The Effect of In-text Antecedent Identification on Reading Comprehension Development of Post-elementary Students

Abstract

Nowadays English as an international language has attracted a lot of attentions. Enabling students to read and comprehend different passages is a goal in the field of education in Iran where English is a foreign language. The present study aimed at examining the effect of in-text antecedent identification on reading comprehension development of post-elementary students. In order to test this hypothesis, two classes in a high school were selected, each class with 35 students. The two groups took the Nelson test; and comparing the means through t-test showed that these two groups were homogeneous. In order to conduct this research, 8 sessions of instruction were carried out. The passages used were the same for both groups (experimental and control groups), but for experimental group the antecedents of pronouns were provided next to them in parentheses. After 8 sessions of instruction, two groups took a test with 5 reading passages and 30 questions as post-test. The data obtained from the groups were compared through t-test, and the researcher concluded that in-text antecedent identification had a positive effect on reading comprehension of post-elementary students.