Effects of the Use of Reading Logs on Reading Comprehension of Mattayomsuksa 5 Students in Trang

Abstract

This study aimed to find out whether there is a difference in reading comprehension of the students before and after using reading logs, whether there is a difference in reading comprehension between the group using reading logs and the group using post-reading questions and the students' attitudes towards the use of reading logs. The study was conducted during the second semester of the academic year 2016. The participants were 88 Mattayomsuksa 5 students in a secondary school in Trang. They were divided into two groups: 44 in the experimental group with the use of reading logs and 44 in the control group with the use only of post-reading questions. The instruments used in this study were a pre-test, reading logs, a post-test, and a questionnaire on the students' attitudes towards the use of reading logs. The data were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed. The findings revealed that the experimental and the control groups did noticeably better in the post-test and their pre- and post-test scores were significantly different at a 0.01 level. However, the mean difference between the pre- and post-test scores of the experimental group was significantly greater than that of the control group at a 0.01 level indicating that although both reading logs and post-reading questions could improve the students' reading comprehension, the former could do so to a greater extent than the latter overall and particularly in literal comprehension. Moreover, the students were pleased with the use of reading logs and considered it useful. Reading logs enabled them to read actively and take their own notes freely.