Building Strategic Readers: The Effects of Online Training on Comprehension

Successful reading requires the application of different reading strategies. Reading strategies related to metacognition, which is “thinking about thinking”, have been investigated extensively and have proven to be effective in improving reading comprehension in EFL and ESL contexts. This study aimed to explore the level of metacognitive awareness of EFL learners at King Abdulaziz University (KAU). Additionally, it aimed to examine how metacognitive strategy training can raise learners’ metacognitive strategy awareness and as a result enhance their reading comprehension. Two instruments were used to find answers to these questions: the MARSI survey, which was used to measure the participants’ metacognitive awareness; and reading comprehension tests, which were used to examine their comprehension level. Both instruments were used on two occasions: once before the training sessions and once after them. The training sessions focused on three metacognitive reading strategies: planning, monitoring and evaluating. The results indicated that systematic and direct instruction had a positive effect in improving the participants’ metacognitive reading strategy awareness as well as their reading comprehension, even when they had a moderate level of metacognitive awareness prior to the training sessions. The findings of the study are significant in guiding EFL instructors at KAU as well as other tertiary institutors in similar contexts to assist learners in improving their reading comprehension.

ABSTRACT-In improving students' reading comprehension in online learning, it can be done by using the social media YouTube. The use of YouTube to encourage students' enthusiasm for learning during a pandemic can be a solution for the world of education so that it can continue and develop. This study aims to determine the benefits of using Youtube and the obstacles that occur in the use of Youtube in online learning in improving students' reading comprehension in the online learning model in junior high schools. The results of this study indicate that in improving reading comprehension in learning using this youtube video, it has a positive impact on the student learning process during the pandemic. The benefits provided by learning from YouTube are:improve students' understanding in understanding the material provided, the learning provided becomes more flexible, familiar with technological developments through online learning, and increasing student creativity in learning.the slow internet connection in the students and teachers' areas of residence, the small specifications or performance of the cellphones used by students, the large amount of quota required to access YouTube, and the high price of internet quotas, limited access to computers and smartphones. The solution in overcoming obstacles in online learning is that students will be directed to open the video provided via the video link in the WhatsApp Group directly without switching to the YouTube application even though with a lack of time it takes a little longer but this can overcome the use of internet quota because WhatsApp is included. into the e-learning quota.

This mixed-methods study investigates the effects of highlights and annotations on reading comprehension among Chinese EFL students majoring in teaching English as a foreign language, within a computer-assisted interactive reading model. The study involved 183 participants, randomly assigned to three experimental groups and a control group, each utilizing distinct combinations of highlights and annotations to evaluate their impact on reading comprehension. The results indicate that the intervention groups exhibited significant improvements in reading comprehension compared to the control group. Qualitative feedback from participants revealed increased engagement and metacognitive awareness, suggesting that these interactive features function as effective cognitive scaffolds. By facilitating information processing and reducing cognitive load, highlights and annotations enhance the reading experience and comprehension. These findings support cognitive load theory and underscore the pedagogical potential of integrating interactive elements into digital reading materials. This integration can promote active reading strategies and learner-centered instruction, offering valuable insights for educators and curriculum designers. By demonstrating the efficacy of technology-enhanced reading interventions, this research contributes to the broader field of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL), emphasizing the role of interactive tools in improving language proficiency and academic success among EFL learners.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effects of a phrase-cued reading intervention on reading fluency and comprehension in children with borderline intellectual functioning. Methods: The participants were three fifth-grade students with borderline intellectual functioning who demonstrated difficulties in reading fluency. A single-group AB design consisting of baseline–intervention–maintenance phases was employed. The intervention, delivered individually over 16 sessions, taught the phrase-cued reading strategy step-by-step. Reading fluency was measured by the number of words read correctly per minute, and reading comprehension was assessed through scores on factual and inferential questions. Results: All three participants showed improvement in both reading fluency and reading comprehension, and the effects were maintained during the maintenance phase. In particular, the improvement in reading comprehension was more prominent in the inferential comprehension than in literal comprehension. Conclusion: The phrase-cued reading strategy was found to be effective in enhancing sentence structure awareness and meaning prediction abilities in children with borderline intellectual functioning, thereby improving their reading fluency and comprehension. These findings suggest that phrase-cued reading is a useful and effective instructional strategy for supporting reading development in this population.

