Developing EFL Learners’ Accuracy, Fluency, and Comprehension

Using Repeated Reading

Lasim Muzammil and Andy

Universitas Kanjuruhan, Jl. S. Supriadi No. 48, Malang, Indonesia

{muzammil_lasim, andy}@unikama.ac.id

Keywords: Accuracy, Fluency, Comprehension, and Repeated Reading (RP)

Abstract: The present study examines the development of repeated reading (RR) on accuracy, fluency, and

comprehension for EFL learners. The participants getting involved in the study were 13 males and 14

females who took extensive reading in a regular class. They read similar type of passages ranges from 311

up to 564 words, with a mean length of 425.46 words for twelve weeks. Pre-test was conducted prior to the

treatment by reading out loud and answering the comprehension questions on the passage. Having done the

treatment, post-test was administered and the participants did the same way as it was in the pre-test. Data

were collected and analyzed using t-test for correlated samples since the data were obtained from the same

group. The result showed that there was significant difference between the first and the last post-test since

probability was lower than alpha (p < .05). There is a tendency in the development of EFL learners’ fluency

to be steady with slight increase. Yet, the accuracy increased sharply without having detrimental effect on

comprehension.

1 INTRODUCTION

The ability of EFL learners to read text fluently and

accurately requires much time span to practice and

to do it constantly. To be more effective, they should

do the activity of reading over and over again.

Research on repeated reading has been conducted

from time to time and it was Samuels (1979) whose

first research pertaining to repeated reading which

includes such definition as rereading a short

meaningful passage until a satisfactory level of

fluency is reached (Samuels, 1979), reread several

times both silently and aloud until the reader is able

to do so easily (Taguchi et al., 2004), practice of

reading texts again and again until the learner can do

so easily, effortlessly and fluently (Wang and Kuo,

2011). In short, repeated reading is classified into

two category (i) Assisted Repeated Reading or

Repeated Oral Reading, whereby learners read

different pieces of text out loud while being guided

by the teacher or an audio-taped model; and (ii)

Unassisted Repeating Reading or Independent Silent

Reading, whereby learners read selected passages

silently and independently, both inside or outside the

classroom.

To have sound English proficiency, EFL learners

need to develop their accuracy, fluency and

comprehension. Applying the formulas put forth by

Wang and Kuo (2011), accuracy was measured by

means of dividing the number of words read

correctly (WC) with the total number of words in

passage (Wds) or (WC/Wds). Fluency was measured

by multiplying the number of words read correctly

(WC) with 60 and divided by the total seconds (t

sec) or (WCPM= WC*60/t sec). Fluency, especially

in reading according to Naghdipour (2015) has many

levels of significance namely word reading fluency,

passage reading fluency, extensive reading, and

reading rate training glossary and reading

comprehension developments. Moreover, she

concludes that left to right reading manner affect

reading fluency of readers whose language has

distinct manner of reading. In her summary, learners

with similar L1 reading manner like English are able

to read faster with great accuracy and

comprehension, the rationale is that the two

languages have a lot in common with English

system, particularly way of reading that is from left

to right. The next is for comprehension, Chang

(2012) describes that to gain fluent reading

comprehension, the processes of word awareness,

‘syntactic parsing’, gaining the meaning and make

use of memory at work (all of which are considered

as lower-level processes) in chorus must be in action

mechanically and swiftly. For more fluent reading

comprehension, Chang (2012) adds that these lower-

Muzammil, L. and Andy, .

Developing EFL Learners’ Accuracy, Fluency, and Comprehension Using Repeated Reading.

In Proceedings of the Annual Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities (ANCOSH 2018) - Revitalization of Local Wisdom in Global and Competitive Era, pages 515-521

ISBN: 978-989-758-343-8

515

level processes need to be accompanied with higher-

level processes which deal with making use of

background knowledge, how to comprehend the

meaning of a passage better and synthesise passage

content.

The present study utilizing repeated reading

concentrates more on fluency, accuracy, and

comprehension measurement than the general

reading comprehension. It involves reading aloud

and recording the voice in mobile phones done by

each participant. It is believed that it becomes the

enrichment to research of RR aloud and recorded.

Most studies reviewed in the previous study consider

that voice played during reading is either produced

by the teacher or audio model to guide reading

better. But in this study, the recorded reading audio

is used to measure the quality/score of accuracy and

fluency of the reading done by the students.

Therefore, this voice recorded can encourage more

students’ autonomy to read passages later on.

