This dissertation arises from an attempt to answer questions about whether Moroccan first and second year university students of English as a foreign language (EFL) need extensive reading in order to produce academic texts.
By using two different questionnaires, along with an extensive reading experiment at Mohammed V University, it has been possible to analyze and discuss both ethnographic and numerical data obtained from the aforementioned research instruments. The participants in the research were Moroccan university students and professors. Results indicate a myriad of shortcomings in the teaching of reading and writing in Moroccan higher education. Classroom activities demonstrate a lack of students’ engagement and interaction, especially in the reading session. Results also show students’ willingness and keenness to commence reading extensively because they feel empowered, confident, and fluent over time. Extensive reading (a receptive skill) and academic writing (a productive skill) are both interactive, constructive, and complementary. In extensive reading, students learn to increase their reading speed and comprehension while simultaneously expanding their lexicon, whereas in academic writing they learn to think about the context, audience, and purpose of their piece of writing. In doing so, they learn to write with simplicity, accuracy, clarity, and an analytical eye.
For students, these skills are new and they will ipso facto get used to them after they start writing. Development of literacy de facto relies enormously upon effective learning of reading and writing, for students consume knowledge through the former and produce it through the latter. Given this, both extensive reading and academic writing can solidly transform students into future writers, scholars, thinkers, and academics whose intellectual contributions will change the course of our country for the better. Therefore, the pedagogy adopted for the teaching of reading and writing in Moroccan higher education should be reconsidered.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
Introduction
Objectives
Research Questions
Organization of the Study
CHAPTER I: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
Introduction
I.1 Literacy: Definitions
I.1.1 The Importance of Reading
I.2 Extensive Reading
I.2.1 Definitions
I.2.2 Characteristics of Extensive Reading
I.3 Graded Readers
I.3.1 Characteristics of Proficient Readers
I.3.2 Roles of Extensive Reading Teachers
I.4 Writing and the EFL Learners
I.5 Views of Reading
I.6 Reading Approaches
I.6.1 Bottom-up Reading Approach
I.6.2 Top-down Reading Approach
I.6.3 Interactive Reading Approach
1.6.4 Schema Theory
I.7 Academic Writing
I.7.1 Definitions
I.7.2 Codes and Conventions of Academic Writing
I.7.3 Types of Academic Writing
I.8 The Significance of Writing
1.8.1 Writing Differences: L1 Vs. L2
I.9 The Product-Based Approach
I.10 The Process Writing Approach
I.11 Descriptive Writing
I.11.1 Characteristics of Descriptive Writing
I. 12 Effects of Reading on the Development of Academic Writing
I.13 Reconnecting Reading and Writing Models
I.14 Conclusion
CHAPTER II: DATA COLLECTION AND CLASSIFICATION
Introduction
II.1 Data Collection Methods
II.1.1 Quantitative Research
II.1.2 Questionnaire
II.1.3 Observation
II.1.3.1 Types of Observation
II.2 Description of Target Population
II.3 Instrumentation
II.4 Validity and Reliability of the Questionnaire
II.4.1 Types of Reliability
II.4.2 Establishing Reliability and Validity in Students’ Questionnaire
II.4.3 Description of Students’ Questionnaire
II.5 The Distribution of Informants by Age, Gender, and Education Level
1-Background Information
II.5.1 The Distribution of Informants by Age
II.5.2 The Distribution of Informants by Gender
II.5.3 The Distribution of Informants by Education Level
II.6 Data Classified According to Subsections
II.6.1 Interest and Importance
II.6.2 Characteristics and Obstacles of Academic Writing
II.6.3 Connection between Extensive Reading and Academic Writing
II.7 Professors’ Questionnaire
II.8 The Extensive Reading Experiment at Mohammed V University
II.8.1Validity and Credibility of the Writing Test (Descriptive writing)
II.8.2 The Pre-Test
II.8.3 The Post-Test
II.9 Conclusion
CHAPTER III: DATA ANALYSIS
Introduction
III.1 Data Analyzed According to Subsections
III.1.1 Background Information
III.1.1.1 The Age Group of Informants
III.1.1.2 The Informants’ Gender
III.1.1.3 The Informants’ Education Level
III.2 Interest and Importance
III.3 Characteristics and Obstacles of Academic Writing
III.4 Connection between Extensive Reading and Academic Writing
III.5 Professors’ Questionnaire
III.6 Conclusion
CHAPTER IV: DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
Introduction
IV.1 Discussion and Analysis
IV.1.1 The Pre-Test Results
IV.1.2 The Post-Test Results
IV.2 Recommendations for Syllabus Designers: “An Extensive Reading Program Sample”
IV.2.1The Extensive Reading Program Design
IV.2.2 Learners’ Motivation and Interest
IV.2.3 Teacher's Skill and Preparation
IV.2.4 The Program
IV.2.5 Goals of the Program
IV.2.6 The Learning Environment
IV.2.7 Resources
IV.3 Writing Recommendations
IV.4 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This dissertation investigates the potential impact, interaction, and affinity between extensive reading and the production of academic English writing among Moroccan university students. It seeks to understand whether integrating extensive reading into the curriculum can help bridge the gap in academic literacy, ultimately aiming to transform students into more confident, fluent, and analytical writers by rethinking the pedagogical approach to reading and writing instruction in Moroccan higher education.