While introducing reading comprehension activities into the CLIL classroom, it should be remembered that reading comprehension is goal-oriented and may be defined as searching for meaning and sense. In the CLIL classroom, this goal is not only to develop reading comprehension skills or search for meaning of particular words but also to expand content knowledge. Secondly, reading comprehension is the act of comprehension. Comprehension is a highly active constructive process, and it is here that the key to language learning as well as content learning lie. Finally, the process of reading comprehension is dynamic and strategic. In other words, the best idea is to introduce techniques and activities which will not be boring for the learners and which will require the use of various metacognitve strategies. The term “metacognitive awareness” is conceptualized as the ‘knowledge of the readers’ cognition relative to the reading process and the self-control mechanism they use to monitor and enhance comprehension” (Sheorey and Mokhtari 2001, p. 423), which is a critical component of skilled reading. The purpose of my study was to explore the role of metacognitive strategies in L2 reading comprehension. The participants were University students who learn content subjects in English and were asked take reading comprehensions test and to fill in metacognitive reading strategies questionnaire. The intention of this address is to discuss different metacognitive reading strategies used by the CLIL University learners.

This study was an attempt to examine the effect of self-efficacy on Iranian EFL learners’ reading comprehension. Reading comprehension plays a significant role in educational success. In spite of its importance, students still have difficulties in understanding texts. One solution to the problem of poor reading comprehension is the learning of reading strategies. The current study examined the effect of summarizing strategy on reading comprehension of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. Pretest-posttest design was employed to scrutinize the possible improvements of two classes of intermediate English learners (one experimental and one control group) as reading comprehension was concerned. Two groups were exposed to the same reading test as the pre and the post-test, however, only the experimental groups received the special treatment regarding to promote their self-efficacy. After the application of the study’s treatment, data analysis process initiated which indicated that experimental groups who received treatment had a better performance than the control group on the final reading test. In addition, the findings suggested that self-efficacy were same in male and female participants. The findings of the study indicated that summarizing strategy has a significant effect on learners’ reading comprehension. Generally, the findings imply that self-efficacy can positively affect the reading comprehension ability of the intermediate EFL learners.

The present study was conducted to examine empirically and systematically the effect of explicit instruction of comprehension strategies on EFL learners’ reading anxiety and reading comprehension in Iranian high schools. To this end, two intact classes (65 students) participated in this study as members of control and experimental groups. The experimental group underwent 10 sessions of reading strategies training based on McNamara, Ozuro, Best, and O’Reilly's (2007) 4-pronged Comprehension Strategy Framework. Data were collected through the employment of Saito, Garza, and Horwitz's (1999) Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (FLRAS) and Preliminary English Test (PET) multiple-choice reading comprehension tests. All the students filled the FLRAS questionnaire and took the reading comprehension test two times, once as a pre-test one week before the beginning of instruction and the other as a post-test one week after the instructional treatment. After the post-test, a group of 7 students who received instruction participated in the focus group interview. T-tests were used to analyze the obtained statistical data. It was revealed that explicit reading strategy instruction was quite beneficial in improving EFL high school students' comprehension and reducing their anxiety level, while reading anxiety and reading comprehension were negatively correlated. The results of the interview with the focus group revealed the positive effect of strategy training on learners' reading comprehension and alleviating reading anxiety. This study rendered some educational implications for materials developers and instructors to invest on reading as a fundamental skill in education.

