The Effect of Teaching English Textual Patterns (Problem-solution, Hypothetical-real, General-specific) on Iranian EFL Learners’ Reading Ability

One of the most significant purposes in reading English written texts is to understand writer's messages. However, it seems that the Iranian EFL learners have fundamental problems in understanding and interpreting English written texts. One of the factors contributing to the Iranian EFL learners’ disability in understanding and interpreting English written texts, as Namjoo and Marzban (2012) observe, is the fact that most of the Iranian teachers, as for reading lessons, have been applying a bottom-up approach, leading students to decode texts by using knowledge of grammar and vocabulary. The participants in this study were 60 upper-intermediate EFL learners in Khaje-Nasir language institute in Pars-Abad-e-Moghan, Ardebil, Iran. The aim of this study was investigating the effects of teaching English textual patterns (problem-solution, general-detail and hypothetical-real) on the Iranian EFL learners reading ability. In order to make the learners familiar with English textual patterns some instructional activities, including raising awareness of textual patterns, focusing on signaling factors, reformulating and making a frame or a diagram were used. The results of the study revealed that teaching of English textual patterns (problem-solution, general-detail and hypothetical-real) have positive effect on the Iranian EFL learners reading ability.