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Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 13. Number2. June 2022 Pp.424-436
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol13no2.29
The Positive Effect of Translation on Improving Reading Comprehension among Female
Arabic Learners of English as Foreign Language
Amal Alaboud
Department of Foreign Languages, College of Arts
Taif University, Saudi Arabia
Email: asaboud@tu.edu.sa
Received: 3/29/2022 Accepted:6/2/2022 Published:6/24/2022
Abstract
Translation has been one of the most commonly used strategies in learning an additional language.
Although there is not a consensus on the usefulness of translation as a language learning strategy,
the relevant literature indicated that it could contribute to the learning process when used
purposefully and meaningfully. The present study aimed to explore the role of translation in
supporting the language learning process by adopting an experimental design to reveal whether
engaging in translation practice could improve participants’ skills in reading comprehension. In
this scope, 30 female students at Taif University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were randomly
assigned to the experimental group and received an intervention by translating reading passages
before carrying out comprehension tasks. On the other hand, the 28 female students in the control
group practiced reading comprehension without completing a translation task before the
comprehension activities. An independent samples t-test was used to measure the extent to which
the two groups differed from each other in terms of their reading comprehension skills before and
after the intervention. The results of the independent samples t-tests demonstrated that the
experimental group scored significantly higher than the control group at the end of the intervention,
although there was not a statistically significant difference between the two groups at the outset.
The results suggested that translation could be an effective instructional strategy in improving
learners' skills in reading comprehension in an EFL setting.
Keywords: Comprehension, reading, teaching English as a Foreign Language, translation, Arabic
learners of English
Cite as: Alaboud, A. (2022). The Positive Effect of Translation on Improving Reading
Comprehension among Female Arabic Learners of English as Foreign Language. Arab World
English Journal, 13 (2) 424-436. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol13no2.29
Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 13. Number 2. June 2022
The Positive Effect of Translation on Improving Reading Comprehension Alaboud
Arab World English Journal
www.awej.org
ISSN: 2229-9327
425
Introduction
The extent to which learners should be allowed to use or benefit from their knowledge of
the first language has been debated for decades (Flege, Bohn & Jang, 1997; Keck, 2006; Sparks &
Ganschow, 1993; Storch & Wigglesworth, 2003; Wach & Monroy, 2020; Wang & Wen, 2002).
In some circles, the use of the native language has turned into a taboo and its use in the classroom,
no matter what the purpose is, was labelled as one of the worst things a learner of another language
could do (Sali, 2014). This view supported the notion that both the teacher and learners in the
classroom are supposed to use the target language for both instructional and communicational
purposes. A contrary perspective argued that even though the use of the first language in a language
teaching classroom may not offer benefits superior than those offered by the communicative use
of the target language, the first language could still offer considerable benefits when used in
cooperation with the target language through a meaningful and purposeful approach (Joyce, 2018).
Auerbach (1993) argued that the sole use of the target language in the classroom was
related to ideological and historical conceptions that were not evidence based. It was also argued
that there was no scientific evidence indicating that the use of the native language when learning
an additional language leads to detrimental effects on the learning process (Shin, Dixon & Choi,
2020). On the contrary, many studies have found positive effects of the use of the first language
on the language learning process when used purposefully and meaningfully (Ma, 2019; Marton &
MacIntyre, 2020; Pavón-Vázquez & Ramos-Ordóñez, 2019; Tsagari & Giannikas, 2020).
Nevertheless, this does not mean the teaching of a target language should be based entirely on the
first language. Especially the third circle countries (Kachru, 1990), where exposure to English as
the most commonly learnt foreign language is limited to the classroom context and students have
only few opportunities to practice the target language in their daily lives, the use of the target
language in the classroom offers the exposure opportunities learners need to learn. In this process,
the use of the first language should aim to reinforce the learning process by facilitating the relevant
processes students are involved in (Ma, 2019).
In this context, the present study aims to understand the role of translation across native
language and target language in supporting the foreign language learning process. In more detail,
this study will explore whether the use of the first language through translating reading passages
from the target language (English) into the native language (Arabic) before carrying out reading
comprehension tasks resulted in a statistically significant performance difference between two
groups of female learners learning English as a foreign language By achieving this objective, the
present study can contribute to the international literature on translation and language learning by
demonstrating the extent of support translation offers in the language learning process. Thus, the
research question that guided this study was as follows:
1. Does translating reading comprehension passages into learners' native language prior to
working on comprehension tasks lead to significant differences in reading comprehension
among female learners at the same proficiency level?
