La lectura extensiva en la enseñanza de español como lengua extranjera

Författare

Sandra Håkansson

Summary, in English

This thesis was motivated by contradictory results from previous studies on reading describing foreign language learners in upper secondary school.

Methods based upon ideas by Palinscar & Brown, Cooper, Beck et al, and Krashen were tested on approximately 200 students studying Spanish in the first two years of upper secondary school in Sweden. The methods used are called reciprocal reading, key vocabulary and reading without instructions. (Free voluntary reading was also tested in a group that read four books during the school year). The students read literature as a part of their ordinary curriculum during a period of three weeks each semester.

The students in the group that had teachers explaining the key vocabulary before the reading sessions were the ones who made most progress in vocabulary and syntax. To predict, question, clarify and summarize together with peers (reciprocal reading) has a motivating effect and improves reading comprehension and self-confidence. In this study, just reading was the least successful strategy.

Other important factors are students’ own reading strategies and efforts like reading carefully, working with vocabulary lists and dictionaries.

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