Experimental Comparison of Promotion Effect for EFL Reading Comprehension between Conventional Summarization and Toulmin Argument Reconstruction

Abstract

Summarization is a conventional task to promote reading comprehension. However, because it is impossible to diagnose the summary immediately and accurately, it is not easy to realize formative feedback for ongoing reading comprehension. To solve this issue, we have proposed Viat-map reconstruction as a task for promotion of reading comprehension. Viat-map is a three-component (Data, Warrant and Claim) representation of the Toulmin Argument. Reconstruction means that a learner is required to reconstruct a Viat-map prepared by an expert by using provided components. By comparing the reconstructed map with the original map, it is possible to realize immediate and accurate diagnosis and ongoing formative feedback for the reading comprehension. We have conducted a comparative experiment of promotion effect for EFL reading comprehension between conventional summarization and Viat-map reconstruction. Fifty-eight second year students of Information Technology Department from State Polytechnic of Malang, Indonesia were involved in the experiments. All of them are using English as Foreign Language. The experiment was conducted in an English course Subject for three weeks. Experiment and control group were created equally based on the initial test of reading comprehension test. The experiment group was using Viat-map, while control group is using conventional summarization method. The result of the experiment was analyzed by using ANOVA statistical analysis and Holm’s Sequentially Rejective Bonferroni Procedure for POST Hoc analysis. The result shows that Viat-map reconstruction overachieved summarization and both groups can maintain the memory one week after the lesson. However, the delay-post test score for experiment group is higher than control group.