16) T-test differences between the experimental and the control groups in the post test in Relating text to personal experience sub-skill .......................... 72 Table (17) T-test differences between the experimental and the control groups in the post test in expressing opinions sub- skill ...................................................... 73 viii List of Charts Chart (1) Variations of Retelling ................................................................................... 13 List of Appendixes Appendix (1) Achievement Test .................................................................................... 96 Appendix (2) Focus group interview ........................................................................... 109 Appendix (3)The study intervention's material ........................................................... 112 Appendix (4) Referee Committee ................................................................................ 132 Appendix (5) Permission for Applying the Tools in Governorate Schools................. 133 ix