- The reciprocal cognitive and linguistic benefits of extensive reading for academic writing development.
- Pedagogical challenges and current shortcomings in teaching reading and writing within Moroccan higher education.
- Practical design of extensive reading programs to enhance student motivation and literacy.
- The role of teacher intervention and student autonomy in the extensive reading process.
- Strategies for reconnecting receptive reading skills with productive academic writing tasks.
Excerpt from the Book
I.1.1 The Importance of Reading
Reading is unquestionably of paramount importance in language acquisition. It inspires and fuels learners’ creativity, unlike watching movies in which everything is determined by the director or producer. Similarly, it allows students to create in their minds how a particular character looks like or imagine how a scene is acted out. Accordingly, reading enables students to exercise and cultivate their creative thinking skills. More importantly, developing reading skills can tremendously improve students’ ability to grasp convoluted concepts and thoughts. In short, reading develops critical thinking and helps students become not only good writers, but also competent future scholars and researchers.
According to the testimonies of numerous students at Mohammed V University who major in English Studies, along with around 80% of the participants stressed that they constantly encounter the demanding tasks of reading an immense amount of lengthy and complex pieces of English and American literature (short stories, novellas, novels, and plays) in a variety of forms and covering an array of subjects. In fact, most students dislike reading in English because the elements of interest, pleasure, and enthusiasm are unfortunately absent, largely due to tedious reading materials and orthodox teaching methods. For Van and Gustafson, “insights gained from investigating how successful reading comprehension comes about—and why it may fail—are of great value for the development of instructional programs, design of textbooks, diagnosis of reading problems, and other educational practices” (1999: 15). In other words, reading ought to be an active and fluent process that involves meaning construction as a result of reader-text interplay. Often, however, it is not. This results in academic failure in the foreign language instruction (Graesser, Singer, and Trabasso, 1994). Given this problem, it is important to provide basic solutions to help students read in English and enjoy what they read.
Summary of Chapters
INTRODUCTION: Defines the research objectives, core research questions, and outlines the organization of the study in relation to Moroccan higher education.
CHAPTER I: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE: Provides a theoretical framework by defining extensive reading, academic writing, and exploring the pedagogical models that connect these two fundamental literacy skills.
CHAPTER II: DATA COLLECTION AND CLASSIFICATION: Describes the quantitative research methodology, including the use of questionnaires and an extensive reading experiment conducted at Mohammed V University.
CHAPTER III: DATA ANALYSIS: Details the analysis of the collected data, presenting findings from the student and professor questionnaires regarding their habits, interests, and perceptions of reading and writing.
CHAPTER IV: DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS: Discusses the results of the extensive reading experiment, provides practical recommendations for syllabus design, and offers specific strategies to improve academic writing skills.
Keywords
Extensive Reading, Academic Writing, EFL (English as a Foreign Language), Moroccan Higher Education, Literacy Development, Language Acquisition, Graded Readers, Pedagogical Reform, Reading Comprehension, Writing Proficiency, Classroom Interaction, Student Motivation, Language Pedagogy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The research explores the relationship between extensive reading and the production of academic English writing among Moroccan EFL university students, investigating whether reading extensively can foster better writing skills.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
Central themes include the cognitive benefits of reading for writing, the role of pleasure and motivation in language learning, pedagogical strategies for integration, and the specific challenges faced by Moroccan students.
What is the main goal of this dissertation?
The primary goal is to examine the impact and affinity between extensive reading and academic writing to advocate for a reconsideration of current teaching pedagogies in Moroccan higher education.
Which scientific methods were employed?
The study uses a quantitative approach, involving two different questionnaires (one for students and one for professors) and an extensive reading experiment conducted at Mohammed V University.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The body covers a review of literature regarding literacy and reading approaches, the classification of collected research data, the analysis of these data, and a discussion of results paired with recommendations for syllabus designers.
Which keywords characterize this study?
The study is characterized by keywords such as Extensive Reading, Academic Writing, EFL, Moroccan Higher Education, Literacy Development, and Language Pedagogy.
How does the author define extensive reading in this context?
The author describes extensive reading as a pedagogical procedure designed to facilitate language acquisition through reading large quantities of material for pleasure and general understanding, prioritizing fluency over linguistic dissection.
What specific findings emerged from the experiment at Mohammed V University?
The experiment demonstrated that students who engaged in the extensive reading program showed improved fluency, better command of cohesive devices, and increased confidence, which positively influenced the quality of their descriptive writing.
- Citar trabajo
- Housseine Bachiri (Autor), 2017, The Need for Extensive Reading in the Production of English Academic Writing by Non-English Speakers, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/379286
