E-book Features that Adolescent English Learners in Taiwan Favored

Abstract

This study aims at exploring the features of e-books that adolescent EFL (English as a foreign language) students in Taiwan favored. This study recruited 109 ninth graders in a junior high school in northern Taiwan to participate in a 10-week extensive reading program (ERP) of 140 available e-books. During the experiment, they read an e-book together and participated in a 10-minute discussion in class every Monday. They were also encouraged to read more outside class. After reading an e-book, they filled out a self-report form; and, at the end of the program, they completed a questionnaire on their overall reactions to the program. The teacher also collected field notes by observing the participants` reading behaviors and reactions as well as their spontaneous oral or written feedback in class, serving for triangulation with the other data. The results showed that our participants reported five features of e-books that they liked and found helpful, including oral reading, highlighting, pictures, animations, and music/sound effects. In addition, they were attracted to e-books that offer interactive and control functions. This study concluded that e-books with features that adolescent English learners favored were those that helped to increase their reading interest and motivation; also, e-book reading programs may help to develop adolescent learners` reading in English.

本研究旨在調查台灣國中生，對網路電子書所提供的功能的喜好。本研究針對在北台灣一所國中的109為九年級的學生，進行為期十周的廣泛閱讀訓練並提供140本網路電子書給學生選擇。實驗進行期間，每周由教師於每周一上午共同閱讀一本電子書，且於閱讀後帶領全班討論；隨後，教師鼓勵學生於課後自行閱讀其他書籍。學生於閱讀每本電子書後，需要填寫讀後感想；在整個閱讀課程結束後，則填寫事後問卷以表達閱讀課程的反應。任課教師也同時運用自己的教室觀察筆記，包括：閱讀行為、反應、即時回饋，以做三角校正。研究結果顯示：參與研究的學生對以下五項功能有好感也認為對英語學習有幫助，即電子書會唸出文章內容、電子書對念出的文字會有發亮、每頁的圖片、動畫、音樂或音效。另外，學生也為電子書互動及控制的功能吸引。本研究的結論是，具有學生喜愛功能的電子書比較能夠增進閱讀興趣且能提高他們的動機；另外，網路電子書閱讀計畫能幫助國中生的英語閱讀能力。