A comparative study of the effect of translation and lexical
elaboration on reading comprehension of Iranian EFL learners Cover Image

A comparative study of the effect of translation and lexical elaboration on reading comprehension of Iranian EFL learners
A comparative study of the effect of translation and lexical elaboration on reading comprehension of Iranian EFL learners

Author(s): Iraj Elyasi, Ali Soltani, Mohammad Reza Oroji, Giti Karimkhanlouei
Subject(s): Education, Foreign languages learning, Translation Studies
Published by: Birlesik Dunya Yenilik Arastirma ve Yayincilik Merkezi
Keywords: Elaboration; Translation; Reading Comprehension;

Summary/Abstract: Reading is an essential component of second language acquisition. Reading in a second language is not mostly regarded as a monolingual issue due to the fact that L2 learners resort to their first language to help them comprehend L2 texts. Hence, one of the on-going challenges for language teachers is whether or not to use L1 in L2 instruction. The current study aimed at comparing the effectiveness of two instructional techniques of elaboration and translation for improving senior high school learners' reading comprehension. To do so, two groups were randomly selected and assigned into experimental and control groups. The reading comprehension texts were taught to the former group through elaboration and to the latter by translation as a traditional method which has commonly been employed by teachers nationwide. The analyses of the data obtained indicated a statistically significant difference between the translation group and the elaboration group. The elaboration group outperformed the translation group. The findings of the current study can have some crucial implications for second language teachers particularly those who seem highly reluctant to benefit from merits of reflective teaching and still insist on their traditional methods which have resulted in communicatively incompetent learners.

  • Issue Year: 3/2013
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 1-7
  • Page Count: 7
  • Language: English