| Thesis Title |
IMPROVING READING COMPREHENSION OF EFL LEARNERS THROUGH EXTENSIVE READING IN AZAD JAMMU AND KASHMIR, PAKISTAN |
| Student Name |
AYESHA BIBI |
| Registration No. |
94-GMDG-1170 |
| Session |
2015-2018 |
| Program |
Ph.D |
| Faculty |
Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Department |
Department of English |
| Supervisor |
Dr. Nadeem Haider Bukhari |
| Abstract |
The present study aims to examine the improvement in the reading
comprehension of EFL learners through extensive reading in the universities of
Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. The research was carried out with the
assumption that an individual instruction in reading through graded readers inside
and outside the classroom improved reading comprehension of EFL learners at
university level. The present study employed a mixed-methods quantitativequalitative approach and utilized a stratified random sampling. A sample of 240
EFL students of graduate level was selected from different universities of the state
of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. They were observed as experimental
groups and control groups during one semester extensive reading program. As
gender is one of the variables of the present study. Hence, the performance of male
and female students was also observed. The sample of 120 students of experimental
groups was also given a questionnaire and 32 students were interviewed to obtain
their opinion and examine their perception towards extensive reading program.
The pre and post tests were employed to quantify the improvement of reading
comprehension before and after the implementation of extensive reading program.
The performance of experimental groups and control groups during pre and
posttests was investigated and analyzed statistically through paired samples t-test
and independent samples t-test. Further, effect size differences of pretest to posttest
for both experimental groups and control groups were also provided by using
Cohen’s d in order to confirm the practical significance that the effect is large enough
to be meaningful in the real world. The results reveal a significant improvement in
reading comprehension of the experimental groups after the treatment whereas no
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significant improvement was observed among the students of control groups.
Furthermore, no substantial gender difference was observed throughout the
current study. The qualitative analysis of the questionnaire and interview pointed
out optimistic attitude of the students of experimental groups towards extensive
reading experience over one semester. Thus, the qualitative results strengthen the
quantitative findings for better understating of the research problem. The results of
the study suggest positive effects of extensive reading on the students’ reading
comprehension of the target language. The current study recommends the
incorporation of extensive reading program in the curriculum at graduate level
across the state of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
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Soft Copy of Thesis Not Uploaded / Available
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