The Strategic Development to Enhance Reading Comprehension Instructional Competency of Elementary School Teachers based on Comprehension Ability Diagnostic Instruments

Abstract

Abstract This research aimed to develop a strategy to resolve the 3 most critical reading comprehension learning problems that occur in elementary school. Quantitative data collected from the focus group demonstrated that (1) students had no reading habit and do not read long questions in examination papers; (2) students lack reading comprehension ability; and (3) teachers lack reading comprehension teaching strategies. One elementary school was selected to implement a school-based approach and university- school collaboration for enhancing the reading comprehension instruction competency of school teachers. The research population consisted of 35 elementary school teachers in a small private school in Bangkok, Thailand. To solve these 3 problems, teachers preferred to develop their reading comprehension instructional competency. Two strategies were used to work cooperatively with school teachers: (1) A 10-hour school-based workshop focused on instructional design to enhance reading comprehension diagnostic ability using QRI 3. This focused on reading materials, reading aloud, asking questions, and storytelling; (2) External mentoring by a university professor mentor focused on lesson plan writing. Three reading comprehension ability diagnostic instruments comprised of (1) QRI-3 reading process diagnostic form; (2) ethnographic note taking-anecdotal records and observation checklist, and (3) QRI-II retelling based on think aloud procedures. Based on these research findings, not only teaching competency should be developed, but teacher awareness in integrating reading comprehension instruction in all subjects should also be encouraged.