The Impact of Lexical and Cohesive Devices Knowledge on 11th Graders' Reading Comprehension

This Study aimed at recognizing the impact of vocabulary and cohesive devices knowledge, especially pronouns and conjunctions, on the literary 11th graders' reading comprehension. The researcher here applied pre and post tests on a random sample of two intact classes of sixty literary 11th male graders divided into control and experimental groups. These sixty learners represented nearly 38 % of the learners the researcher has been teaching English. The first part of the pre-test represented vocabulary test and the second one; pronouns and conjunctions test. This pre- test was applied on the learners' of both groups to diagnose their abilities and to know whether both groups were equal in their knowledge. After the researcher made sure that both groups were approximately equal regarding their previous knowledge in terms of vocabulary, pronouns and conjunctions, he subjected these graders to some treatment during eight lessons through three texts from the graders' syllabus in terms of vocabulary and the meant devices. After that, the researcher carried out a post-test to identify the effect of knowledge of vocabulary and cohesive devices on students' reading comprehension skill. Both tests were carried out during the second term of 2011. The researcher discovered that each independent variable, either vocabulary or pronouns, remarkably and positively affected reading comprehension. Moreover, each independent variable has the ability to predict reading comprehension. However, vocabulary affected reading comprehension more than pronouns and conjunctions did. In conclusion, the researcher recommended carrying out further studies to identify the effect of either increasing or decreasing pronouns in a text on reading comprehension and critical thinking