The remainder of this paper will present a review of the relevant literature, detail the research
methods employed to collect and analyse the data needed to answer the research question, present
the results that emerged from the statistical analysis of the data collected, discuss the results in
Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 13. Number 2. June 2022
The Positive Effect of Translation on Improving Reading Comprehension Alaboud
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ISSN: 2229-9327
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light of the relevant literature, and finally, conclude with a subjective insight on the research
subject and future directions for research on translation and language learning.
Literature Review
For long years, the field of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
has embraced teaching approaches and methods that focused on the study of four language skills
(speaking, writing, listening, and reading) together (Burns & Siegel, 2018; Hinkel, 2006; Selinker
& Tom/in, 1986). That being the case, reading has received greater interest from both scholars and
learners due to several reasons (Mason & Krashen, 1997; Proctor, August, Carlo & Snow, 2005;
Van Staden, 2011). The increased focus on reading also required a more intensive inquiry into how
learners could read passages in a foreign language to arrive at higher levels in language
proficiency. In this context, translation emerged as an instructional approach that aimed to enhance
language learners' academic performance in reading and help them clear strong links between their
first language and the native language (Malmkjær, 2010).
The initial practice of translation in language classrooms relied heavily on the translation
of literary texts into and from the first language in order to improve the knowledge of vocabulary
and grammar (Richards, Richards, Rodgers & Coaut, 2001). Similarly, the focus of translation
during the learning process was on memorizing target structures – vocabulary in particular – and
make comparisons between the grammatical structure of the first language and the target language.
In this sense, learners without an advanced level of knowledge were required to translate literary
texts at a professional level. This practice proved to be not as useful as the scholars of the era had
expected it to be, was difficult for learners to progress through, and made the learning process a
lot more challenging and demanding than it normally should be. Richards et al. (2001) also argued
that the certain practices regarding the use of translation in language classrooms that did not have
a firm pedagogical foundation led to a hesitation into the use of the first language for language
learning purposes, and hence, many approaches to language teaching as well as the techniques and
methods developed for language teaching purposes almost exclusively ignored the role the first
language might play in the learning of an additional language.
In this context, translation has been a highly debated practice within language learning and
teaching circles (Carreres & Noriega-Sánchez, 2011; Garcia & Pena, 2011; Malmkjær, 2010;
Widdowson, 2014). Nonetheless, although it has appeared as an unfavourable technique for
language readers, it has also been found to be positively contributing to students in learning a
language. Pym, Malmkjær, and Gutiérrez-Colon (2013) conducted a large-scale mixed-methods
study to understand how the countries in the European Union approached translation in their
language teaching policies and practices by comparing the results to those in three non-member
countries in different continents (Australia, China, and the USA). Based on the results of a survey
administered to 963 scholars and teachers across the European Union and interviews conducted
with 101 respondents, they found that most teachers living in European countries do not favour
translation as a learning and teaching technique as it hinders communicative activities in the
language classroom. Most institutions also demand to work with teachers that act like a native
speaker of the target language, which means all notions of the native language are usually
overlooked in the learning of the target language. However, the study revealed this preference was
not backed by evidence:
Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 13. Number 2. June 2022
The Positive Effect of Translation on Improving Reading Comprehension Alaboud
Arab World English Journal
www.awej.org
ISSN: 2229-9327
427
[W]e have found no strong empirical evidence that communicative uses of translation in
the L2 classroom have a detrimental effect on language learning, whereas there is empirical
evidence that translation can enhance the learning of an L2, particularly writing skills in
both L1 and L2 (Pym, Malmkjær & Gutierrez-Colon., 2013, p. 5).
In other words, the results presented evidence that translation does not hinder communicative
activities in the classroom and does not lead to negative consequences in the learning process.
Other studies also revealed that translation might result in positive gains in learning to read
in an additional language. To understand the role of translation activities in improving reading
comprehension, Lee (2013) conducted a study with English major and non-English major students.
Both groups started the experiment by reading a passage in the target language (English). They
translated the passage into their native language (Chinese), and finally, they took a reading
comprehension test of five multiple choice questions, three of which were directly related to the
paragraphs they translated, whereas the other two concerned other paragraphs. The results revealed
that the participants had a higher score in questions that were related to the paragraphs they had
translated. More specifically, the mean score on these three questions was 86.4 for English major
students and 88.9 for non-English major students. However, on the other two questions that they
had not translated into their native language, the mean score was 35.3 for English major students
and 44.4 for non-English major students. They argued that because translation required a thorough
and extensive comprehension of the passage, the students had higher comprehension scores on the
sections they translated.
