Using Strategic Reading Techniques for Improving EFL Reading Skills

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the strategic reading techniques for improving EFL reading skills. The present study utilized the quasi-experimental research design. The researcher divided the participants into two groups. The innovative group used strategic reading techniques, while the control group did not receive any training except for the regular method. The main question raised in this study was to what extent were the strategic reading techniques effective in improving reading skills for Jazan University students? To this end, the researcher collected data through a questionnaire and a strategic reading test. Furthermore, a model of teaching program, based on using strategic reading techniques, is improved and tested with a group of learners in the chosen university in Saudi Arabia. The findings revealed that the learners need an innovative strategy to help them improve their reading. The application of “clarifying, prediction, questioning, and summarizing” CPQS strategy as a pedagogy helped the learners improve their reading skills. The conclusion of the research recommends that there is a need for using new techniques for providing feedback to EFL learners in reading, such as peer-review, reading conferences, and self-correction.