The Study of Mobile Learning to Support English Reading Instruction and Enhance English Reading Motivation of Grade 4 Students

Abstract

This study examines mobile learning, which allows for learning to occur anytime and anywhere, as a tool to investigate students’ reading motivation and reading comprehension. The study incorporates criteria from the three generations of mobile applications (Yau & Joy, 2009) and the five areas of reading instruction (Armbruster et al., 2001). The objectives of the study were 1) to examine the appropriateness of a selected mobile application for mobile learning and reading instruction, and 2) to investigate whether mobile learning enhances students’ reading motivation. The participants of this study were five Grade 4 students of Chulalongkorn University Demonstration Elementary School who were enrolled in the regular English class in the second semester of academic year 2013. The data collection was conducted over three 50 minute class periods and with outside class learning through mobile devices. The instruments used were the motivation evaluation form and the focus group. The study found that the qualitative feedback from the focus group was largely positive. In addition, the assessment of the students’ motivation level with mobile learning for reading instruction showed that 40% of the students had a medium motivation level and 60% had a high motivation level.