An Experiment in Teaching Reading Comprehension ... - Science Direct

Batia

Laufer

An Experiment in Teaching Reading Comprehension with W r i t t e n Answers in the Mother Tongue Abstract C o m p r e h e n s i o n of a text in a Reading C o m p r e h e n s i o n course is often c h e c k e d by means of w r i t t e n answers in English. However, such writing, w h i c h is u n c o n t r o l l e d and m o s t l y uncorrected, is often f r u s t r a t i n g for both the student and the teacher, and its value has been felt to be doubtful. The e x p e r i m e n t d e s c r i b e d in the paper aims at finding out w h e t h e r students w r i t i n g in their m o t h e r tongue (Hebrew) and thus d e p r i v e d of the o p p o r t u n i t y to be exposed to E n g l i s h through writing, c o u l d a c h i e v e the same reading c o m p r e h e n s i o n level as their peers w h o w r i t e English t h r o u g h o u t the course. Results showed twice (the e x p e r i m e n t was c o n d u c t e d two c o n s e c u t i v e years) that w r i t i n g in H e b r e w did not hinder the progress in E n g l i s h c o m p r e h e n s i o n and that u n c o n t r o l l e d w r i t i n g in English in the control g r o u p did not contribute to it. The final c o m p r e h e n s i o n level of the two groups was found to be almost similar. The a v e r a g e progress of students w r i t i n g in Hebrew was s o m e w h a t better. Moreover, w r i t i n g in H e b r e w c o n t r i b u t e d to a better learning situation c o n s i s t i n g of a d d i t i o n a l time left for individual practice, removal of students' frustration in not being able to say what they want, and the feeling on the parts of both student and teacher that c o m p r e h e n s i o n has been assessed fairly. I.i It is g e n e r a l l y accepted by linguists and language teachers that language learning c o n s i s t s of the a c q u i s i t i o n of four skills: understanding, speaking, reading, writing. A l t h o u g h these language features are not unconnected, some courses can c o n c e n t r a t e on one or several of them. Thus, a Reading C o m p r e h e n s i o n course e m p h a s i z e s u n d e r s t a n d i n g and reading. Yet, students in the Israeli u n i v e r s i t i e s taking this course are expected to speak and w r i t e about their reading m a t e r i a l One of the basic q u e s t i o n s our teachers face is w h e t h e r w r i t i n g is required and if it is, w h a t kind of w r i t i n g w o u l d be most helpful in such a course.

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~'hose who advocate teaching writing as a skill which reinforces u n d e r s t a n d i n g (since it is obvious that if you use words, structures and sentences c o r r e c t l y in writing, you will recognize them in reading), tend to o v e r l o o k the effect of the level of the course on the s e l e c t i o n of skills. It is the lower level that requires almost equal a t t e n t i o n to all the skills since there are certain fundam e n t a l s in every language that anyone learning it must know. But on the higher levels of language learning there are a number of s e l e c t a b l e alternatives, as e x p l a i n e d by w. F. Mackey in Lan@ua~e Teaching Analysis (Longmans, 1965). T h e r e f o r e an advanced course in Reading C o m p r e h e n s i o n does not need to develop the w r i t i n g skill to achieve reasonable results in understanding. Time, or rather lack of time, is a n o t h e r argument against including the w r i t i n g skill in a Reading C o m p r e h e n s i o n course. W r i t i n g is a c r e a t i v e process, a s e l e c t i o n of thoughts together with the m o s t a p p r o p r i a t e g r a m m a t i c a l and stylistic devices. To w r i t e is c e r t a i n l y more d i f f i c u l t than to u n d e r s t a n d a foreign language. Teaching w r i t i n g will take a lot of p r e c i o u s time that could be used to promote the c o m p r e h e n s i o n skill of the students. Therefore, in view of the special p u r p o s e of our course the reading of b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l texts, its high level and the great d e m a n d s w r i t i n g m a k e s on the time of instruction, it seems to me that i n c l u d i n g the w r i t i n g skill in a Reading C o m p r e h e n s i o n course is unjustifiable. 1.2 Most of our teachers m a k e u s e of w r i t i n g not as a skill, but as an indication of the students' u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the text. Students are r e q u i r e d to e x t r a c t information, to p a r a p h r a s e and e x p l a i n sentences and paragraphs, summarize the text, o u t l i n e it, state its main and s u p p o r t i n g ideas, point out the w r i t e r ' s intention, his implications, to evaluate the m a t e r i a l c r i t i c a l l y and to r e s p o n d to it. In o t h e r words, u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the text is indicated by the kind of writing w h i c h is s o m e t i m e s c a l l e d " i n d e p e n d e n t p a r a g r a p h and c o m p o s i t i o n writing". Such w r i t i n g is not intended to drill the v o c a b u l a r y and structural p a t t e r n s of the text. The v o c a b u l a r y and g r a m m a r e n c o u n t e r e d in reading is in a foreign language course usually d r i l l e d and reinforced by what is c o m m o n l y c a l l e d c o n t r o l l e d writing. Some of the activities c o n t r o l l e d w r i t i n g w o u l d include are: completion of sentences, e n l a r g i n g the basic sentence patterns, combination of simple sentences into complex ones, i n t e r c h a n g i n g clauses and phrases, p a r a g r a p h w r i t i n g in class with the teacher's guidance, etc. Those activities, though easier than, and t h e r e f o r e preceding, the teaching of independent paragraph and c o m p o s i t i o n writing, are n e v e r t h e l e s s hardly