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Reading

Reading passages in English, as stated by

Naghdipour (2015), is considered longer and harder

to process with the fact of bumping into novel

vocabulary meaning-content collection and formulas

in forming sentence or dealing with system of

reading manner (either from left or from right). The

challenge in reading in either EFL or ESL, is also

stated by Gorsuch and Taguchi (2008) that it is a

strenuous course of action due to weak ability in

identifying lexical items, to tackle this weakness

They urge the value for educators in L2 conditions

to enhance reading fluency by emphasising more on

prompt and precise way in identifying lexical items.

2.2 Extensive versus Repeated Reading

Taguchi, Takayasu-Maass and Gorsuch (2004)

clearly depict that in ESL as well as in EFL, there

are two nature of reading, namely Extensive

Reading (ER) and Repeated Reading (RR). For the

first, the nature of reading with certain time intention

by individual-driven in deciding what to read

especially those with abridged glossary coverage

and limited complexity of syntax composition. For

the next, namely Repeated Reading or later will be

referred to as RR, is novel nature of reading. RR is

done by repetitively reading the text somewhat

similar to the ones in ER with aim to swell lexis

identification. Moreover, they state that in terms of

upshot of practicing ER is to enhance glibness

(mechanically identify more and more numbers of

lexis), whilst for RR is to develop glibness (RR

makes scaffolding exclusively available to EFL and

ESL students by frequent practice and non-silent

nature of reading) and understanding (proficient in

retrieving deeper and greater information in grasping

texts narrative).

Taking into account of benefit, ER and RR

equally develop self-enthusiasm to read extended

texts, raise capacity to guess the meaning of

unfamiliar vocabulary, supply rich stimulus

functioning as input for L2 learners, and develop

glibness in both L2 and FL setting (Taguchi,

Takayasu-Maass and Gorsuch, 2004). They later

mention that RR vigorously aids ER to form

glibness thus encourage autonomous reading

activity, in the long run the reading can be done

more rapidly and pleasant (this pleasing condition

opens contact to input and give support to improve

proficiency).

2.3 Repeated Reading in EFL Settings

Repeated Reading or later will be referred to as RR,

is described by Gorsuch and Taguchi (2008) as

reading a passage that is made abridged over and

over again aiming in enhancing mechanical and

dynamic lexical items identification. As the

consequence, the property supporting a conscious

mental process can advance for upper array of

intellectual capacity course of action. They stated

that RR is few and far between engaged in the

teaching and learning of foreign language, however,

many researchers found that RR boosts reading

fluency in EFL condition except that it automatically

has similar effect to students’ grasp, the rationale is

weak way in measuring this later performance.

Moreover, Gorsuch and Taguchi (2008) also state

that in EFL settings, RR is capable to facilitate and

build readers to have own autonomy in learning.

They state that their study is proven to be

momentous that RR conduct (most is exclusively

characterised with repetition) effectually improves

the slickness and command of the readers, whilst

other studies are lacking success to prove so.

In addition, Gorsuch and Taguchi (2010) offer

additional evidence in the form of open-ended, post-

reading student reports written over the length of an

11-week RR treatment for 30 young adult EFL

learners in Vietnam. They highlighted their previous

findings that an assisted repeated reading had

positive effects not only on EFL learners’ reading

fluency but on comprehension as well which was a

bit distinctive from that of their 2004 research. The

evidence of Gorsuch and Taguchi (2010) indicated

that learners became more experienced at processing

FL texts and became better readers.

ANCOSH 2018 - Annual Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities

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The assistance of RR is also exposed by Taguchi

et al. (2004) who prove that RR builds the

smoothness of EFL basic students, later they add

that it is also true to ESL students. This progress

takes place both during and subsequent to the

application of RR. Wang and Kuo (2011) classify

RR into two actions: reading with support that has

its starting point from matters related to human’s

nerves and reading with no support, namely self-

regulating reading. Wang and Kuo (2011) found that

these two reading actions by the same token succeed

to enhance the smoothness of learners’ reading

proficiency. They summarise the benefit of RR to

efficiently build lexical items which enrich their

wealth of glossary knowledge, and also, they show

evidence that RR in point of fact heighten reading

verbally (smoothness in speaking).

2.4 Fluency

Fujita and Yamashita (2014) categorises fluency

into: mechanical/ automaticity, ‘accuracy’, the speed

in reading and ‘prosodic structuring’. The first

relates to express action in handling, somewhat free

of resource, free of intervention issue, senseless, also

tough to hold back. The second deals with express,

mechanical, comprehensive and precise of ‘fluent’

lexical identification. Regarding the third, the speed

in reading is time in general spent in glib reading

with no difficulty in understanding the whole

passage. While, for the last, is being capable to

properly comprehend chunks in passage and such

skill is mastered as the basis of outcome of doing

reading with emotion sensitivity.

