台灣國小四年級學童重複聆聽故事

Abstract

有鑑於英語學習在台灣日漸興盛，台灣教育部大力推動國小英語教育，以期能增進國人之國際競爭力。為培養國小英語初學者英語學習的興趣及增進學習英語的效率，念讀故事書活動儼然成為一項重要的課室活動，然而，關於重複念讀故事書對國小學童影響的研究似乎不足。 因此，本研究主要探討台灣學童所需重複聆聽故事的次數，以及他們如何從重複聆聽故事四次中，非刻意學會新單字，除了探討聆聽故事次數對英語學習的影響之外，本研究亦探討學童之英語能力對從聆聽故事書中學習單字的相關性。 本研究的對象為三十三位來自新竹市某國小同一班級的四年級國小學童。根據劍橋兒童英語認證(Cambridge Young Learners English Test)成績，可將這些學生的英文程度區分為高程度組和低程度組。一位以英文為母語的老師根據固定念故事的程序重複說同一故事給參與本研究的學童聽，一共四次，每次間隔三到四天。該故事是特別為此研究撰寫，故事包含八個目標假字( target pseudowords)。每一次念故事時，老師會解釋這八個目標假字的意思。 在第一次、第三次、和第四次念完故事之後，學生接受一個包含圖片辨認和意義配對的單字測驗題。此單字測驗也包含八個低頻率出現的對照字組，以確保孩童每次的進步不是因為重複測驗的緣故。 研究結果顯示，所有學童皆自重複聆聽故事，以及老師對單字的解釋中習得新單字。所有孩童在聆聽第四次相同故事後，大約學會八個目標單字其中的四個。重複聆聽故事雖然使得學童在單字測驗上得到顯著進步，但是，在聆聽故事第四次後，孩童並沒有比第三次學到更多單字。 再者，本研究結果亦顯示了不同英語程度對學童詞彙學習上造成的差異。雖然兩組學童皆隨著聽故事的次數增加，在單字測驗成績有顯著的進步，但是擁有高程度的學童顯著比低程度的學童學到更多目標單字。 本研究發現，重複念讀故事是一個可以有效促進學童單字量成長和實用的課室活動，教師在重複念讀故事活動時，能輔以講解故事中出現的單字，以促進學童對單字的理解，此外，聆聽故事可以讓低程度的學童在愉快的學習環境中，逐漸學習英文單字。本研究建議，教師可運用重複念讀故事等相關活動，提供以英文為外語學習的學童，在有意義的學習情境下學習英文單字。

This study examined the number of times required for EFL children to learn new words incidentally through repeated listening to a story four times. Of particular concern was to investigate the relationship between children’s English proficiency levels and the vocabulary gains from listening to a story four times. An intact class of 33 fourth-grade children in one urban elementary school in Hsinchu participated. These students were categorized into high and low English proficiency groups based on the Cambridge Young Learners English Test (CYLET). A native English-speaking teacher, guided by scripted procedures, read a story to the whole class on four occasions, each 3-4 days apart. Eight target pseudowords were embedded in the story specifically written for this study. The story was read with the eight pseudowords explained during each session. After the first, third, and fourth reading, multiple-choice vocabulary measures, including a picture identification test and a meaning-matching test, were administered. To ensure that the children’s gains were not a result of repetitive testing, eight low-frequency words were included to serve as the control words. The findings indicated that the children learned novel words from repeated listening to the story with teacher explanation. All children incidentally learned approximately 4 out of 8 target words at the fourth listening .While repeated listening to the story led to significant word gain, listening to the story at the fourth time did not further contribute to incidental word learning . In addition, although both proficiency groups made significant word gain with the increasing number of listening, the high-proficiency children learned significantly more target words than their lower- proficiency peers. The findings suggested that repeated listening to a story coupled with teacher explanation of new words can be a practical and effective classroom activity to promote EFL children’s vocabulary growth. Read-aloud activities facilitate children, particularly those with lower proficiency levels, to learn new words via a supportive and language-rich environment. In view of the findings, the present study suggests that EFL teachers should consider the necessity and benefits of repeatedly reading aloud to children and use it as a viable tool for facilitating elementary children’s literacy development within limited instruction time.