The Effect of Lexical, Grammatical and Cultural Background Knowledge on Reading Comprehension

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the effect of lexical, grammatical and cultural background knowledge on reading comprehension. It also aims to investigate if there are significant differences between subjects' performance in reading comprehension according to sex and general ability in English (GAE). The study aims at answering the following questions: 1- To what extent are the effects of lexical and grammatical knowledge on subjects' performance in reading comprehension? 2-What is the difference in performance in reading comprehension between male and female subjects who have background knowledge on lexis and grammar and those who do not have any knowledge? 3- What is the difference between subjects' performance in reading comprehension and their general ability in English? 4- To what extent is the effect of cultural background knowledge on subjects' performance in reading comprehension? 5- What is the difference in performance in reading comprehension between male and female subjects who have cultural background knowledge and those who do not have any knowledge? 6-What is the difference between subjects' performance in reading comprehension texts which are loaded with American culture and their general ability in English. ? The population of this study consisted of all first -year students majoring in English at Hebron University in the first semester of the academic year 2006/2007. They were 600. The sample of the study consisted of 120 subjects, males and females divided into four groups, two experimental and two controlled. The researcher followed the experimental method. The researcher gave the first experimental group five lectures on lexis and syntax while the first controlled group was not given any lecture. He also gave the second experimental group five lectures on American culture while the second controlled group was not given any lecture. The researcher gave the four groups of subjects a post test. The first experimental and controlled groups were given a post test concerns lexical and syntactic knowledge while the second experimental and controlled groups were given a post test concerns target language culture. The post test consisted of two texts followed by twenty questions for each group. Means, standard deviations and Pearson Product Moment Correlation were calculated by using SPSS program. The study revealed the following results: 1. There are statistically significant differences in performance in reading comprehension between subjects who have lexical and grammatical knowledge and those who do not have any knowledge. 2. There are no statistically significant differences in performance in reading comprehension between male and female subjects who have lexical and grammatical knowledge and those who do not have any knowledge. 3. Subjects' GAE revealed that there are statistically significant differences in performance in reading comprehension between subjects who have lexical and grammatical knowledge and those who do not have any knowledge. 4. There are statistically significant differences in performance in reading comprehension between subjects who have cultural background knowledge and those who do not have any knowledge 5- There are no statistically significant differences in performance in reading comprehension between male and female subjects who have cultural background knowledge and those who do not have any knowledge. 6. Subjects' GAE revealed that there are significant differences in performance in reading comprehension between subjects who have cultural background knowledge and those who do not have any knowledge.