Cultural Familiarity and Reading Comprehension: The Effect of Culturally Nativized Texts on Reading Comprehension of Iranian EFL Learners

Table of Contents

• Approval Page………………………………………………………………………………………………………. II

Dedication…………………………………………………………………………………………………………… IV

Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………………………………….. V

Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. VI

Table of Contents……………………………………………………………………………………………….. VII

List of Tables………………………………………………………………………………………………………… X

List of Figures……………………………………………………………………………………………………… XI

List of Abbreviations…………………………………………………………………………………………… XII

1. Chapter one: Introduction

1.1. Preliminaries…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3

1.2. Statement of the Problem………………………………………………………………………………….. 7

1.3. Significance of the Study………………………………………………………………………………….. 8

1.4. Research Questions…………………………………………………………………………………………. 10

1.5. Null Hypotheses…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 10

1.6. Limitations of the Study………………………………………………………………………………….. 11

1.7. Definition of the Key Terms…………………………………………………………………………….. 12

2. Chapter Two: Review of the Related Literature

2.1. Theoretical Background…………………………………………………………………………………… 17

2.1.1. Reading Comprehension……………………………………………………………………………….. 17

2.1.1.1. Reading Comprehension Definitions……………………………………………………………. 17

2.1.1.2. Bottom-up and Top-down Models of Reading……………………………………………… 18

2.1.1.3. Interactive Model of Reading…………………………………………………………………….. 20

2.1.2. Background Knowledge……………………………………………………………………………….. 20

2.1.2.1. Background Knowledge Definitions……………………………………………………………. 21

2.1.2.2. Background Knowledge and Reading Comprehension………………………………….. 21

2.1.3. Schema and Schema Theory………………………………………………………………………….. 23

2.1.3.1. The Definitions of Schema and Schema Theory……………………………………………. 23

2.1.3.2. Different Types of Schemas……………………………………………………………………….. 26

2.1.4. Culture and Cultural Familiarity…………………………………………………………………….. 27

2.1.4.1. Culture Definitions……………………………………………………………………………………. 28

2.1.4.2. Cultural Knowledge/Familiarity………………………………………………………………….. 29

2.1.5. Cultural Adaptation/Nativization…………………………………………………………………… 32

2.2. Previous Research Findings……………………………………………………………………………… 35

2.2.1. Cultural Knowledge/Familiarity……………………………………………………………………. .35

2.2.2. Cultural Adaptation/Nativization…………………………………………………………………… 43

3. Chapter Three: Methodology

3.1. Subjects…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 55

3.2. Instruments and Materials……………………………………………………………………………….. 55

3.2.1. Quick Placement Test…………………………………………………………………………………… 55

3.2.2. Culturally Familiar Texts………………………………………………………………………………. 55

3.2.3. Foreign Texts………………………………………………………………………………………………. 56

3.2.4. Nativized Texts……………………………………………………………………………………………. 56

3.2.5. Reading Comprehension Tests………………………………………………………………………. 57

3.2.6. Attitude Questionnaire…………………………………………………………………………………. 57

3.3. Design of the Study………………………………………………………………………………………… 57

3.4. Data Collection Procedures……………………………………………………………………………… 58

3.5. Data Analysis…………………………………………………………………………………………………. 60

4. Chapter Four: Results

4.1. Overview………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 63

4.2. Quick Placement Test……………………………………………………………………………………… 63

4.3. Research Question 1……………………………………………………………………………………….. 64

4.4. Research Question 2……………………………………………………………………………………….. 65

4.5. Research Question 3……………………………………………………………………………………….. 68

4.6. Research Question 4……………………………………………………………………………………….. 69

4.7. Research Question 5………………………………………………………………………………………….70

5. Chapter Five: Discussion, Conclusion, and Implications

5.1. Overview………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 77

5.2. Restatement of the Problem…………………………………………………………………………….. 77

5.3. Summary of the Research Findings…………………………………………………………………… 79

5.4. Discussion……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 79

5.5. Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 85

5.6. Implications of the Study………………………………………………………………………………… 87

5.7. Suggestions for Further Research……………………………………………………………………… 88

6. References………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 90

7. Appendices……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 107

 

 

List of Tables

Table 4.1: Descriptive Statistics for the Proficiency Test Scores………………………..63

Table 4.2: Descriptive Statistics for the Learners’ Pretest and Posttest Performance……64

Table 4.3: Matched t-test for the Learners’ Pretest and Posttest Performance …………..64

Table 4.4: Descriptive Statistics for the Intermediate Learners’ Pretest and Posttest Performance within the Experimental and Control Groups……………………………………………..65

Table 4.5: Matched t-test for the Intermediate Learners’ Pretest and Posttest Performance within the Experimental and Control Groups ……………………………………………………66

Table 4.6: Descriptive Statistics for the Intermediate Learners’ Posttest Performance in the Experimental and Control Groups…………………………………………………………67

Table 4.7: Independent Samples t-test for the Intermediate Learners’ Posttest Performance in the Experimental and Control Groups…………………………………………………………67

Table 4.8: Descriptive Statistics for the Learners’ Pretest and Posttest Performance within the Elementary Group…………………………………………………………………………68

Table 4.9: Matched t-test for the Learners’ Pretest and Posttest Performance within the Elementary Group…………………………………………………………………………69

Table 4.10: Descriptive Statistics for the Learners’ Pretest and Posttest Performance within the Advanced Group………………………………………………………………………….70

Table 4.11: Matched t-test for the Learners Pretest and Posttest Performance within the Advanced Group…………………………………………………………………………..70

Table 4.12: Frequencies for EFL Learners’ Attitudes Towards Nativization………..….71

Table 4.13: Descriptive Statistics for the Learners’ Attitudes Towards Nativization……72

 

 

List of Figures

Figure 1: EFL Learners’ Attitudes Towards Nativization……………………………..73