The Impact of Implementing Graphic Organizers on Improving EFL Students’ Reading Comprehension of Narrative Texts and Motivation

This research investigated mainly the effectiveness of implementing graphic organizers (GOs) onimproving EFL students’ reading comprehension of narrative texts and motivation. EFL learnersmay face many difficulties when they analyze literary texts in terms of comprehending the storyline with all its elements of fiction. The study was conducted on EFL students enrolled in aliterature course at a university level. The data were collected using a mixed-method approachincluding quantitative data employing reading tests and questionnaires, and qualitative data usingclass observation. The study implemented three cycles, each one utilized a particular method ofteaching short stories. The results show that the students’ performance was significantly higherwhen the EFL learners used graphic organizers to comprehend the story line of short storieswhen compared to using the story grammar (SG), more specifically the linear pattern. Students’motivation was also enhanced in relation to reading and learning English literature. Theydeveloped more self-confidence and trusted their abilities to do well in literature classes. Theirlanguage anxiety was decreased as they improved in understanding narrative texts and were ableto perform better in class activities. They also exerted effort to participate and were willing towork independently on reading tasks. All of this resulted in enhancing their motivation.