THE ROLE OF MIND MAPPING SOFTWARRE IN DEVELOPING EFL LEARNERS' READING COMPREHENSION AT THE PRE-INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of mine mapping software in developing EFL learner's reading comprehension at the pre-intermediate level. Ninety (EFL) learners, who were studying EFL in a Pre-University Center in Bandar Imam Khomeini, were selected out of 120 learners. Three classes were chosen based on Oxfortd Quick Placement Test (OQPT, 2010). They they were divided into three equal groups. Each group included 30 participants. They were mind map group and control group. Then, three groups were given a Pre-Test before the treatment to determine the learners' reading comprehension scores at the begining of the course. During 10 sessions of instruction, 50 minutes each, the passages were taught. In the Experimental Group, the participants were introduced to different parts and components of the software including the entry for the reading texts, graphic images with samples of nouns and adjective part of Speech, Macro and Micro Catogories, Colors, etc. The control group received traditional reading and comprehension instructions including Synonyms, Definitions, and Memorizing while the experimental groups received Summarizing, Inferencing, Text Aalysis Activities. After the treatment sessions, the participants sat for a reading comprehension post-test for the short-term effect, retention of the materials taught in the classroom. Finallym after an interval of three weeks, the participants took the post-test as an indicator of the long-term effect, recall, of the information into the passages. Data were analyzed through groups. The cognitive strategy group outperformed the other groups. The main difference was that the incoming information through the cognitive strategy enhances learning of reading comprehension. Implications of the study for teaching reading comprehension suggest that using cognitive strategy could be more effective than other metacognitive and traditional strategies in teaching reading skill to EFL Pre-Intermediate Learners.