Abstract:

Research indicates that children can comprehend information texts better when they use an overall structure to organize the material (McNeil, 1992; Mayer, 2004). Drawing on the implications of L1, it is argued that ESL/EFL learners would experience fewer problems comprehending texts if they employed an organizing structure (Ref). The present study examined the effect of two organizing structure techniques, i.e., flowcharting and concept mapping on expository text comprehension of university students in Iranian context. The research concentrated on 90 male, science majors selected based on a Nelson-Denny proficiency test administration. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups, with two of them being the experimental groups and one being the intact group. Each experimental group was taught employing only one technique but the intact group was taught with traditional technique. The data were gathered through reading comprehension tests which were obtained before and after treatment and were analyzed through ANOVA. Results confirmed the significant effect of both techniques on reading comprehension. Further analyses of the data indicated that learners instructed through concept mapping outperformed those who received flowcharting instructions. Findings of the study bear implications for different lines of research and practice in ESL/EFL.

Keywords:

Concept mapping, expository texts, flowcharting, treatment.