13

p r a c t i s e d in o u r R e a d i n g C o m p r e h e n s i o n e m p h a s i s on u n d e r s t a n d i n g .

courses

due

to

the

H o w e v e r , the s t u d e n t is r e q u i r e d to e x p r e s s h i m s e l f f r e e l y in a f o r e i g n l a n g u a g e w h i c h , in s p i t e of the 7 - 8 y e a r s of p r e v i o u s s c h o o l l e a r n i n g , is p r o b l e m a t i c e n o u g h for him as a m e d i u m of u n d e r s t a n d i n g , let a l o n e w r i t i n g or speech. T h e r e is a w i d e g u l f b e t w e e n his a d u l t , d e v e l o p e d i d e a s w h i c h are f o r m u l a t e d in his m o t h e r t o n g u e a n d his a b i l i t y to e x p r e s s t h e m in a n o t h e r l a n q u a g e . T h e s t u d e n t ' s w r i t i n g b e c o m e s v i r t u a l l y an a d v a n c e d e x e r c i s e in t r a n s l a t i o n r e s u l t i n g in a l a r g e n u m b e r of m o s t d i s c o u r a g i n g m i s t a k e s and o f t e n in p a r t i a l i n c o m p r e h e n s i b i l i t y . Some students, b e i n g c o n s c i o u s of t h e i r s h o r t c o m i n g s in e x p r e s s i o n , p r e fer to w r i t e an a n s w e r w h i c h is c o r r e c t from the l a n g u a g e p o i n t of view, but e x c l u d e s p a r t of t h e i d e a s t h a t a r e d i f f i c u l t for t h e m to e x p r e s s in E n g l i s h . T h e s e two r e s u l t s : a p a r t i a l a n s w e r in a c o r r e c t E n g l i s h w h i c h d o e s not r e f l e c t the s t u d e n t ' s full t h i n k i n g p o t e n tial or a c o m p l e t e a n s w e r w i t h m i s t a k e s t h a t o b s c u r e or d i s t o r t its m e a n i n g , s t r o n g l y s u g g e s t that the v a l u e of p a r a g r a p h or c o m p o s i t i o n w r i t i n g in a R e a d i n g C o m p r e h e n s i o n c o u r s e is d o u b t f u l . 1.3 A n o t h e r p r o b l e m in p r a c t i s i n g w r i t i n g as an i n d i c a t i o n of u n d e r s t a n d i n g is t h a t of c o r r e c t i o n : w h a t s h o u l d the t e a c h e r c o r r e c t in the s t u d e n t ' s w o r k a n d w h a t c a n the s t u d e n t do w i t h the c o r r e c t i o n s ? S h o u l d the t e a c h e r c o r r e c t i m p r o p e r u s e of w o r d s , s p e l l i n g , g r a m m a r , s t y l e ? Or s h o u l d he c o m m e n t on the i n f o r m a t i o n g i v e n or m i s s e d in the ans w e r ? U s u a l l y t e a c h e r s c o r r e c t m o s t of the m i s t a k e s , b u t h e r e the c o r r e c t i o n p r o c e s s stops. The s h o r t a g e of t i m e a n d t h e s i z e of the c l a s s e s g i v e no o p p o r t u n i t y for e x e r c i s e s on the p r e v a l e n t m i s t a k e s in the w r i t i n g of the ind i v i d u a l s t u d e n t or a n a l y s i s of g e n e r a l e r r o r s . M o r e o v e r , m a n y p a p e r s r e m a i n u n c h e c k e d and t h e r e f o r e u n c o r r e c t e d by the t e a c h e r . It is g e n e r a l l y b e l i e v e d that u n c o r r e c t e d w r i t i n g is m e r e l y a w a s t e of time and e n e r g y . It m a y be e v e n h a r m f u l in c o n s o l i d a t i n g the s t u d e n t ' s bad h a b i t s . F i r s t , I p o i n t e d o u t that w r i t i n g as a skill is n o t just i f i e d in a R e a d i n g C o m p r e h e n s i o n c o u r s e . N e x t I h a v e a r g u e d that w r i t i n g as an i n d i c a t i o n of u n d e r s t a n d i n g a l s o has l i t t l e value, if any, for the f o l l o w i n g r e a s o n s : such w r i t i n g is not c o n t r o l l e d a n d t h e r e f o r e d o e s not r e i n f o r c e v o c a b u l a r y and s t r u c t u r e of the r e a d i n g m a t e r i a l ; free c o m p o s i t i o n in a f o r e i g n l a n g u a g e d o e s not a l l o w for the full e x p r e s s i o n of t h o u g h t ; the p a r t i c u l a r c i r c u m s t a n c e s of the c o u r s e - the e m p h a s i s on R e a d i n g C o m p r e h e n s i o n and the n u m b e r of s t u d e n t s do n o t a l l o w for c o n s t r u c t i v e c o r r e c t i o n of e r r o r s .

