Developing English Reading Tasks for the Students of Economics Education Department of UIN Mataram 2019
This paper presents a comprehensive framework for developing English reading tasks specifically designed for students in the Economics Education Department at UIN Mataram (academic year 2019). The approach emphasizes the integration of discipline-specific content with appropriate language instruction to enhance students' reading comprehension skills within their field of study.
Introduction
English proficiency has become increasingly important for Economics Education students in Indonesia, particularly in academic contexts where valuable research and information are predominantly available in English. Students at the Economics Education Department of UIN Mataram face specific challenges in reading English texts related to their discipline, including technical vocabulary, complex sentence structures, and discipline-specific rhetorical patterns.
The development of targeted reading tasks addresses these challenges by providing structured practice that improves both linguistic competence and content knowledge. This approach follows the principles of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), recognizing that students' needs should drive the curriculum design rather than generic language teaching approaches.
Theoretical Foundation
The development of reading tasks for Economics Education students is grounded in several key theoretical frameworks:
- Schema Theory: This theory emphasizes that reading comprehension depends on the reader's existing knowledge structures or schemas. Tasks are designed to activate and build upon students' knowledge of economics concepts while introducing new information.
- Genre Analysis: Economics texts follow specific rhetorical patterns that readers must recognize for effective comprehension. Tasks help students identify and understand the structure and purpose of economics-related texts.
- Metacognitive Strategy Instruction: Teaching students to monitor their own understanding and use appropriate strategies when encountering difficulties in reading economics texts.
- Lexical Approach: Focusing on the frequency and importance of discipline-specific vocabulary in economics texts that students need to master for effective reading.
Needs Analysis
A comprehensive needs analysis conducted with Economics Education students at UIN Mataram revealed several key findings:
| Category | Findings | Implications for Task Design |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Requirements | Students must read journal articles, textbooks, and case studies in English | Include authentic academic texts from economics journals and textbooks |
| Current Proficiency | Varying levels (B1-B2 on CEFR scale) | Provide scaffolding and differentiated instruction |
| Vocabulary Challenges | Difficulty with technical economics terminology | Integrate discipline-specific vocabulary in context |
| Cognitive Skills | Need to analyze graphs, tables, and statistical information | Include multimodal texts with visual elements |
Task Design Principles
Based on the needs analysis, the reading tasks for Economics Education students are guided by several design principles:
- Content Relevance: All reading materials relate directly to economics education curriculum topics, ensuring relevance and motivation.
- Authenticity: Where possible, tasks use authentic texts written for economists rather than simplified materials designed for language learners.
- Scaffolding: Tasks provide appropriate support through pre-reading activities, glossaries, and questions that guide comprehension.
- Skill Integration: Reading tasks integrate with other skills (writing, speaking, listening) to reflect real academic practices.
- Critical Thinking: Tasks move beyond literal comprehension to include analysis, evaluation, and application of information from texts.
