The Effect of EFL Learners' Awareness of Referential Relations on Reading Comprehension

Abstract

Abstract

This study is an attempt to investigate the impact of understanding referential

relations on reading. It addresses three questions (i) Does awareness of referential

relations facilitate reading? (ii) Is it difficult to comprehend implicit reference than

explicit reference? (iii) Which more difficult to understand anaphoric or anaphoric

reference

?

The major aim of the study is to trace how awareness of referential relations

could affect the Sudanese university learners' reading comprehension

.

The population of the study was Sudanese university students. The subjects were

62 major English students from Al-Fashir University, Faculty of Arts. They were

randomly subdivided into "experimental" and "control" groups

.

To answer the research questions, the experimental group subjects were taught for

10 hours in anaphora resolution, while the control group received nothing. Then they

were given a test. In addition, a t-Test was applied to validate the study

.

Results of the anaphora test were obtained and computed in tables, frequencies,

percentages and normal distribution. The results obtained, were discussed with

reference to research questions and assumptions

.

Due to results of the anaphora test, statistics indicated that the trained students did

better in the test than the untrained ones

.

Therefore, it is concluded that the research could answer its questions, and

achieve its major aim. It is realized that, the awareness of referential relations

influences Sudanese university learners' reading comprehension

.

Based on the findings, teachers and authorities in designing syllabus at Sudanese

universities are recommended to devise courses for training students in resolving

referential relations