14

2.1 S i n c e the v a l u e of w r i t i n g in E n g l i s h in a R e a d i n g C o m p r e h e n s i o n c o u r s e is q u e s t i o n a b l e , it seems t h a t the r e m a i n i n g alternatives for c h e c k i n g students' c o m p r e h e n s i o n are: the w i d e l y a c c e p t e d and p r a c t i s e d m u l t i p l e c h o i c e s y s t e m a n d the less a c c e p t e d and, at l e a s t in I s r a e l i u n i v e r s i t i e s v i r t u a l l y u n p r a c t i s e d w r i t i n g of the a n s w e r s in the m o t h e r tongue. T e a c h e r s w h o d i s a p p r o v e of the s e c o n d a l t e r n a t i v e c l a i m that w r i t i n g in E n g l i s h , h o w e v e r u n c o n t r o l l e d , shaky, non-indicative and u n r e v e a l i n g of the t h i n k i n g a b i l i t y , still e x p o s e s the s t u d e n t to the f o r e i g n l a n g u a g e t h r o u g h an a d d i t i o n a l m e d i u m . E v e n m e r e c o p y i n g of the a n s w e r from the text r e i n f o r c e s the v o c a b u l a r y a n d s t r u c ture, a c c o r d i n g to t h i s view. W r i t i n g in the m o t h e r tongue, on the c o n t r a r y , d e p r i v e s the s t u d e n t of t h i s o p p o r t u n i t y and thus m a y s o m e w h a t h i n d e r his p r o g r e s s . 2.2 B e a r i n g in mind, on the o n e hand, the a b o v e a r g u m e n t a g a i n s t w r i t i n g in the m o t h e r t o n g u e and, on the o t h e r hand, the disadvantages of w r i t t e n a n s w e r s in E n g l i s h w h i c h w e r e disc u s s e d e a r l i e r , a two y e a r e x p e r i m e n t w a s u n d e r t a k e n a i m e d at f i n d i n g out w h e t h e r w r i t i n g in H e b r e w h a s any e f f e c t on p r o g r e s s in r e a d i n g c o m p r e h e n s i o n ; w h e t h e r at the e n d of a one y e a r course, the final level in c o m p r e h e n s i o n and r e a d ing s k i l l s of s t u d e n t s w r i t i n g in t h e i r m o t h e r t o n g u e is b e t t e r ' o r w o r s e than the a c h i e v e m e n t s of s t u d e n t s w r i t i n g in E n g l i s h . For this e x p e r i m e n t " w r i t i n g " w a s t a k e n to be p r o d u c t i o n of a n y c o r r e c t s t r u c t u r e not s m a l l e r than a s e n t e n c e . Thus, v a r i o u s v o c a b u l a r y e x e r c i s e s like f i l l i n g in b l a n k s by w o r d s g i v e n in a list, or f i n d i n g s y n o n y m s , or c h a n g i n g the p a r t s of s p e e c h of the r e q u i r e d w o r d s , w e r e e q u a l l y p r a c t i s e d in b o t h the e x p e r i m e n t a l a n d the c o n t r o l g r o u p s . 2.3

