Using Discourse Structure-Based Graphic Organizers (GOs) in Developing EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension

This study investigated the effectiveness of discourse structure-based graphic organizers (GOs) on intermediate students’ reading comprehension. It also compared the students who used discourse structure-based GOs as a post-reading activity to those who were involved in conventional method of reading post-activities. Ninety second year students were non-randomly selected at Azad Abadan University. They enrolled in Reading III classes. Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT) was administered to assess the learners proficiency level. Thus 70 learners whose scores indicated their level of proficiency was intermediate were randomly divided in two equal experimental and control groups. They took a pre-test of reading comprehension designed based on their text book Active Skills for Reading 3 , developed by Anderson (2008). The experimental group analyzed the textual structures based on the frameworks of GOs and discussed the cohesive and coherent devices in each passage while the control group read the passage and do the textbook exercises including using new words, fill in the blanks, true/false, comprehension questions, etc. After 15 sessions of treatment, both groups took a post-test of reading comprehension. Data were analyzed through Independent and Paired Samples t-test. Results revealed that the students who worked on discourse structure-based GOs as a post-reading activity performed significantly better than their counterparts. The implications of this study for EFL teachers could be used in reading comprehension classrooms to familiar the learners with graphical structures of the reading passages and discover textual structures of various text types.