2.5 Automaticity and Accuracy

RR exceedingly is capable to build up automaticity,

exercise pace, and smoothness in spoken coaching

(Wang and Kuo, 2011). This mechanical capacity

has been accumulated by doing frequent

performance and is portrayed that this is so doing

with less effort. Moreover, they explain further

about the discrepancy between accuracy and

automaticity in terms of the time-span of the

memory storage. For the first, it is saved in transient

memory and for the next; it is saved in long-standing

memory.

According to Samuels (1979) in Wang and Kuo

(2011), there are three ranks of expertise in

automatic lexical identification in RR. The first rank,

namely the imprecise step, in which it is intricate for

students to detect lexical items even upon ample

time is allocated this problem continues. For the

second rank, namely the precise step, proficiency to

notice lexical items has been built up, with

numerous concentration and endeavour though. The

last rank, namely the mechanical step, in which no

exertion is required to spot lexical items.

Fujita and Yamashita (2014) mention

disagreement about whether text-scope reading

speed/fluency correlates to text-scope accuracy in

reading to be exact grasp in reading. This study, in

response to that argument, reveals that those three

aspects of reading, namely accuracy, fluency and

comprehension can be developed in synergy.

Eventually, it can fill the gap of the studies reviewed

above regarding the absence of those three variables

at once in a study. Moreover, little studies of

Repeated Reading (RR) in review earlier, involving

reading aloud and recording the voice in mobile

phones. This matter is the focus in this study, which

becomes enrichment to research of RR aloud and

recorded. Last but not least, all the studies reviewed

in this study consider that voice played during

reading is either produced by the teacher or audio

model to guide reading better. But in this study, the

recorded reading audio is used to measure the

quality/score of accuracy and fluency of the reading

done by the students. In the long run, this voice

recorded can encourage more students’ autonomy in

doing the reading of a passage.

3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

• Is there a significant difference between before

and after using repeated reading (RR) treatment

in terms of EFL learners’ fluency and

accuracy?

• Do EFL learners have better English

comprehension after using repeated reading

(RR) than before using repeated reading (RR)

treatment?

4 HYPOTHESES

• There is a significant difference between before

and after using repeated reading (RR) treatment

in terms of EFL learners’ fluency and accuracy.

• EFL learners have better English

comprehension after using repeated reading

(RR) than before using repeated reading (RR)

treatment.

5 METHODS

The method used in the present study was

quantitative approach making use of pre-

Developing EFL Learners’ Accuracy, Fluency, and Comprehension Using Repeated Reading

517

experimental research design because there was one

group taking place to learn reading using repeated

model. Due to the existence of one group and the

comparison of two data (pre-test and post-test), the

test result of both data was analyzed using

dependent sample t-test since it compares the same

group by doing the test twice, pre-test before the

treatment and post-test after the treatment.

5.1 Participants

The participants involved in the present study were

13 males and 14 females ranging from 20 to 22

years old students taking regular extensive reading

class in one of Universities in Indonesia. The

rationale behind choosing these participants was that

they had taken integrated English class subject

which required learners to understand language

components such as pronunciation, vocabulary, and

grammar besides language skills such as listening,

speaking, reading, and writing. However, they still

got intricacy to master such linguistic features and

skills especially in reading texts more fluently,

accurately and having more comprehension about

them and therefore repeated reading was preferred to

apply.

5.2 Materials, and Treatment

Condition

The materials used for treatment were taken from a

collection of reading material website retrieved from

http://www.rong-chang.com for intermediate level.

This website contains graded readers from Beginner

to Intermediate level of English. We chose English

for Intermediate Learners (2) materials from the

passage. The text segments were from 311 to 564

words, with a mean length of 425.46 words. The

rationale behind choosing these materials is that they

provide not only texts but audio recordings which

were beneficial for learners as a model to listen to

English native speakers as well. Every student could

access on these materials easily since they were free

of charge.

EFL learners of English got treatment based on

the materials we chose from the website and the

activities were done as seen on Table 1.

Table 1: Treatment condition based on the materials

chosen.

