Title Emotions in Reading in English as a Foreign Language Author Marija Matijaš Mentor Kristina Cergol (mentor)Committee member Alenka Mikulec (predsjednik povjerenstva)Committee member Silvija Hanžić Deda (član povjerenstva)Committee member Kristina Cergol (član povjerenstva)Granter University of Zagreb Defense date and country 2023-07-04, Croatia Scientific / art field, HUMANISTIC SCIENCES Scientific / art field, HUMANISTIC SCIENCES Abstract Reading is not only a skill one may possess but also an activity many partake in to elevate their mood or escape their reality. This is not surprising since reading has been used as a form of therapy for centuries.
The aim of this thesis was to research how reading in English as a foreign language affects an individual’s emotions. Eleven participants (N = 11) come from eight different countries (Belgium, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia and the United States of America), are all fluent in their reading in English. English is not their mother tongue. All participants are members of an online book club. Firstly, we tried to find out how English as a foreign language helps one deal with their personal problems. The second question we tried to answer was whether reading in English as a foreign language helps one escape their own reality. Furthermore, we researched if reading in English as a foreign language changes one’s mood for the better. And finally, we tried to determine if there are differences between reading in a foreign language and a mother tongue.
These eleven participants were required to fill out three forms. One form, the entry form, was meant to be filled out once in order to gain some general information on the participants. The other two forms, the pre-reading and post-reading forms, were meant to be filled out before and after five reading sessions. Those sessions occured at whichever time and for however long the participants chose over the course of one month.
The results were not conclusive, as the research was done on a small sample of participants. However, we found that reading in English as a foreign language helps people deal with their personal problems by finding inspiration in the novel they are reading, or simply by offering them escapism. Moreover, the majority of the participants demonstrated elevated moods after their reading sessions. Finally, a large number of participants expressed that they prefer reading original texts in English as opposed to translations into their mother tongues. These findings may benefit teachers of English as a second language as they offer a small insight into benefits of becoming fluent in reading in English.
Abstract (croatian) Čitanje nije samo vještina koju neki posjeduju, već i aktivnost koju mnogi biraju kako bi popravili svoje raspoloženje ili pobjegli od vlastite stvarnosti. Ovo ne iznenađuje s obzirom da se čitanje koristi stoljećima kao jedna vrsta terapije.
Cilj ovog diplomskog rada bio je istražiti na koji način čitanje na engleskom kao stranom jeziku utječe na emocije pojedinca. Jedanaest sudionika istraživanja iz osam različitih država (Belgije, Brazila, Njemačke, Nizozemske, Poljske, Srbije, Slovačke i Sjedinjenih Američkih Država) su tečni u čitanju na engleskom jeziku. Osim toga, niti jednome od sudionika engleski nije materinji jezik. Svi sudionici su članovi online čitalačkog kluba. Prvo smo htjeli saznati kako čitanje na engleskom kao stranom jeziku pomaže pojedincu kod nošenja s osobnim problemima. Drugo pitanje pitanje na koje smo pokušali dati odgovor je pomaže li čitanje na engleskom kao stranom jeziku pojedincu kod bijega od stvarnosti. Nadalje, istražili smo mijenja li čitanje na engleskom kao stranom jeziku raspoloženje na bolje. U konačnici, pokušali smo zaključiti postoji li razlika između čitanja na stranom jeziku i na materinjem jeziku.
Ovih jedanaest sudionika trebalo je ispuniti tri formulara. Jedan od formulara bio je ulazni kojega su ispunjavali jednom kako bismo doznali neke općenite informacije o njima. Druga dva formulara ispunjavali su tijekom pet čitalačkih ‘sesija’, jedan prije čitanja i jedan poslije. Te ‘sesije’ su se događale tijekom jednog mjeseca kad su god to sudionici htjeli te su trajale onoliko dugo koliko bi sami odlučili.
S obzirom da je istraživanje napravljeno na malom uzorku, rezultati nisu definitivni. Međutim, uočili smo da čitanje na engleskom kao stranom jeziku pomaže ljudima kod nošenja s osobnim problemima kroz pronalaženje inspiracije u romanu kojega čitaju ili kroz sam ‘bijeg’ od stvarnosti. Nadalje, većina sudionika pokazala je poboljšano raspoloženje nakon čitanja. Naposlijetku, veliki broj sudionika izrazio je da preferira čitanje originalnih tekstova na engleskom jeziku za razliku od njihovih prijevoda na njihove materinje jezike. Ovi zaključci mogu biti korisni učiteljima engleskog kao stranog jezika s obzirom da daju uvid u dobrobiti tečnosti u čitanju na engleskom jeziku.
Keywords
reading
emotions
English language
teachers of English as a second language
Keywords (croatian)
čitanje
emocije
engleski jezik
učitelji engleskog kao stranog jezika
Language english URN:NBN urn:nbn:hr:147:738599 Study programme Title: Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate University Programme of Study of Primary Teacher Education and Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate University Programme of Study for Primary Teacher Education with English and German Language Type of resource Text File origin Born digital Access conditions Open access Terms of use Created on 2023-07-17 11:18:10
