The Effects of Peer Interaction on English Reading Comprehension and Learning Motivations of EFL Students at Nakhon Sawan Rajabhat University, Thailand

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ประจักร์ รอดอาวุธ Prachak Rotarwut

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of peer interaction on English reading comprehension, learning motivations, and self-perception of EFL students at Nakhon Sawan Rajabhat University, Thailand. This research was carried out through an experimental design with experimental and control groups. In the second semester of the 2013 Academic Year, 50 second year students majoring in English (Teacher Education) formed the experimental and the control groups. They were all randomly chosen. Peer interaction techniques were applied to the experiment group for 8 weeks while the control group was educated through traditional methods in teaching reading English for comprehension. The data of the research were gathered by the Learning Achievement Test for English Reading Comprehension, the Questionnaire on Motivation for Learning English in General, the Questionnaire on Motivation for Reading Comprehension, and the Questionnaire on Self-Perception for Reading Comprehension. The results demonstrated that the researcher-mediated learning environment, i.e. the group engaged in peer interaction techniques, was successful in enhancing reading comprehension achievement. The students’ motivation for learning English in general and for reading comprehension, and students’ self-perception for reading comprehension were increased significantly.

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References

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