A PROPOSED PROGRAM FOR ENHANCING READING ENGLISH IN THE FIELD OF SPECIALIZATION AMONG EDUCATIONAL-TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS AT THE FACULTY OF SPECIFIC EDUCATION AND ITS EFFECT ON THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARDS READING

Abstract

The ultimate objective of this study was to propose and test the validity of an ESP reading program designed to improve the reading ability and attitudes of educational-technology students, at the faculty of specific education. The reading comprehension skills of those students were identified and the current reading program were examined.

Three instruments were prepared and administered: I) A Reading Comprehension Skills Checklist, (2) An English Reading Comprehension Test and (3) A Reading Attitude Scale. Fifty educational-technology sophomores participated in this study. They were randomly assigned to the experimental group (N = 25) or the control group (N =25).

Results revealed the fol1owing: (1) there were no stated objectives for teaching reading comprehension to educational-technology students at the faculties of specific education, (2) the current reading programs did not meet students' reading needs, (3) students' reading attitudes were ignored and (4) the pre-test mean scores of the students were generally low and (5) there were significant differences between the post-test mean scores of the experimental and control groups in favour of the experimental group. Accordingly, the proposed program has been effective in enhancing students' ability to read English in the field of educational technology and positively developing their attitudes towards reading ESP materials.