Sample :

E a c h y e a r t w o E F L 'general' (not of a n y p a r t i c u l a r u n i v e r sity d e p a r t m e n t ) g r o u p s w e r e r a n d o m l y s e l e c t e d o u t of 1500 f i r s t y e a r u n i v e r s i t y s t u d e n t s , e a c h g r o u p c o n s i s t i n g of a b o u t 30 s t u d e n t s . 2.4

Pre-test:

The s t u d e n t s w e r e t e s t e d at the b e g i n n i n g of the year. T h e test i n c l u d e d t h r e e u n s e e n p a s s a g e s of the level of d i f f i c u l t y r e q u i r e d at the e n d of the c o u r s e . In the f i r s t unseen p a s s a g e the q u e s t i o n s w e r e in the f o r m of m u l t i p l e choice~ the s e c o n d o n e was a c l o z e p a s s a g e a n d the l o n g e s t and the m o s t d i f f i c u l t o n e had q u e s t i o n s t h a t r e q u i r e d a c t u a l w r i t i n g . S t u d e n t s w e r e g i v e n the c h o i c e b e t w e e n

u s i n g E n g l i s h or H e b r e w in the c l o z e p a s s a g e and in the w r i t t e n a n s w e r s . A r e c o r d w a s m a d e of e a c h i n d i v i d u a l grade, the n u m b e r of q u e s t i o n s e a c h s t u d e n t d i d n o t a n s w e r in the l a s t text and the l a n g u a g e he chose. In o t h e r words, three f a c t o r s w e r e t a k e n into a c c o u n t for e a c h s t u d e n t : q u a l i t y of the a n s w e r s ; the q u a n t i t y of q u e s t i o n s that c o u l d be a n s w e r e d in a g i v e n p e r i o d of time; t h e l a n g u a g e p r e f e r ence. As e x p e c t e d , the r e s u l t s w e r e q u i t e low, s i n c e the e x a m i n a t i o n w a s too d i f f i c u l t for the b e g i n n i n g of the year. The e x a c t r e s u l t s a r e p r e s e n t e d in the t a b l e below. The w e a k e r c l a s s w a s s e l e c t e d to be the e x p e r i m e n t a l g r o u p (writing in H e b r e w ) , the b e t t e r c l a s s w a s the c o n t r o l group. 2.5

Methgd:

