Effects of Rhetorical Analysis and Self-Regulation Strategies on Iranian EFL Learners’ Critical Thinking and Reading Comprehension of Argumentative Texts

Abstract

A lot of attention has been recently devoted to critical thinking (CT) and reading comprehension as part of the goals of language pedagogy. This study examined the effects of rhetorical analysis and self-regulated strategies on EFL learners’ CT and reading comprehension of argumentative texts. To this end, three groups (one control and twoexperimental groups), each consisting of 20 high intermediate female EFL learners, were selected conveniently from an English language institute. To collect the data, three instruments were used: Oxford Placement Test (OPT), California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST), and reading summary tests. OPT was used to ensure the homogeneity of the participants; CCTST and two reading summary tests were used as the pretests and posttests to assess the participants’ CT and reading comprehension skills, respectively. The first experimental group was taught rhetorical analysis strategies of argument mapping and Socratic questioning and the second group received self-regulated strategy instruction. In the control group, no explicit instructional strategies were taught. Analysis of covariance and mutivariate anlsysis indicated the positive effects of rhetorical analysis and self-regulated strategies on the participants’ CT and reading comprehension skills. Nevertheless, no significant differential effect was found between the effects of the two strategies. Findings provide pedagogical implications for L2 instructors and learners. Keywords: Reading comprehension, Critical thinking, Rhetorical analysis strategies, self-regulated, EFL learners.