Meeting Activities Researche

Learners

1 Administering

re-test

Create the test of

readin

Do the test

2-5 Giving

treatment of

reading

Demonstrate and

give examples of

reading the

assa

Produce the

sounds as

accepted as

ossible

6-10 Giving

treatment of

reading

Demonstrate and

give examples of

listening to the

recording of the

assa

Produce the

sounds as

accepted as

possible

12 Administering

ost-test

Create the test of

readin

Do the test

5.3 Instruments

The instruments used in this study were (1) reading

comprehension test and (2) reading aloud test. The

reading comprehension test consisted of 25 question

and answer items containing five (5) multiple choice

comprehension items, ten (10) yes/no question

items, and ten (10) wh-question items. The reading

aloud test items was used to measure the EFL

learners’ fluency and accuracy. This test was

categorized as a test of measuring EFL learners’

accuracy and fluency producing sound and the sound

they produced were recorded and the results of the

recordings were measured using NCWM (number of

word correct per minute) to measure accuracy and

using NCWM (number of word correct per minute)

multiplied by 60 seconds to measure fluency.

Therefore, it was said to be valid in terms of

measuring reading aloud since it really measured

what learners supposed to be measured, reading

loudly.

5.4 Data Collection and Analysis

The data were collected from the students’ reading

comprehension test and the students’ performances

were recorded using their android-based mobile

phone. The first test, reading comprehension test,

which consisted of 25 question and answer items

containing five (5) multiple choice comprehension

items, ten (10) yes/no question items, and ten (10)

wh-question items was then converted into 0 to 100

band score by dividing the Total Score from

Maximum Score and multiplied by 100. The latter

test, EFL reading fluency and accuracy, was

collected by means of reading while recording the

passage. The recordings were collected and it was

scored by ratters who were able to listen to the

participants’ performance at a later time after the test

was completed. Next, the result of the transcription

was scored to measure their fluency and accuracy

using NCWM (number of word correct per minute

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divided by number of words multiplied by 100) to

measure accuracy and using NCWM (number of

word correct per minute) multiplied by 60 seconds

to measure fluency. The pre-test and post-test scores

were then stored in SPSS and analysed using

dependent sample t-test since it compared one group

performance twice or within-group comparison.

6 RESULTS

The results of the present study were explicated as

follows. First, Table 2 showed descriptive and

dependent samples t-test results of the participants’

mean scores on different variables of reading

fluency, accuracy, and comprehension. The results

indicated that there was a significant difference on

repeated reading for fluency measure after the

treatment in comparison with before the treatment

since probability due to chance was less than 5% and

therefore the null hypothesis was rejected. On

average, EFL learners as participants experienced

significantly greater fluency using repeated reading

(M = 118.54, SD = 15.54) than before using

repeated reading (M = 107.39, SD = 26.40), t (25) =

-2.880, p < .05.

Second, there was a significant difference on

repeated reading for accuracy measure after the

treatment compared to before the treatment since

there was less than 5% chance that the data was

random but greater than 95% chance that the data

was significant and therefore the null hypothesis was

rejected. The average scores of EFL learners as

participants performed significantly greater accuracy

after using repeated reading (M = 97.26, SD = 1.10)

than before using repeated reading (M = 90.65, SD =

3.99), t (25) = -9.798, p < .05.

Third, there was a significant difference on

repeated reading for measuring comprehension after

the treatment with respect to before the treatment

since probability due to chance was less than 5% and

therefore the null hypothesis was rejected. On

average, EFL learners as participants experienced

significantly greater comprehension after using

repeated reading (M = 78.31, SD = 15.62) than

before using repeated reading (M = 74.92, SD =

15.49), t (25) = -5.897, p < .05.

Table 2: The summary of Fluency, Accuracy, and

Comprehension on EFL learners before and after the

repeated reading (RR) treatment (N=26, df=25)

No Variables Scores Mean

Std.

Devia-

tion

t Sig.*

luenc

Pre-

Test

107.39 26.40 -2.880 .008

Post-

Test

118.54 15.54

ccurac

Pre-

Test

90.65 3.99 -9.798 .000

Post-

Test

97.26 1.10

omprehen

sion

Pre-

Test

74.92 15.49 -5.897 .000

Post-

Test

78.31 15.62

*Significant was set at .05 level.

The distance between pre-test and post on

Fluency as seen on Figure 1 was 10.93 NCWM after

being multiplied by 60 seconds (118.45 – 107.53 =

10.93). So EFL learners’ reading fluency was 10.93

words faster after having treatment on repeated

reading than before the treatment. It indicated that

their words recognition skills increased along the

way of the steady repetitions of the same text which

enabled them to read more words per minute.

Figure 1: The development of EFL learners on reading

Fluency before and after repeated reading treatment.

Accuracy measure as seen on Figure 2 showed

that the mean difference between repeated reading

treatment and before the repeated reading treatment

was 6.61. EFL learners produced more accurate

words after repeated reading treatment than before

the treatments (M-after > M-before; 97.25 > 90.65).

