國內大學生英文閱讀能力區域差異之初探

A Preliminary Study on the Regional Variation in English Reading Ability Among Taiwanese College Students

本研究探討國內北、中、南地區學生的英文閱讀能力差異，並用年級指數探討可能存在的差異分佈模式。樣本取自中部一所醫學大學344位大一學生，並分為「高能力組」與「中高能力組」。然後，根據畢業高中所在地區，將兩組學生各分為北、中、南。研究工具是美國教育界普遍使用的英文閱讀常模參照測驗「蓋茲－麥吉尼泰閱讀測驗」（Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests, GMRT, Form S）。本研究使用第四版的第7/9年級測驗。描述統計顯示英文閱讀平均分數，不論是「高能力組」或是「中高能力組」，皆是中部＞北部＞南部。變異數分析顯示，三地區「高能力組」之間沒有顯著差異存在，F (2, 188) = 0.7140, p >0.1；「中高能力組」之間也沒有顯著差異，F (2, 150) = 0.7548, p >0.1。英文閱讀年級指數的比較發現，閱讀能力等同於美國高中以上的比率，不論是「高能力組」或是「中高能力組」皆是中部＞北部＞南部。英文閱讀能力等同於美國小學的比率：「高能力組」－南部＞中部＞北部；「中高能力組」－南部＞北部＞中部。文末探討造成差異的可能因素，並提出一些建議和值得後續探討的相關研究。

This paper attempts to determine the extent to which variation in English reading ability exists among students from northern, central, and southern Taiwan. Examined as well are the possible patterns of differences among students from these regions as delineated through reading grade equivalents (GE). The subjects, 344 freshmen enrolled at a medical university in central Taiwan, were selected to represent two ability groups: high-ability (HA) and high-intermediate ability (HIA). The participants in either group were sorted into the three regions in accordance with the high schools from which they graduated. Used as the measure was the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests (GMRT) - Level 7/9, Form S, the Fourth Edition, a norm-referenced group survey reading test developed for American students from preprimer to twelfth grade. Comparisons of the mean scores revealed the same pattern of differences in either ability group: Center > North > South. The ANOVA analyses, however, revealed no significant differences among the HA groups, F (2, 188) = 0.7140, p > 0.1 and among the HIA groups, F (2, 150) = 0.7548, p > 0.1. Analyses of grade distributions by percentage revealed that among the subjects who scored within the high school range, this pattern was observed in both ability groups: Center > North > South. Among the subjects who scored within the elementary school range, this pattern was found in the HA group: South > Center > North; while a different pattern was observed in the HIA group: South > North > Center. The paper ends with explanations of the possible causative factors and concludes with some suggestions for further studies.