065

wb09 1/14/2010 7:18:31

General Session - Conference Presentation Only (no formal paper)

//Reima Al-Jarf, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, reemasado@msn.com//
 * Enhancing EFL Freshman Students Reading Skills with Mind-mapping Software**

Freshman studying English as foreign language (EFL) have problems comprehending English texts, specifically with identifying main ideas, supporting details and organizational structure. They also have difficulty making an outline of main topics, sub-topics and important supporting details. Mind-mapping software (Free Mind 0.8.1) can help students with some of these challenges. By focusing on key ideas and then making connections between those ideas, students map knowledge in a way that helps them understand and remember new information in a written text. The mind-mapping software uses lines, colors, arrows, and branches to show connections between the ideas generated on the mind map. Post-test results show that the mind-mapping software was effective in enhancing reading comprehension among EFL freshman students.

All Audiences mind-mapping software, Free Mind 0.8.1, reading comprehension, EFL, college, reading, freshman

This presentation can also be delivered as an online workshop to illustrate in detail how mind-mapping software is used.