This research discussed reading skills, especially students' reading comprehension in online learning. Reading is an important activity in the learning process. However, most students only read the text, which made them not understand the content of the text, so students’ reading comprehension was not appropriately achieved. There is a close interaction between the reader and the text. Readers not only read but also have to understand the content of the reading. Students need to focus when reading a text, but with the current situation (COVID-19 pandemic), which has changed the learning process into online learning where the process has the distraction that can occur during the learning process, so it is important to know the strategies used by English teachers on students’ reading comprehension. Regarding this matter, this research was conducted on teachers’ strategies for students’ reading comprehension, especially in the eighth-grade students in Junior High School, using the qualitative method with the descriptive design. The researcher used observation, interview, and questionnaire as the instruments of the research. This research aims to describe and obtain the analysis data of the teachers’ strategies for students’ reading comprehension in online learning, the problems teachers face in maintaining students’ reading comprehension, and students’ responses to teachers’ strategies during online learning. The researcher concludes that teachers use “finding difficult vocabulary”, previewing strategy, reviewing strategy, discussion strategy, and resuming strategy so that students’ understanding of a text can be achieved during online learning. The problems teachers face are that students have limited vocabulary and lack the willingness to learn English. During the online learning process, students understand the subject matter about the text explained by the teacher, and they also show a positive response to teachers’ strategies.

With the development of educational technology, the concept of technology-enhanced multimedia instructions is using widely in the educational settings. Technology can be employed in teaching different skills such as listening, reading, speaking and writing. Among these skills, reading comprehension is the skill in which EFL learners have some problems to master. Regarding this issue, the present study aimed at investigating the effect of video materials on improving reading comprehension of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. A Longman Placement Test was administered to 30 EFL learners to ensure that learners are at the same level of proficiency. The students were chosen from the state high schools in Chabahar. The participants were regarded as intermediate learners and were divided into two groups (one experimental group and one control group). Then, a pre-test of reading comprehension was administered to assess the participants’ reading comprehension. The participants of experimental group used video files to improve their reading comprehension while the control group received conventional approaches of teaching reading comprehension. Finally, all the participants were assigned a 40-item multiple-choice reading comprehension post-test. The results of the study indicated that video materials had a significant effect on promoting reading comprehension of Iranian intermediate EFL learners (p = .000, <.05).

The goal of “No Child Left Behind” is to implement a statewide accountability system that ensures students will be proficient or better in reading and mathematics. The teachers and parents collaborate to do their part in the education process by instilling values and discipline at home and in school to achieve this goal. This study developed a website application in reading comprehension for Grades 4, 5, and 6 to help the learners enhance their reading comprehension using a website that uses interactive visualizations and real-time feedback. The utilization of this technology may improve the reading comprehension of language learners particularly the struggling learners. The use of technology offers various tools and approaches that can enhance reading comprehension skills and improve the learning experiences of students. The results of this study were used to determine the website's effectiveness in improving reading comprehension and to identify any areas for improvement in the website design. This study used the Developmental research, a type of research method that involves studying the change of a phenomenon over time. Using the developed evaluation form, the respondents from Grade 4 to Grade 6 students, English Teachers, and Information Technology (IT) Experts evaluated the characteristics of website based on accuracy, flexibility, reliability, graphical user interface, security, and help options. The Random Sampling Technique was utilized in getting the sample size. The data were analysed by applying descriptive and inferential statistics such as the frequency, weighted mean, and t-test. The assessment of the respondents revealed that the Website Application in Reading Comprehension is Strongly Acceptable in terms of accuracy, flexibility, reliability, graphical user interface, security, and help options. Overall, the integration of technology in the classroom promote student participation as well as increased achievement. Findings showed no significant difference among respondents’ assessment in website application in terms of accuracy, reliability, user interface design, security options, and help options. Meanwhile, there is significant differences in the assessments of the three groups of respondents on the website application as to flexibility. Further, the incorporation of additional features like dictionaries, text-to-speech, and speech-to- text are very helpful to students who have difficulty in understanding difficult words is suggested.

