The Effect of Using Multimedia Blurb on L2 Reading Comprehension of Narrative Text

Abstract

Strategies that improve reading comprehension is essential for learning. This study investigated the effect of Multimedia Blurb (MMB) on second language (L2) reading comprehension. Readers create a MMB using internet-based tools, and a specific language to express their understanding of the text read. Participants were drawn from intact secondary education pre-service teachers of varied majorships and assigned to three conditions. Two experimental groups produced a MMB, one used their first language (L1) which is Filipino, and the other applied their second language (L2), which is English. A control group did not create a MMB. All groups were tested for comprehension after reading and producing a MMB. A oneway between groups analysis of covariance determined the impact of MMB on comprehension. The experimental groups performed significantly better than the control group, with the L2 group generating the highest mean score. The digital tools utilized and the language used to process the narrative text likely enhanced readers comprehension. Further study of the MMB elements is recommended.