Critical Reading Ability Research Articles

Do Multiple Intelligences Improve EFL Studentss Critical Reading Skills?

This study examines the potential effect of a program based on multiple intelligences on improving the Jordanian tenth grade English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ critical reading skills in English. The researcher claims that multiple intelligences strategies have the potential to provide a suitable resource to empower the quality of TEFL in Jordan. The study follows a quasi- experimental design in which an experimental group and a control group were purposefully chosen from AzZarqa First Directorate of Education (Jordan). In the experimental group, 30 students were taught by multiple intelligences strategies and 29 students of control group were taught by the conventional teaching method as outlined in the teacher’s book. A pre-post achievement test was utilized. The findings reveal statistically significant differences at (α ≤ 0.05) between the two mean scores of experimental and control groups in the post- test in favor of experimental group. The study recommends to examine the effect of using multiple intelligences on EFL students’ achievement in other language skills and sub skills. A number of implications are put forth to enhance the students’ critical reading ability.

Collaborative Strategic Reading and Critical Reading Ability of Intermediate Iranian Learners

The purpose of this study was to determine how collaborative strategic reading may increase critical reading of EFL students at the intermediate level. Forty students majoring in English language literature at the University of Mazandaran participated in this study. In the experimental group, the students were taught collaborative strategic reading. The students in the control group were taught in the traditional way. The instruction of both groups lasted for 10 sessions and every session continued for 90 minutes. A pre test and post test were given to both groups before and after the treatment. A self designed questionnaire and interview were also administered to the experimental group only in order to examine the attitude of students toward CSR. A two-tailed independent sample t-test was applied to analyze the pre test and post test results of the experimental and control group to check if there was any significant difference between the students’ performance regarding their critical reading ability. The result indicated that students in the experimental group with CSR instruction outperformed the students in the control group. Therefore, the finding in this study indicated that CSR instruction improved students’ critical reading. The results of the self designed questionnaire and interview revealed that students had a positive attitude toward CSR.

The Relationship of Creative and Convergent Thinking to Literal and Critical Reading Ability of Children in the Upper Grades

AbstractIt is the purpose of this study to show the relationship of arithmetic reasoning, critical thinking, fluency of words, fluency of ideas, sensitivity to problems, and general intelligence to literal and critical reading of sixth and eighth grade pupils. Six tests of intellectual abilities in addition to the STEP Reading Test, Level 3, Form A, were administered to 250 sixth-grade pupils and 276 eighth-grade pupils. Results showed that intercorrelations between two reading measures and general intelligence and the five intellectual abilities ranged from .15 to .70. General intelligence and arithmetic reasoning accounted for more than 90 percent of the explained variance of literal and critical reading at both grade levels. Results imply, first, that further studies measure the effects of arithmetic reasoning exercises upon improving reading comprehension; secondly, that standardized tests be developed which tap creative thinking abilities.

Teaching Critical Reading to Elementary School Children

INVESTIGATES 11 whether critical reading skills can be taught to elementary school children while progress in basic reading skills is maintained; 2] whether there is a relationship between certain factors and critical reading ability; and 3] what kinds of teacher verbal behavior elicit critical responses from children. Critical reading tests and an observation scale were especially developed for the project. Twenty-four intact classroom groups in grades one through six (two control and two experimental at each grade level) were studied. Two institutional workshops were conducted prior to the experiment: one in critical reading and one in children's literature. Pre-tests and post-tests in general reading and critical reading were administered in the Fall and in the Spring. The experimental groups received instruction in critical reading while the control groups received instruction in children's literature throughout the year. Systematic observations were made of teacher-pupil verbal interactions. Intelligence tests were administered in January; Personality tests were administered in May. The total critical reading scores of the experimental groups were significantly higher than those of the control groups at all grade levels. On the analysis of sections of the OSU Critical Reading Test, only on Logic did the experimental groups score higher at each grade level. At no grade level was there a significant difference between the scores of the two groups on general reading. General reading ability and intelligence were found to be related to critical reading ability. The observation data showed that interpreting, analyzing, and evaluating questions produced more critical responses from children than other types of teachers' questions.

Effect of the Attitudes of the Reader upon Critical Reading Ability

(1948). Effect of the Attitudes of the Reader upon Critical Reading Ability. The Journal of Educational Research: Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 289-298.