tailieunhanh - The effect of brainstorming on EFL reading comprehension

This study investigates the effect of brainstorming techniques on EFL learners’ reading comprehension. The experiment in this study involved a treatment group and a control group, both of which were following an English course at a language centre in Vietnam. The treatment group were trained in brainstorming techniques during reading lessons whereas the control group were not. | THE EFFECT OF BRAINSTORMING ON EFL READING COMPREHENSION Tran Thi Ngoc Yen* Vinh University, 182 Le Duan, Vinh, Nghe An, Vietnam Received 27 February 2017 Revised 21 May 2017; Accepted 28 November 2017 Abstract: This study investigates the effect of brainstorming techniques on EFL learners’ reading comprehension. The experiment in this study involved a treatment group and a control group, both of which were following an English course at a language centre in Vietnam. The treatment group were trained in brainstorming techniques during reading lessons whereas the control group were not. Comparisons between the two groups’ average scores on pre-test and post-test and their comprehension improvement during the course showed that the treatment group outperformed the control group and thus confirmed that brainstorming has a positive impact on EFL reading comprehension. Keywords: brainstorming, EFL reading, reading comprehension 1. Introduction Brainstorming has been considered an effective method in teaching (Fernald & Nickolenko, 1993). The principles and rules for using brainstorming techniques in teaching have been discussed in a few studies (Osborn, 1953; Feather, 2004). These techniques allow learners to generate and express their ideas in a systematic way that in turns facilitate the learning process. Yet little research has attempted to examine the benefits that brainstorming techniques may bring to the teaching of specific language skills. Previous research has only focused on how brainstorming works and investigated its relationship with critical thinking. Regarding the teaching of reading skills, although several studies have reported that training in brainstorming facilitates reading comprehension (Richards, 1990; Ghabanchi and Behrooznia, 2014), there is still insufficient data to confirm that this technique can be effectively used as a pre-reading  * Tel.: 84-948287264 Email: yenttn@ activity. This indicates a need to understand the .