A Blended Learning Program Based on Cognitive Apprenticeship for Developing Critical Reading and Academic Enablers among EFL Pre-Service Teachers

Abstract

This study attempted to investigate the effect of a blended learning program based on cognitive apprenticeship to develop EFL pre-service teachers’ critical reading skills and academic enablers. The Quasi-experimental Design with Pretest was used where two intact classes of second-year EFL pre-service teachers, Faculty of Education, Benha University were randomly assigned as a control group (n= 34) and experimental group (n=36) . Instruments of the study included an EFL critical reading skills test and EFL academic enablers scale. The study sample was administered to a critical reading skills test and an academic enablers scale both before and after the treatment. For 14 sessions, participants in the experimental group were trained through the blended program that based on cognitive apprenticeship to develop their EFL critical writing skills and the academic enablers’ dimensions while those in the control group received their regular instruction. Findings of the study through independent samples t-test revealed a statistically significant difference at 0.01 between the mean scores of the control group and experimental group students in the post administration of the EFL critical reading skills and academic enablers in favor of the experimental group. Therefore, it could be concluded that blended learning program that based on cognitive apprenticeship had a significant effect on second-year EFL pre-service teachers’ critical reading skills and academic enablers.