So, the indication of having larger percentage on

Accuracy (6.61%) was still on the more

understanding of word recognition read several

times by EFL learners so far.

Developing EFL Learners’ Accuracy, Fluency, and Comprehension Using Repeated Reading

519

Figure 2: The development of EFL learners on reading

accuracy before and after repeated reading treatment.

The distance between pre-test and post on

Comprehension as seen on Figure 3 was 3.38 (78.31

– 74.92 = 3.38). So EFL learners’ reading

comprehension was 3.38 better after having

treatment on repeated reading than before the

treatment. It indicated that it was not only learners’

words recognition skills increased but lexical and

syntactical development as well.

Figure 2: The development of EFL learners on reading

Comprehension before and after repeated reading

treatment.

7 DISCUSSIONS

The results of the study are elaborated based on the

two proposed research questions. The first research

question asked, “Is there a significant difference

between before and after using repeated reading

(RR) treatment in terms of EFL learners’ fluency

and accuracy?” The results showed that there was a

significant difference for both Fluency t (25) = -

2.880, p < .05 and Accuracy t (25) = -9.798, p < .05

before and after using repeated reading. These

results were consistent with those of

Gorsuch &

Taguchi (2008; 2010), Wang and Kuo (2011), and

Naghdipour (2015) and they argued that learners

improved their reading fluency and accuracy after

the experiment of using repeated reading.

Gorsuch

and Taguchi (2008) argued that

EFL learners read more

slowly on the post-tests than they did on their

treatment passages at the end of the study but

comprehended more than the control group. The

evidence of

Gorsuch and Taguchi (2010) indicated that

learners became more experienced at processing FL

texts and became better readers. Yet, Wang and Kuo

(2011) revealed that the large progress of fluency

was mostly gained from reading rate development

(81 WCPM increase) and undersized input deriving

from accuracy (2% accurate rate increase) which is

contradiction from the present study obtaining

6.61% of accuracy after the treatment. Somehow,

RR was the process leading to an accelerated speed

which led to automaticity contributing to oral

reading fluency as well. Moreover, Naghdipour’

study (2015) focusing on reading directionality

mode was reported that learners can read faster with

great accuracy and comprehension if their L1

language is in the same direction as in L2 language.

The second research question asked, “Do EFL

learners have better English comprehension after

using repeated reading (RR) than before using

repeated reading (RR) treatment?” The results

indicated that EFL learners have better English

comprehension after using repeated reading (RR) (M

= 78.31, SD = 15.62) than before using repeated

reading (M = 74.92, SD = 15.49), t (25) = -5.897, p

< .05. The difference between before and after

treatment was significant at .05 levels. So EFL

learners’ reading comprehension was 3.38 better

after having treatment on repeated reading. This

comprehension result was lower than fluency

measurement (6.61%) previously mentioned.

However, it did not affect detrimental effect on EFL

learners’ comprehension since the difference was

significant. The result of comprehension in the

present study was in line with Chang (2012) who

concluded that increasing the reading amount for the

time-reading (TR) group improved reading rates and

comprehension and increasing the reading rate for

the RR group did not have a negative impact on

reading comprehension. Thus, to gain fluent reading

comprehension, learners gain the meaning and make

use of memory at work (lower-level processes)

which was necessary accompanied with higher-level

processes which deal with making use of

background knowledge, how to comprehend the

meaning of a passage better and synthesise passage

content. However, Fujita and Yamashita (2014)

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520

diverge whether text-scope reading speed/fluency

correlates to text-scope accuracy in reading to be

exact grasp in reading. They suggested that reading

rate can be improved independently from reading

comprehension, but the comparison between the two

variables showed that some students are in either of

the two kinds of in-between groups before reaching

full development of these skills. Therefore, students

should be instructed how to read both accurately and

quickly.

8 CONCLUSIONS

The result of the present study showed that there was

significant difference between before and after the

treatment of using repeated reading. EFL learners’

fluency and accuracy increase sharply after applying

repeated reading seen from the results of the study.

Also, EFL learners’ comprehension boost

tremendously after the treatment indicated by not

only the development of learners’ word recognition,

but lexical and syntactical improvement as well.

Therefore, repeated reading is effective to be used in

teaching learning process either outside or inside the

classroom. So, making use of this method in order to

develop EFL learners’ reading fluency, accuracy,

and comprehension simultaneously is worthwhile for

teachers as a foreign language.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors of the present study send their great

thanks to their students of English Education

Department who are willing to take part during the

study. Their willingness to record their reading texts

is very much appreciated as well.

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