The Effect Of Summarization On Intermediate EFL Learners Reading Comprehension And Their Performance On Display, Referential And Inferential Questions

Abstract

This study examined the effect of summarization as a generative learning strategy of the readers' performance on reading comprehension, in general, and reading comprehension display, referential and inferential questions in particular. The subjects in this study were 61 high school students. They were assigned to two groups - control and experimental – each given the same texts taught by one of the researchers during ten sessions. In the control group, learners automatically used their own self-preferred strategies; but the experimental group was taught how to summarize the paragraphs. Then all were post-tested on their achievement of the instructed texts. The results revealed that the use of summarization did not have a significant effect on the readers' performance on display and inferential questions. As for the referential questions, however, the results demonstrated a significant effect for the use of summarization.