In a similar study with 70 first-year university students, Sakurai (2015) found that whether
students translated a text before reading it led to significant changes in their amount of reading, in
their overall proficiency level (as determined by post-tests), and their speed in reading. He argued
that reading without translating could be challenging for learners who are used to translating in
their earlier experiences as students. In another study investigating the effect of extensive reading
and translation on the grammar knowledge of adolescent EFL learners, Lee, Schallert, and Kim
(2015) administered a grammar test to two groups of adolescent EFL learners in South Korea, one
of whom had studied extensive reading and the other translation for two academic terms. The
results revealed that students with extensive reading and translation backgrounds did not have
statistically significantly different performance levels from the pre-test to the post-test. The authors
argued that translation was as effective as extensive reading as a technique to improve reading
skills. They also found that students practicing extensive reading showed a decrease in their
attitude towards reading, whereas those conducting translation activities experienced an increase
in their attitude at all levels.
Studies mentioned so far indicated that students can improve their reading skills utilizing
the power of translation. Moreover, the relevant literature also shows that engaging in intensive
and extensive reading skills also support students' translation skills, which, in turn, further
reinforces their reading skills. For example, Sriwantaneeyakul (2018) carried out a mixed methods
study to reveal the relationship between translation ability and students' critical reading skills by
testing the translations made by students with superior critical reading skills and those with lower
critical reading skills. The study revealed a statistically significant difference between accuracy of
Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 13. Number 2. June 2022
The Positive Effect of Translation on Improving Reading Comprehension Alaboud
Arab World English Journal
www.awej.org
ISSN: 2229-9327
428
translation made by the two groups. Also, it was found that students with superior critical reading
skills produced translation outputs that were more accurate. The author concluded that because
translation requires comprehensive knowledge of the native and target language, those who were
better in critical reading were also better in translation.
Recent studies also revealed that translation practice could improve language skills in
various domains. In a study that aimed to explore the perceptions of ESP learners about translation
activities as language learning devices, Olivia (2018) found that most students held highly positive
attitudes towards engaging in translation practice in the learning process. The results revealed that
students reported considerable gains in terms of overall proficiency, grammar, and vocabulary. In
a similar vein, Skopeckova (2018) argued that employing the Functional Approach could make
translation activities beneficial for the foreign language classroom. She suggested that translation
could help learners experience and question the structural function of the target language and hence
increase their awareness of how the target language forms work when constructing real messages
for communicative purposes:
Translation activities might be easily integrated into the foreign language classroom, when
learners practise textual changes and are asked to transform texts and sentences employing
a new grammatical phenomenon or in a more advanced context with respect to the change
of the [target text] function. Students might thus discuss which transformations are
necessary to comply with the new function and which [source text] elements need to be
adapted and how (Skopeckova, 2008, p. 15).
Furthermore, it was also found that machine translation could play a significant role in improving
language learners’ skills. Pointing out that most teachers are still concerned about the quality and
effectiveness of students’ using machine translation tools (e.g., Google Translate), Lee (2021)
carried out a meta-analysis study on how effective those tools could be in foreign language
education by reviewing relevant studies published between 2000 and 2019. The results indicated
that there was an increasing number of studies exploring the link between translation and language
learning in recent years and that the majority of the studies indicated highly positive impact of
using machine translation for language learning purposes, especially in writing activities. Finally,
Pintado-Gutierrez (2018) argued that the link between translation and language learning will never
disappear and that all stakeholders should actively look for strategies through which this link can
be utilized to create more positive effects on the language learning process. She also suggested
that because the focus on a single language is neither realistic nor sustainable, “it is necessary to
capture the change in the landscape of translation within the classroom and beyond” (Pintado-
Gutierrez, 2018, p. 235).
These studies demonstrated that, despite maintaining its status as one of the most
controversial techniques in the history of teaching and learning languages, translation could serve
as a useful activity provided that it is used purposefully and meaningfully. Moreover, in the current
context of increased focus on concepts such as translanguaging (Baynham & Lee, 2019),
multiculturalism (Stahuljak, 2004), and the rise of the non-native speaker as a legitimate owner of
the target language (Kramsch & Lam, 1999), translation serves as a valuable tool that can help
unite the social aspect with which native and target languages are associated with (Berman, 1992).
Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 13. Number 2. June 2022
The Positive Effect of Translation on Improving Reading Comprehension Alaboud
Arab World English Journal
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ISSN: 2229-9327
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The present study addresses the negative attitudes towards translation that have led to a
misconception suggesting that teaching a foreign language through translation teaching technique
that is not only useless but also causes negative consequences in learners’ improving their language
skills. Nevertheless, this review of literature pointed out that these conceptions are not backed by
research and that more empirical research is needed to reveal how translation can be used to boost
the learning experiences of EFL learners and enhance their relevant skills. In this regard, this aimed
to explore the impact of practicing reading comprehension by translating passages on improving
EFL learners' skills in reading.
Methods
This study adopted an experimental design by administering a pre-test before the
intervention and a post-test after the intervention. A pretest-posttest control group design is
characterized by a measurement of two sample groups that are at a similar level as indicated by a
pre-test administered before the outset of an interventional period during which one of the groups
is exposed to the focus of the intervention whereas the other group continues their day-to-day
operations without being exposed to the intervention (Dugard & Todman, 1995). At the end, the
two groups who were at a similar level at the outset are tested again after the intervention to see if
the intervention created a statistically significant difference between the two groups at the end of
the research process (Marsden & Torgerson, 2012).
In this context, the present study utilized a pretest-posttest control group design with two
sample groups who were at the same level at the outset of the study as revealed by a reading
comprehension test. Considering the research aim, which focuses on understanding the effect of
translation practices in improving students’ reading comprehension scores, this design was chosen
to reveal whether an interventional process that involved the experimental group practicing reading
by translating passages into their first language would lead to a statistically significant difference
between the two groups at the end of the process in terms of their academic performance in terms
of reading comprehension in the target language.
Participants
The participants of the study were 58 learners of English as a Foreign Language studying
at Taif University in Saudi Arabia in the 2020-2021 academic year. The learners were all females
and first-year students in the English language program of the Department of Foreign Languages
at the university. The missions of the department where the participants study include improving
learners' English language skills in written and oral communication, providing opportunities for
learners to acquire critical thinking and analytical skills necessary to explore the various aspects
of the English language, providing learners with the knowledge and experienced required to
translate literary texts across languages, improving learners' relevant skills in using English for
their day-to-day affairs, and equipping learners with English language skills sufficient to make
them act as independent users in their personal and professional affairs.
The experimental group and the control group were located in two different classes at the
same grade level, and both classes taught by the researcher throughout the research process. Within
the intervention program, whereas the learners in the experimental group (n=30) were asked to
read a passage in the target language and translate it into their first language before starting to work
Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 13. Number 2. June 2022
The Positive Effect of Translation on Improving Reading Comprehension Alaboud
Arab World English Journal
www.awej.org
ISSN: 2229-9327
430
on reading comprehension activities, those in the control group (n=28) followed the traditional
approach at the school by working on reading comprehension activities right after reading a
passage in the target language. In this context, the present study adopted the convenience sampling
approach as the learners were located in classes taught by the author and "they [were] 'convenient'
sources of data for researchers" (Lavrakas, 2008, p. 149).
Data Collection Instruments and Procedures
The data for the present study were collected in two stages. The pre-test examination,
which was administered in early November 2020 to reveal whether there was a statistically
significant difference between the reading comprehension performances of the two groups at the
outset of the study, included 10 questions that aimed to assess the extent to which the participants
were able to comprehend the passage adopted from a textbook published by a famous publishing
house serving in the field of Teaching English as a Foreign Languages for decades.
The post-test examination was administered in late December 2020, approximately 8
weeks after the administration of the pre-test to reveal whether the intervention led to a statistically
significant difference between the reading comprehension performances of the two groups. Both
groups received a reading comprehension test that included 20 questions that aimed to assess the
skills of participants in comprehending a passage adopted from another textbook published by the
same publishing house. The content in both textbooks were in accordance with the proficiency
levels of the learners at the outset of the present study (B1+).
Data Analysis
The analysis of data collected through comprehensions tests were analyzed in several
stages. First, the responses of learners to the reading comprehension tests that were administered
as the pre-test and post-test were collected from the in-house learning management system. The
final scores of participants on both tests were calculated on a Microsoft Excel sheet before moving
them into an IBM SPSS document for subsequent analysis. The analysis of data involved the use
of descriptive statistics on IBM SPSS to reveal the minimum and maximum scores, the mean score,
and the standard deviation in each group on both administrations. Also, an independent samples t-
test was administered on IBM SPSS to compare the results of the experimental and control group
on the pre-test and the post-test.