Reading comprehension as a survival skill in EFL context is included in almost all language proficiency and achievement tests. However, it seems that traditional approaches to reading comprehension instruction have not been successful at satisfying the learners’ need. Considering the advantages of reflective reading, it appeared as a probable solution to reading problem of EFL learners. Therefore, this experimental study aimed at investigating the effect of reflective reading on reading comprehension of Iranian EFL learners. To this end 49 male and female participants were selected through convenient sampling and were randomly assigned to two control and experimental groups. An English proficiency test was given to the sample to make sure about the homogeneity of the participants and equality of proficiency levels of the two groups. Later reading comprehension ability of the study groups was measured. As the ten-session treatment began the experimental group experienced reflective reading, while the control group followed conventional method of reading and answering comprehension check questions. After the treatment period, the groups’ reading comprehension ability was assessed once more. Independent samples t-tests were run to analyze the gathered data. It was found that reflective reading has positive effect on reading comprehension of Iranian EFL learners. Pedagogical implications of this finding for language teachers, learners, material developers, policy makers and researchers are discussed.

The impact of metacognitive scaffolding and monitoring on reading comprehension

This study explored the effects of reading strategy training delivered online through an experimental scaffolding tool in comparison to similar training delivered by a teacher, and a control condition. The instructional design of the tool followed scaffolding design guidelines, reciprocal teaching model, and principles of multimedia design. The training provided metacognitive reading strategy instruction to improve reading comprehension through multiple strategies using multiple texts. The participants were 87 college students studying English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at an English medium university in Turkey. At pretest, the control group had scored significantly higher in reading comprehension based on a standardized measure. Both of the experimental groups significantly improved their reading comprehension and metacognitive strategy awareness, while the control group’s reading and engagement scores decreased. The in-class experimental group also improved on the engagement scale. No significant difference was found between the experimental groups or compared to the control group in reading comprehension. The findings have implications regarding institutional policies for teaching reading in EFL and online reading strategy design at the tertiary level.

This study scientifically aimed to investigate whether or not local materials influences reading comprehension towards students in general instructional settings, compared to global materials. The researcher conducted the study by collecting 20 empirical research articles from 2009 till 2018 through computer searches from the database and through book readings, related to global and local materials and experimental studies for investigating the effectiveness between the global and the local materials towards learner's reading comprehension. As soon as the researcher gathered the articles, the articles were then analyzed and synthesized into data results and discussion related to the theories. The researcher also consulted data result and consultation with the experts of the English Language Teaching Materials. The result had synthetically shown that the local materials, integrated local culture content inside were more active compared by the global materials for reading comprehension because of students' background knowledge of their local cultural familiarity in the target language materials. It also emphasized the strong influence of the usage of it for students' reading comprehension improvement.

The purpose of this study was to analyze English-learners’ metacognition when engaged in reading and listening tasks, to determine if there was a correlation between their reading metacognition and listening metacognition, and to determine if metacognition levels differed between students of basic, intermediate, and advanced English levels. One class of 50 nursing students in a 5-year nursing program was assigned to participate in this study for one semester. The learners were divided into three groups (high, intermediate, and low) based on their score on an English listening test. At the beginning of the semester, they listened to a lesson called “Dangerous Dining.” Five months later, the students were presented with the same lesson, though this time in written form rather than spoken form, and their reading comprehension was tested using the same questions. Then the learners were asked to fill out two online questionnaires: a 21-question questionnaire about their reading strategies, and a 30-question questionnaire about their listening strategies. The surveys were designed to gauge the participants’ metacognitive awareness. The results showed that there was a positive and strong significant correlation between the learners’ listening metacognitive strategy and reading metacognitive strategy, r=0. 775, p 0.01, respectively. The results revealed that there was a positive significant correlation between reading comprehension and listening comprehension for low-level learners. The intermediate and advanced language learners reported applying fewer listening metacognitive strategies to reading metacognitive strategies than the low-level language learners because they had internalized the listening/reading metacognitive strategies to experience them automatically and didn’t report the automated process. They thus used fewer metacognitive strategies. Article visualizations: