Academic Genre Processing Strategies Among Tertiary Esl Readers

In recent years, the genre-based approach has progressively made inroads into English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and in particular English for Academic Purposes (EAP) research and practice to meet the learners‟ communicative needs. This study examined the reading processes of a selected group of...

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Main Author:	Latih, Hafizah
Format:	Thesis
Language:	English English
Published:	2009
Subjects:	English language - Study and teaching English language - Study and teaching - Foreign speakers English language - Study and teaching (Higher) - Foreign speakers
Online Access:	http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/12330/1/FBMK_2009_26A.pdf
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id	my-upm-ir.12330
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spelling	my-upm-ir.123302013-05-27T07:51:41Z Academic Genre Processing Strategies Among Tertiary Esl Readers 2009-11 Latih, Hafizah In recent years, the genre-based approach has progressively made inroads into English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and in particular English for Academic Purposes (EAP) research and practice to meet the learners‟ communicative needs. This study examined the reading processes of a selected group of tertiary students majoring in English Language Studies when reading a research article (RA) in their discipline of study. Using a case study method sited within the exploratory-interpretive paradigm, the present study qualitatively looked into the reading behaviours of six ESL readers with average command of the language while engaging with the RA vis-à-vis the strategies they utilized to comprehend the RA. The study also probed the readers‟ rhetorical awareness of the RA genre, the reading problems they faced, and how these factors have shaped their reading behaviours. Data were gathered via several instruments i.e., text-labelling and sequencing tasks, reading comprehension task, written recall task, think-aloud protocols, and retrospective interview. To complement the qualitative data, two surveys were conducted using the Revised Approaches to Studying Inventory (RASI) and the Metacognitive Awareness (MCA) questionnaire involving 42 final year ELS students. The RASI was employed to examine the extent to which the subjects utilized certain approaches to their studying i.e., whether they employed a „surface‟ or „deep‟ approach in coping with their study tasks. The MCA was used to measure the students‟ perceptions about their metacognitive awareness when reading academic texts in the second language (L2). The qualitative analysis revealed that the readers‟ dependence on „local‟ or „bottomup‟ processing strategies had negatively affected their understanding of the RA and hence, their overall reading task performance. Results also indicated that their reading problems were probably caused by the presence of difficult words combined with the syntactic complexity peculiar to research genre in question as well as their unfamiliarity with research terminology. They generally seemed to possess some awareness of the rhetorical structure of the RA but their lack of understanding of the workings of this genre had quite clearly affected their comprehension and overall task performance. In the quantitative part of this study, the RASI survey indicated the students‟ relatively low academic self-confidence and a high tendency to adopt the „surface‟ rather than the „deep‟ approach in their learning. Analysis of the MCA responses revealed the students‟ equally low confidence levels when reading specialized academic text in the L2. Consequently, they were more inclined to use the „local‟ strategies when reading the RA. The findings of the study call for the implementation of an ESP/EAP genre-based framework in reading instruction to meet the readers‟ academic reading needs more effectively. Interventionist measures in the form of metacognitive strategy training and rhetorical consciousness-raising in L2 reading are equally crucial in that the students can be trained to read like the more expert readers of the disciplinary community. Students should also be given guidance on the proper approaches to studying while at the university so that their study practices are consistent with the aims of higher education. English language - Study and teaching English language - Study and teaching - Foreign speakers English language - Study and teaching (Higher) - Foreign speakers 2009-11 Thesis http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/12330/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/12330/1/FBMK_2009_26A.pdf application/pdf en public phd doctoral Universiti Putra Malaysia English language - Study and teaching English language - Study and teaching - Foreign speakers English language - Study and teaching (Higher) - Foreign speakers Faculty Of Moden Lenguege And Comunication English
institution	Universiti Putra Malaysia
collection	PSAS Institutional Repository
language	English English
topic	English language - Study and teaching English language - Study and teaching - Foreign speakers English language - Study and teaching (Higher) - Foreign speakers
spellingShingle	English language - Study and teaching English language - Study and teaching - Foreign speakers English language - Study and teaching (Higher) - Foreign speakers Latih, Hafizah Academic Genre Processing Strategies Among Tertiary Esl Readers
description	In recent years, the genre-based approach has progressively made inroads into English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and in particular English for Academic Purposes (EAP) research and practice to meet the learners‟ communicative needs. This study examined the reading processes of a selected group of tertiary students majoring in English Language Studies when reading a research article (RA) in their discipline of study. Using a case study method sited within the exploratory-interpretive paradigm, the present study qualitatively looked into the reading behaviours of six ESL readers with average command of the language while engaging with the RA vis-à-vis the strategies they utilized to comprehend the RA. The study also probed the readers‟ rhetorical awareness of the RA genre, the reading problems they faced, and how these factors have shaped their reading behaviours. Data were gathered via several instruments i.e., text-labelling and sequencing tasks, reading comprehension task, written recall task, think-aloud protocols, and retrospective interview. To complement the qualitative data, two surveys were conducted using the Revised Approaches to Studying Inventory (RASI) and the Metacognitive Awareness (MCA) questionnaire involving 42 final year ELS students. The RASI was employed to examine the extent to which the subjects utilized certain approaches to their studying i.e., whether they employed a „surface‟ or „deep‟ approach in coping with their study tasks. The MCA was used to measure the students‟ perceptions about their metacognitive awareness when reading academic texts in the second language (L2). The qualitative analysis revealed that the readers‟ dependence on „local‟ or „bottomup‟ processing strategies had negatively affected their understanding of the RA and hence, their overall reading task performance. Results also indicated that their reading problems were probably caused by the presence of difficult words combined with the syntactic complexity peculiar to research genre in question as well as their unfamiliarity with research terminology. They generally seemed to possess some awareness of the rhetorical structure of the RA but their lack of understanding of the workings of this genre had quite clearly affected their comprehension and overall task performance. In the quantitative part of this study, the RASI survey indicated the students‟ relatively low academic self-confidence and a high tendency to adopt the „surface‟ rather than the „deep‟ approach in their learning. Analysis of the MCA responses revealed the students‟ equally low confidence levels when reading specialized academic text in the L2. Consequently, they were more inclined to use the „local‟ strategies when reading the RA. The findings of the study call for the implementation of an ESP/EAP genre-based framework in reading instruction to meet the readers‟ academic reading needs more effectively. Interventionist measures in the form of metacognitive strategy training and rhetorical consciousness-raising in L2 reading are equally crucial in that the students can be trained to read like the more expert readers of the disciplinary community. Students should also be given guidance on the proper approaches to studying while at the university so that their study practices are consistent with the aims of higher education.
format	Thesis
qualification_name	Doctor of Philosophy (PhD.)
qualification_level	Doctorate
author	Latih, Hafizah
author_facet	Latih, Hafizah
author_sort	Latih, Hafizah
title	Academic Genre Processing Strategies Among Tertiary Esl Readers
title_short	Academic Genre Processing Strategies Among Tertiary Esl Readers
title_full	Academic Genre Processing Strategies Among Tertiary Esl Readers
title_fullStr	Academic Genre Processing Strategies Among Tertiary Esl Readers
title_full_unstemmed	Academic Genre Processing Strategies Among Tertiary Esl Readers
title_sort	academic genre processing strategies among tertiary esl readers
granting_institution	Universiti Putra Malaysia
granting_department	Faculty Of Moden Lenguege And Comunication
publishDate	2009
url	http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/12330/1/FBMK_2009_26A.pdf
_version_	1747811353146425344

Academic Genre Processing Strategies Among Tertiary Esl Readers

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