Results
A reading comprehension task was administered to the experimental and control groups to
measure the learners' reading skills before the intervention. Table One presents the results of this
pre-test.
Table 1. The results of the initial reading comprehension test (Pre-test)
Number of
Learners
Minimum Score
Maximum Score
Mean Score
Standard
Deviation
The experimental
group
30
30
100
88.67
14.077
The control group
28
60
100
91.79
13.068
Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 13. Number 2. June 2022
The Positive Effect of Translation on Improving Reading Comprehension Alaboud
Arab World English Journal
www.awej.org
ISSN: 2229-9327
431
An independent samples t-test showed that the little difference between the mean scores in both
groups was not statistically significant at the p<0.05 level (t(56)= -.873; p = .386). This result
indicated that the control group, who did not receive the intervention, and the experimental group,
who received the intervention by practicing reading through translation, were not at a statistically
significantly different level in terms of reading comprehension at the outset of the intervention.
During the intervention, the experimental group translated the reading passages from the
target language into their native language before starting with the comprehension and vocabulary
tasks, whereas those in the control group followed the standard curriculum. The intervention lasted
during 16 contact hours in 8 weeks. After the intervention, another reading comprehension test
was administered to both groups as the post-test (Table Two) to assess whether the intervention
led to a statistically significant difference.
Table 2. The results of the final reading comprehension test (Post-test)
Number of
Learners
Minimum Score
Maximum Score
Mean Score
Standard
Deviation
The experimental
group
30
40
100
82.17
16.541
The control group
28
40
95
70.89
15.873
An independent samples t-test showed that the difference between the mean scores in both groups
was statistically significant at the p<0.05 level (t(56)= 2.645; p = .011). This result revealed that
the experimental group scored significantly higher than the control group after the intervention,
although there was not a statistically significant difference between the two groups before. In other
words, this result demonstrates that the intervention, which was implemented as learners studied
reading passages in the target language by translating them into their native languages, led to a
statistically significant difference between the groups.
Discussion
Adopting an experimental design, the present study aimed to explore whether practicing
reading by translating texts in the target language was an effective instructional strategy. The
results revealed that the experimental group, who performed at a similar level to the control group
at the outset of the study, outperformed the control group at a statistically significant level after
receiving the intervention.
The results demonstrated that before the intervention process, in which the learners in the
experimental group were asked to complete a translation exercise before carrying out the relevant
reading comprehension exercises, the control group had a higher mean score on the initial reading
comprehension test although the difference between the scores of the two groups was not
statistically significant. However, after the intervention process, the experimental group achieved
a mean score that was statistically significantly higher than that of the control group on the final
reading comprehension test. This result showed that the translation practices that the learners in
the experimental group were involved in supported their reading skills and strengthened their skills
in comprehending reading passages in the target language.
Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 13. Number 2. June 2022
The Positive Effect of Translation on Improving Reading Comprehension Alaboud
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ISSN: 2229-9327
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In this context, this result supports the current strand of research on the effects of translation
as an instructional strategy on improved learning outcomes in the learning of English as a foreign
language. To illustrate, the present study supported the arguments in Pym et al. (2013) which
opposed the notion that practicing language skills through activities that involve translation has a
detrimental effect on the language learning process. This study further revealed that by engaging
in translation activities in reading classes, the experimental group significantly outperformed the
control group (which had a higher mean score on the pre-test even though the difference was not
statistically significant) after being exposed to the intervention for eight weeks in sixteen classes.
Furthermore, this study was in line with the results of Sakurai (2015), Lee, Schallert, and Kim
(2015), Sriwantaneeyakul (2018) who had suggested that translation could offer a boost in the
performance levels of EFL learners in reading comprehension. Also, the results were in parallel
with Lee (2013), who had found that the learners in the experimental group who had practiced
translation in their reading classes outperformed the control group both in translation tasks and
tasks that inquired other aspects of reading comprehension.
This study supports the current evidence suggesting that the first language can be a valuable
instrument in learning a foreign language. The reason why translation should be approached as a
useful tool in the learning of an additional language relates to the nature of translation as an in-
class activity. Learners who translate a text written in the target language into their first language
oftentimes need to revisit their knowledge of two languages through a comparative and contrastive
perspective (Neubert, 2000). This process provides them with a rich insight into how the two
languages are similar and different in their structure (Skopeckova, 2018). Also, translation offers
an opportunity to work on both input and output, both of which are crucial constructs in language
learning processes due to their role in supporting and reinforcing learning.
