Concept Map As A Formative Assessment Tool Of Reading Comprehension (CMFRAT)

Concept map, developed by Novak (1972), is a graphical two-dimensional representation of communicated knowledge and its underlying structure. As a combination of propositional and imaginal representation, concept map can be seen as a portrayal of a mental model and can be reviewed with others, which make the instruction more efficient and pertinent. Besides, the construction of concept map can help learners organize information, which assist memory search and aid the recalling of information. In addition, concept map help integrate students’ fragmentary understanding of information to form meaningful overview, which can encourage and facilitate students to look at the overall framework. Regarding all the merits of concept map, this study investigates the effectiveness and feasibility of applying concept map as a formative assessment tool (CMFRAT) in TEM-4reading comprehension section. In this study, the effect and impact of CMFRAT on (1) learner’s reading comprehension ability,(2) communication on information comprehension and organization between instructors and learners, and (3) learners’ attitude towards reading is investigated.The experiment is conducted in English department of a university in a northern city in China, with two sophomore classes. Each class was comprised of10students from different parts of China ranging in age from19to20. None of them had experience in constructing concept map. In the research, both qualitative and quantitative approach is applied. Minitab is applied in the statistical analysis process to test the change of students’ reading comprehension ability after the treatment. Questionnaire and follow-up interview with students and instructors are conducted and analyzed to investigate their feedback on CMFRAT.After eight-week investigation, certain conclusions have been drawn. First, CMFRAT is proved to be effective in improving learners’ reading comprehension ability, especially when the reading material is challenging to the students in terms of informational capacity. Secondly, it provides improves communication on text comprehension and information organization between teachers and students, as it helps instructors probe into students’ cognitive structure and enable them to provide pertinent instruction, and, at the same time, provides a platform for students to pose questions to teachers about the reading passage. Thirdly, CMFRAT enhances students’ enthusiasm for concept mapping technique, enthusiasm in in discussing their understanding of the reading material with their teachers, as well as confidence in using this technique. Thus, we can safely draw a conclusion that CMFRAT has a positive impact on students" learning.