THE IMPACT OF THINKING SKILLS AND MIND MAPPING ON READING WITH REFERENCE TO GOVERNMENT COLLEGE STUDENTS

Abstract

Task- based language teaching (TBLT), is one of the significant methods in the second language learning context.  This paper makes use of TBLT, particularly with regard to Tasks using thinking skills and mind mapping.  Thinking skills and mind mapping refer to the learner’s comprehending ability in the way he/she wants in order to comprehend the reading material in a particular pattern/method and reflect on the same.  In fact, it refers to the Meta cognitive strategies used by the learners.  The biggest advantage is that the mindset of the learner is tuned, in such a way that he/she, not only comprehends the item to be learned, but is able to reproduce it (this is the result of his/her metacognitive strategy and retention capacity).  Hence, in this context, a study with a small group of ESL learners from one of the government colleges of Tamilnadu was chosen to prove the hypothesis.  So this paper studies the impact of thinking skills and mind mapping as the students worked with you tube based Tasks.  The central concept of the paper is to evaluate the impact of higher order thinking skills using mind mapping technique.  The scores of the learners on their reading comprehension prove that there is a significant difference, between the two groups of students, selected for the study.