Date of Award

1-1-2000

Thesis Type

Masters

Document Type

Thesis

Divisions

Faculty of Education

Department

-

Institution

Universiti Malaya

Abstract

This piece of action research study investigates if the use of semantic mapping enhances reading comprehension. The study was conducted in a Form 6 ESL class in Sckolah Menengah Kcbangsaan Taman S.E.A. The purpose of th is study was to probe into the effec ti veness of semantic mapping as a reading comprehension strategy. It aimed at making students aware that understanding each individual word in a text was not necessary to understand the whole text. In essence, this study highlights the effect of the use of semantic mapping as a strategy to activate prior knowledge and enable students to connect ideas in an expository text. Four students in the Form 6 class were key informants. The first step in this ac tion research study in relation to this group of ESL students was to investigate their background and identify the specific problems that they faced in reading comprehension. The study highlighted two problems namely a problem with vocabulary and a problem with inadequate prior knowledge. The focus of the study was on the use of semantic mapping as an intervention strategy in response to the two specific problems. A three-pronged approach comprising a questionnaire, interviews with key informants and participat ion observation was used to collect data necessary for the investigat ion. Data analysis was carried out inductive ly. Key findi ngs indicated that semantic mapping was an effective strategy that helped students to activate prior knowledge and connect main ideas and supporting detai ls through visual representation. Semantic mapping helped to build bridges or connect the ideas in the text thus fac ili tating the comprehension of read ing texts.

Initial

snms

Additional Information

Dissertation (M.A) -- Faculty of Education, Universiti Malaya, 2000.

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