E x c e p t for the w r i t i n g r e q u i r e m e n t s , the two g r o u p s w e r e t a u g h t e x a c t l y in the s a m e w a y t h r o u g h o u t the c o u r s e by the s a m e t e a c h e r s . T h e y h a d the s a m e a m o u n t of r e a d i n g material, discussion, grammar, vocabulary, homework practice, etc. The s t u d e n t s in the e x p e r i m e n t a l g r o u p w r o t e t h e i r h o m e and c l a s s a s s i g n m e n t s in H e b r e w , the c o n t r o l g r o u p in E n g l i s h . C o r r e c t i o n of the l a n g u a g e in the E n g l i s h assignments included spelling, vocabulary, grammar. A t h o r o u g h c h e c k of the p r o g r e s s of t h e two g r o u p s - c l a s s p a r t i c i p a t i o n , h o m e w o r k , q u i z z e s - s e e m e d to i n d i c a t e that t h e r e was no b a s i c d i f f e r e n c e in t h e i r a c h i e v e m e n t of the p r i m a r y a i m of the c o u r s e - r e a d i n g c o m p r e h e n s i o n . T h e a t t i t u d e of the s t u d e n t s in the e x p e r i m e n t a l g r o u p t o w a r d the e x p e r i m e n t w a s f a v o u r a b l e . Of c o u r s e , s o m e of t h e m w e r e h a p p y w i t h the s m a l l e r w o r k load - w r i t i n g was the e a s i e s t a n d t h e r e f o r e the m o s t e n j o y a b l e p a r t of the h o m e w o r k . However, m a n y s t u d e n t s a d m i t t e d that, b e c a u s e of the H e b r e w w r i t i n g , t h e y h a d m o r e t i m e for the p r e p a r a t i o n of the text and for the r e v i e w of its v o c a b u l a r y a n d s t r u c t u r e a f t e r it h a d b e e n s t u d i e d in c l a s s . T h e r e was a l s o a g e n e r a l f e e l i n g t h a t the s t u d e n t c o u l d s h o w the m a x i m u m of his u n d e r s t a n d i n g in w r i t i n g in h i s m o t h e r t o n g u e , and t h a t he c o u l d not fool the t e a c h e r w i t h w o r d s like: "I k n o w the a n s w e r , but I c a n ' t e x p r e s s it b e c a u s e of m y E n g l i s h " . G r a d i n g w a s f e l t to be fair, s i n c e t h e r e w a s no q u e s t i o n of the s t u d e n t ' s i n a b i l i t y to d e m o n s t r a t e his k n o w l e d g e or of the t e a c h e r ' s m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g of w h a t the s t u d e n t w a n t e d to say. 2.6

Re-test:

In o r d e r to o b t a i n a c c u r a t e e v a l u a t i o n of the a c h i e v e m e n t of the g r o u p s , the two c l a s s e s w e r e g i v e n the same t e s t as at the b e g i n n i n g of the year; o n l y this t i m e it was the e n d of the c o u r s e . In a d d i t i o n to the i n d i v i d u a l g r a d e s , I c h e c k e d th6 i n d i v i d u a l p r o g r e s s of e a c h s t u d e n t f r o m the b e g i n n i n g of the y e a r to the end of it and a l s o t h e c h o i c e of l a n g u a g e s as c o m p a r e d w i t h the c h o i c e in the f i r s t test. T h e c o m p a r a t i v e result of the two tests are p r e s e n t e d in the t a b l e below.

16

Experimental

group

Control

qroup

I academic year 1976-77

academic year

academic year

academic year

1975-76

1976-77

1975-76

36.5%

34%

44.2%

40

%

69.4%

67%

68.2%

71

%

Progress

32.9%

33%

24

%

31

%

% of a n s w e r e d questions (pre-test)

65

%

74%

81.5%

61

%

% of a n s w e r e d questions (re-test)

98.8%

95%

96.7%

96.5%

% of s t u d e n t s w r i t i n g in E n g l i s h in c l o z e (pre-test)

40

%

76%

64

%

65

%

% of s t u d e n t s w r i t i n g in E n g l i s h in c l o z e (re-test)

15

%

3O%

60

%

40

%

5

%

32%

20

%

50

%

16

%

12

%

Class

average

pre-test Class

average

re-test

% of s t u d e n t s writing answers in E n g l i s h (pre-test) % of s t u d e n t s writing answers in E n g l i s h (re-test)

17

3.

