Effects Of Teacher Mediation On Student Conceptions And Approaches To Reading

This study tested whether or not teacher’s mediation could bring a change in students’rnconceptions and approaches to reading, and develop their reading ability. It employedrnFeuerstein’s mediation theory (The Mediated Learning Experience) to change students’rnquantitative conceptions to qualitative conceptions and surface approaches to deeprnapproaches to reading. The Mediated Learning Experience differs from the directrnexposure to stimuli; that is, the behaviorists’ and the cognitivists’ views. The underlyingrnphilosophy used in the study was the constructivists’ philosophy, social interactionism,rnwhich emphasizes students' construction of knowledge by relating new knowledge withrntheir experience. Social interactionism emphasizes the interplay between teachers andrnlearners and tasks. And mediation is inherent in social interactionism. The study, thus,rnfocused on teacher and student interaction, as mediator and mediate, for the purposesrnstated above.rnTo achieve the purposes of the study, a case study was employed on grade 9 students atrnFasilo Secondary School in Bahir Dar. In the case study, different instruments,rnquantitative and qualitative types, were utilized at different stages of the study: the premediation,rnwhile-mediation, and post-mediation stages.rnThe findings were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The findings indicated thatrnthe students had quantitative conception and surface approaches to reading. Theirrnconceptions and approaches, however, were changed because of teacher mediation.rnTeachers did not have the experience of using the mediation tools. In the study, it wasrnfound that teacher's application of Feuerstein's mediation theory had positive effects inrnchanging students' conceptions and approaches to reading, and in developing theirrnreading capacity.rnBased on the findings, it was concluded that teacher mediation could help studentsrndevelop qualitative conceptions and deeper approaches to reading, and improve theirrnreading capacity. Based on the conclusion, recommendations were forwarded.

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