Effects of explicit instruction in previewing, thinking aloud, and text structure on Egyptian University students' reading ability

Abstract

The present study examines the effect of explicit instruction in three selective reading strategies on reading comprehension in English as a foreign language (EFL). The study addresses the following questions: A) Does explicit instruction in text structure help students identify discourse organization patterns? B) Does explicit instructional reading strategy in EFL develop reading comprehension? C) Is there a direct correlation between discourse organization knowledge and reading development? D) Does text structure knowledge develop EFL reading comprehension? Participants in the study are 60 first year Egyptian University students studying English as a foreign language. Results of the study indicated that knowledge of discourse organization patterns and reading strategies developed students' reading comprehension. They also showed that the students who were trained in text organization outperformed those who did not receive similar training. Moreover, the results revealed a statistically significant and positive correlation between text structure knowledge and reading comprehension. Finally, the paper provides suggestions for further research and implications for teachers and learners of English as a foreign language.