Discussion

The n u m e r i c a l results c o n f i r m e d my feeling throughout the course that w r i t i n g in H e b r e w did by no m e a n s hinder progress in c o m p r e h e n s i o n and that w r i t i n g in E n g l i s h in the control g r o u p did not c o n t r i b u t e to it. The final c o m p r e h e n s i o n level of the two groups was found to be almost the same. The a v e r a g e p r o g r e s s of students w r i t i n g in Hebrew was b e t t e r (32.9%) than that of their peers writing in English (24%) in the first year, and almost similar in the second. As for the c o m p r e h e n s i o n and reading speed, which was judged by the number of answered questions, the table indicates s u p e r i o r i t y of the e x p e r i m e n t a l group, both in the final results and in the progress. The choice Of the language also points to some interesting conclusions. The d e c r e a s i n g number of control group students p r e f e r r i n g E n g l i s h in the c l o z e p a s s a g e suggests that their active c o m m a n d of v o c a b u l a r y did not improve in spite of using the E n g l i s h v o c a b u l a r y in w r i t i n g during the course. The d e c r e a s i n g n u m b e r of control group students c h o o s i n g E n g l i s h in the w r i t t e n answers suggests that the use of E n g l i s h w r i t i n g to indicate c o m p r e h e n s i o n p r a c t i s e d throughout the year, did not improve their ability to e x p r e s s themselves. From the e x p e r i m e n t it follows that if, during the academic year, students are g i v e n a d e q u a t e practice in passive voc a b u l a r y a c q u i s i t i o n and u n d e r s t a n d i n g of structure through a lot of reading, some speaking and various w r i t t e n exercises requiring p a s s i v e k n o w l e d g e of w o r d s and grammar, u n c o n t r o l l e d w r i t i n g of p a r a g r a p h s and c o m p o s i t i o n s does not increase the students' passive control of the language. The d e s i r e d level of reading c o m p r e h e n s i o n will be achieved if the students w r i t e in t h e i r m o t h e r tongue. Moreover, w r i t i n g in H e b r e w leaves m o r e time for individual preparation and r e v i s i o n of the material, and eliminates the frustration of students w h o try, w i t h o u t m u c h success, to express their d e v e l o p e d ideas in a foreign language. These advantages of w r i t i n g in the m o t h e r tongue p r o b a b l y account for such teaching assets as a pleasant learning a t m o s p h e r e and m o t i v a t i o n w h i c h were o b s e r v e d during the course. E a r l i e r it was m e n t i o n e d that students felt the g r a d i n g to be fairer than usual. This reflects an additional advantage of w r i t i n g in the m o t h e r tongue - namely, that it is felt to be an accurate testing method. When e v a l u a t i n g a written answer in a foreign language, the t e a c h e r faces several problems: (a) Some students locate the passage where the answer is and copy it, sometimes together w i t h irrelevant information. The teacher is not sure w h e t h e r the student

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d o e s not u n d e r s t a n d w h a t he w r o t e , or w h e t h e r he c o p i e d s i m p l y b e c a u s e he w a s u n s u r e in e x p r e s s i n g h i m s e l f in E n g l i s h a n d t h e r e f o r e p r e f e r r e d the a c t u a l p h r a s i n g of the text. (b)

It o f t e n h a p p e n s that the a n s w e r s are u n c l e a r , a m b i g u o u s , or i n c o m p r e h e n s i b l e due to the w r o n g use of vocabulary, incorrect grammar, unclear deictic items and l a c k of p u n c t u a t i o n . S o m e t e a c h e r s try to r e a d in the r e q u i r e d i n f o r m a t i o n a n d g i v e p a r t i a l c r e d i t to s u c h an a n s w e r , on the a s s u m p t i o n t h a t the s t u d e n t had the c o r r e c t i n f o r m a t i o n but it w a s d i f f i c u l t for him to e x p r e s s it in E n g l i s h . O t h e r t e a c h e r s a r e too i m p a t i e n t or u n i m a g i n a t i v e to p e n e t r a t e the s t u d e n t ' s h i d d e n i n t e n t i o n , w h i c h m a y l e a d to u n d e r e s t i m a t i n g his u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the text.

(c) W h e n e v a l u a t i n g the s t u d e n t ' s c o m p r e h e n s i o n , it is v e r y d i f f i c u l t to a v o i d g i v i n g c r e d i t to l a n g u a g e . Thus a s t u d e n t w h o has w r i t t e n an a n s w e r w h i c h is i n c o m p l e t e in i n f o r m a t i o n , b u t g o o d in t e r m s of l a n g u a g e , m a y s c o r e h i g h e r t h a n his m o r e i n t e l l i g e n t and k n o w l e d g e a b l e c l a s s m a t e w h o has d i f f i c u l t y in e x p r e s s i n g h i m s e l f in a f o r e i g n l a n g u a g e . T h i s v a l u e of the m o t h e r t o n g u e as a t e s t i n g m e t h o d c a m e out c l e a r l y in m y p r e - t e s t and r e - t e s t . S o m e of the s t u d e n t s c h o s e to a n s w e r p a r t l y in E n g l i s h a n d p a r t l y in H e b r e w v a r y i n g the l a n g u a g e in d i f f e r e n t q u e s t i o n s , or in d i f f e r e n t p a r t s of the s a m e q u e s t i o n . In m o s t s u c h c a s e s the E n g l i s h a n s w e r was e i t h e r c o p i e d f r o m the t e x t (this in s p i t e of the fact that the s t u d e n t s are a w a r e of t e a c h e r s ' o b j e c t i o n to c o p y i n g ) , or p h r a s e d in s u c h a n e b u l o u s m a n n e r , l i n g u i s t i c a l l y s p e a k i n g , t h a t it c o u l d be i n t e r p r e t e d in d i f f e r e n t ways. The H e b r e w a n s w e r s of the s a m e s t u d e n t s , h o w e v e r , l e f t no d o u b t as to t h e i r ( m i s ) u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the text. A c o r r e c t t r a n s l a t i o n of the r e l e v a n t p a s s a g e , i n s t e a d of c o p y i n g it, c l e a r l y s h o w s t h a t the s t u d e n t u n d e r s t a n d s it; an i n c o r r e c t t r a n s l a t i o n p o i n t s to the o p p o s i t e . V e r b i a g e and i r r e l e v a n t m a t t e r in the m o t h e r t o n g u e c l e a r l y i n d i c a t e a w i s h to e s c a p e the q u e s t i o n , w h i l e in the f o r e i g n l a n g u a g e t h i s m a y be due to the s t u d e n t ' s w i s h to s h o w h o w he c a n e x p r e s s h i m s e l f , k n o w i n g t h a t it w i l l a f f e c t his g r a d e . R e a d i n g an a n s w e r in the m o t h e r t o n g u e , the t e a c h e r g i v e s c r e d i t to the i n f o r m a t i o n a n d is n o t b i a s e d by the a b i l i t y or i n a b i l i t y of e x p r e s s i o n . To sum up: w r i t i n g in the m o t h e r t o n g u e is a g o o d t e s t i n d i c a t o r of c o m p r e h e n s i o n s i n c e it e l i m i n a t e s the f a c t o r of u n c e r t a i n t y r e s u l t i n g f r o m an a n s w e r w h i c h is c o p i e d from the text, p h r a s e d ambiguously, or w r i t t e n in s u c h l a n g u a g e t h a t can b i a s the t e a c h e r ' s j u d g e m e n t of i n f o r mation.

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4.

Conclusion

For all the value of the m o t h e r tongue in the teaching of v o c a b u l a r y and grammar, there are still teachers reluctant to use it in a foreign language class. It is, therefore, not surprising that to m a n y of them the idea of requiring w r i t t e n a s s i g n m e n t s in the m o t h e r tongue would seem illogical and preposterous. Such teachers should ask themselves how logical it is for a reading c o m p r e h e n s i o n course to d e m a n d u n c o n t r o l l e d and m o s t l y u n c o r r e c t e d w r i t t e n work that is often frustrating for both the student and the teacher. The student must either give up writing some d e v e l o p e d ideas for the lack of tools to express them and thus appear as superficial and shallow, or try to say what he wants in the kind of language w h i c h lags far behind his thought and w h i c h is full of mistakes which obscure his real intention. The teacher reading answers in E n g l i s h is o f t e n u n c e r t a i n of what there is in the answer and what is missing; w h e t h e r the student has u n d e r s t o o d a p a r t i c u l a r passage, or w h e t h e r he has located the required information and c o p i e d it; w h e t h e r the answer looks good because of its language. The results of the e x p e r i m e n t d e s c r i b e d in the paper, however tentative and incomplete they m a y be, would seem to indicate that such w r i t i n g in English does not c o n t r i b u t e to reading comprehension, w h i c h is the main goal of our course. A l t h o u g h it is not sure that it is H e b r e w that accounts for the better progress in the experimental groups, w r i t i n g in the m o t h e r tongue has c e r t a i n l y c o n t r i b u t e d to a b e t t e r learning situation by giving more time for individual p r e p a r a t i o n of the r e a d i n g material and its revision, by removal of the f r u s t r a t i o n of not being able to say what the student wants, and by c r e a t i n g the feeling among the students and the teacher that the students' c o m p r e h e n s i o n has been justly and a c c u r a t e l y assessed. D e p a r t m e n t of F o r e i g n L a n g u a g e s Haifa University, Israel

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