In addition, it should be noted that the use of translation for language learning purposes
should be built upon meaningful and purposeful foundations. Therefore, as Pintado-Gutierrez
(2018) suggested, it is important that students understand why they are carrying out translation
tasks in the classroom and how their language learning journeys can benefit from such tasks. Also,
the tasks students are responsible for should be designed so that learners will be required to
consciously utilize their knowledge and skills in the target language to complete the translation
task rather then perceive the process as being automatic. Finally, authentic translation tasks that
involve translating reading passages across native and target languages serve is comprehensible
input at varying levels. In other words, as authentic texts, such materials include a wide range of
variability in terms of vocabulary and target mechanics. Dealing with such materials, students have
a valuable opportunity understand what vocabulary they know and what grammatical structures
they can identify and comprehend. However, bearing in mind a realization of this kind might not
be readily available to all learners, teachers should take the necessary measures for equipping
learners with the ability of refection necessary to realize the gap in their knowledge of the target
language.
The present study was intended as a first step to understanding and appreciating the value
of translation in learning English as a foreign language. It attempts to provide evidence against the
negative connotations of translation in language learning that resulted mostly from its association
with techniques and methods of language teaching that focus on meaningless drills and rote
Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 13. Number 2. June 2022
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Arab World English Journal
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ISSN: 2229-9327
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memorization of vocabulary items as well as grammatical structures. Nevertheless, when utilized
purposefully and meaningfully, translation can emerge as a useful classroom strategy to support
language learning, especially in foreign language contexts where the distribution of
comprehensible and communicative input is limited to the language learning classroom and
learners have little opportunity to being exposed to the target language outside of the school.
Finally, this study had a number of limitations. The primary limitation was that it was not
possible to collect additional data on learners' perceptions of working on translation to improve
their language skills. The plan at the outset of the study was to administer a survey to the sample
group to find out what they liked about the translation practice, how they related the translation
practice to their development in reading, and their relevant perceptions within the process.
However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the sudden closures it brought, administering the
survey was not possible. Also, this limitation posed as a barrier to collecting information on
participants' demographic characteristics (age, previous translation experience, years of studying
English, etc.) and establishing the relationship between their demographic characteristics and their
results on the pre-test and the post-test. The last limitation concerned the duration of the
intervention period. The time available to investigate the research problem presented in this study
was constrained due to the emergence of COVID-19 as a global threat. The intervention had to be
stopped after eight weeks due to the school closures that resulted from the pandemic.
Conclusion
Conducted with an aim to reveal whether studying reading through translation was an
effective strategy in improving comprehension skills in a teaching English as a foreign language
context, the present study found that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control
group on a comprehension test after practicing translation activities in reading classes taught over
sixteen contact hours for 8 weeks. The primary strength of this study is that it investigated an area
of teaching that has been overlooked and ignored for an extended period of time. Translation has
long been declared persona non grata in many language teaching contexts, but the present study
revealed the valuable role of translation in providing exposure to learners in foreign language
learning settings where exposure to the target language is possible almost exclusively within the
language classroom. In this regard, this study posits that by presenting a rich amount of input and
giving learners an opportunity to convert it into output, translation can be a valuable tool in
language learning provided that it is utilized meaningfully, purposefully, and in cooperation with
other learning and teaching tools that aim to improve diverse domains of linguistic and
conversational competence. In this sense, it is important that further research be carried out in
various contexts to reveal the effect of translation on improving language skills, including reading.
Considering the limitations in the present study, further research should look into how translation
supports the language learning processes in different contexts and at various levels (preschool, K-
12, higher education). It is also possible that studies adopting mixed methods designs can offer
richer insights regarding the use of translation as a tool for language learning and teaching by
integrating quantitative results of proficiency and competence tests with in-depts accounts of
learning and teaching experiences of learners and teachers. Finally, further research that covers a
wider sample group is needed to understand how translation contributes to the learning of students
with diverse personal and professional backgrounds.
Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 13. Number 2. June 2022
The Positive Effect of Translation on Improving Reading Comprehension Alaboud
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Acknowledgement
This work is supported by a fund from Taif University (Research Supporting Project number 1-
442-12, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia).
About the Author:
Dr. Amal Alaboud is an assistant professor of Translation Studies in the Foreign Languages
Department at Taif University, Saudi Arabia. She received her MA from Salford University and
her PhD in Translation Studies from SUNY at Binghamton. Her main research areas are discourse
analysis and translation theory. ORCID ID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3307-4175
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