Reading Task Categories
The developed reading tasks fall into several categories, each targeting specific skills and needs of Economics Education students:
1. Comprehension Tasks
These tasks focus on understanding main ideas, supporting details, and inferences in economics texts. They include:
- Summarizing key economic concepts from academic articles
- Identifying arguments and evidence in economics case studies
- Multiple-choice questions testing understanding of complex relationships between economic variables
- Matching activities connecting economic theories to their applications
2. Vocabulary Development Tasks
These tasks help students acquire discipline-specific vocabulary in context through:
- Word formation exercises focusing on economics terminology
- Contextual guesswork activities to infer meaning of unfamiliar terms
- Collocation exercises pairing economics concepts with appropriate verbs
- Creating glossaries of key terms with definitions in simple English
3. Critical Analysis Tasks
Fostering higher-order thinking through:
- Evaluating the methodology used in economics research papers
- Comparing different economic theories or approaches
- Critiquing arguments presented in economics opinion pieces
- Identifying bias or limitations in economic analyses
4. Multimodal Text Tasks
Economics texts often include graphs, tables, and other visual elements. Tasks focus on:
- Interpreting data from economic graphs and charts
- Describing trends shown in statistical tables
- Integrating information from text and visual elements
- Creating visual representations of information from textual sources
5. Discipline-Specific Genre Tasks
Helping students recognize the structure and purpose of different economics texts:
- Analyzing the structure of economics journal articles
- Identifying rhetorical moves in economics research papers
- Distinguishing between different types of economics writing (reports, analyses, proposals)
- Understanding citation practices in economics literature
Sample Task Framework
The following framework illustrates how a typical reading task is structured for Economics Education students:
| Stage | Purpose | Sample Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-reading | Activate background knowledge and generate interest | Brainstorming economics concepts related to the topic Previewing headings, subheadings, and visual elements Discussing personal experiences with the economic issue Predicting content based on title and introduction |
| While-reading | Guide comprehension and develop reading strategies | Annotating the text with questions and reactions Identifying main ideas and supporting evidence Using context clues to infer meaning of unknown vocabulary Creating diagrams to represent relationships between concepts |
| Post-reading | Deeper understanding, application, and critical thinking | Summarizing the key arguments in the text Discussing implications of the economic findings Connecting the text to other economics knowledge Evaluating the author's perspective and evidence |
Integration with Economics Education Curriculum
The reading tasks are designed to complement the Economics Education curriculum at UIN Mataram by:
- Aligning text topics with subject matter covered in economics courses
- Supporting completion of economics coursework that requires English text comprehension
- Preparing students for reading materials in advanced economics courses
- Building skills necessary for research and academic writing in economics
For example, when students are studying Microeconomics in their major courses, the English reading tasks include texts about supply and demand, market structures, and consumer behavior using authentic economics texts adapted for language learning purposes.
Implementation Considerations
Several key factors should be considered when implementing these reading tasks:
- Time Management: Balancing depth of text analysis with available class time and other curricular requirements.
- Proficiency Differentiation: Adapting tasks to accommodate varying English proficiency levels while maintaining academic rigor.
- Teacher Preparation: Ensuring English instructors have basic understanding of economics concepts and vocabulary.
- Technology Integration: Utilizing digital tools for text access, annotation, and collaborative analysis.
- Continuous Assessment: Regularly monitoring student progress and adjusting tasks accordingly.
Evaluation Framework
The effectiveness of reading tasks is evaluated through multiple measures:
- Student Performance: Assessments measuring reading comprehension, vocabulary recognition, and critical analysis abilities.
- Student Feedback: Surveys and focus groups to gather student perceptions of task relevance, difficulty, and usefulness.
- Instructor Observations: Qualitative feedback from language instructors regarding student engagement and progress.
- Academic Impact: Monitoring performance in economics courses to identify correlations with reading task completion.
This comprehensive evaluation approach allows for continuous improvement of the reading task framework and ensures it remains responsive to student needs.
Conclusion
Developing effective English reading tasks for Economics Education students at UIN Mataram requires careful consideration of both linguistic and content-specific needs. The approach outlined in this paper integrates principles of English for Specific Purposes with reading pedagogy and economics education fundamentals.
By providing targeted, scaffolded practice with authentic economics texts, these tasks enhance students' reading comprehension while building their discipline-specific vocabulary and critical thinking skills. This dual focus prepares students not only for their current academic requirements but also for future professional endeavors that demand English language competence in economics contexts.
Continued refinement of this framework based on ongoing evaluation will ensure its effectiveness for future cohorts of Economics Education students, ultimately contributing to their academic success and professional preparation in an increasingly globalized economic landscape.
References
- Basturkmen, H. (2010). Developing courses in English for specific purposes. Palgrave Macmillan.
- Dudley-Evans, T., & St John, M. J. (1998). Developments in English for specific purposes: A multi-disciplinary approach. Cambridge University Press.
- Grabe, W. (2009). Reading in a second language: Moving from theory to practice. Cambridge University Press.
- Hyland, K. (2006). English for academic purposes: An advanced resource book. Routledge.
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