AI-Generated Graphic Organisersand L2 Reading Comprehension:Evidence from a Tertiary ELT Classroom in India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66121/z192tc30Keywords:
Graphic organizers, AI-generated tools, Reading comprehension, Text complexity, L2 readingAbstract
This study investigates the effectiveness of AI-generated graphic organisers (GOs) in developing the reading comprehension of tertiary-level English as a Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) learners in an Indian university context. A pre-test/post-test design was employed with 18 postgraduate students from an English Language Teaching (ELT) department. Participants were divided into two groups, More Advanced Readers (MAR, n=10) and Less Advanced Readers (LAR, n=8), based on initial pre-test performance. Over a four-week intervention, students were trained to use AI-generated GOs (KWL charts, Venn diagrams, flowcharts, and mind maps) to engage with three academic texts of varying complexity. Summarisation tasks assessed participants’ comprehension before and after the intervention. Results from paired t-tests and one-way ANOVA revealed statistically significant improvements in post-test scores for the whole group across all three passages. GOs were found to be more effective for simpler, expository texts and for more advanced readers; less advanced readers encountered difficulty using GOs with more complex argumentative texts. These findings suggest that while AI-generated GOs hold promise as instructional tools in L2 reading classrooms, their effectiveness is moderated by learner proficiency and text complexity. The study calls for further investigation with larger sample sizes and more diverse assessment measures.
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