Teaching Reading Comprehension Research Articles

FROM PAGE TO SCREEN: EXPLORING MALAYSIAN TEACHERS' PERSPECTIVES ON THE FEASIBILITY OF A MOBILE READING MODULE

Among the significant challenges several Malaysian teachers face, especially those teaching in primary school, is the need for more resources to teach reading comprehension. The implementation of mobile technologies provides favourable opportunities to facilitate teachers’ teaching competencies in teaching reading comprehension instructions. Nevertheless, the successful implementation of the mobile reading module depends on the perceptions and contributions of teachers. This study investigates the viewpoints of Malaysian primary school teachers regarding the needs and development of a mobile reading module. A survey with open-ended questions was sent to nine Year 5 teachers in Sabah, Malaysia, to collect their perspectives. All the teachers who participated in the activity provided constructive opinions regarding a mobile reading module, highlighting the potential advantages of using the mobile reading module to facilitate teaching instructions. The findings offer significant viewpoints from Malaysian primary school teachers regarding developing and implementing mobile reading initiatives. These findings may influence the development of mobile reading materials that are both relevant to the context and coordinated with teachers to improve teaching comprehension skills among teachers in Malaysia.

Enacting Reading Comprehension: Using Diverse Literature to Engage Children's Critical, Sociopolitical Knowledge

AbstractThe current climate of K‐12 education in the United States has seen a narrowing of literacy instructional practices, exponential amounts of book bans, and contrived hysteria about liberal indoctrination and Critical Race Theory (CRT). Yet, as the world becomes increasingly connected across difference, and as research increasingly demonstrates that we must engage young children from all backgrounds in discussions about sociopolitical issues, it is urgent that classroom teachers foreground children's experiential knowledge in comprehension instruction. In this article, we address the following question: In three early elementary literacy contexts, how did educators use culturally sustaining practices with diverse children's literature to enact reading comprehension and engage young children in critical, sociopolitical meaning making? Three teacher educators of Color share findings from qualitative studies in the United States Northeast and Southwest that examine this integration with the use of diverse children's literature. The first finding illustrates how teachers utilized book introductions to situate a diverse group of early elementary‐aged students in various sociopolitical issues and engage them in critical readings about texts. The second finding illustrates how a series of after‐school literature circle discussions enabled first‐grade African American children to make meaning dialogically and communally about enslavement. The third finding illustrates how the teacher created space for second‐grade Latinx students to translanguage as they drew on multiple reading comprehension strategies and made sense of immigration. The implications from these studies invite a rethinking of the dominant paradigm of reading comprehension instruction.

Text readability: its impact on reading comprehension and reading time

Recently, the readability of texts has become the focus of reading research because it is believed to have implications for reading comprehension, which is of utmost importance in the field of English as a foreign language (EFL), particularly in the teaching, learning and assessment of reading comprehension. Unfortunately, the influence of text readability on reading comprehension (and reading time) has not been well studied in the EFL context. Most text readability studies are conducted in medical contexts, but these studies are often limited in predicting readability scores for sample texts. To address this gap, the current study aimed to evaluate the influence of text readability levels (based on the Flesch-Kincaid grade level (FKGL)) on students’ reading comprehension and reading time. Data were collected through reading test and analyzed using SPSS version 22. The Friedman test revealed that the distribution of students' reading comprehension score (X2=197.532, p=0.000) and reading time (X2=215.323, p=0.000) are different in each text, suggesting that the readability of texts has a significant influence on both. This study contributed to the practices of reading instruction and assessment. Limitations and suggestions for further research are briefly discussed.

The teacher’s role in teaching reading comprehension skills to Grade 9 English Home Language learners

Background: The high number of poor-performing learners in reading comprehension in South African schools is a concerning factor that calls for studies to mitigate this problem. The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) of 2021 indicates that about 81% of South African Grade 4 learners who participated, failed to reach the required benchmark in the test. Research indicates that teachers are not conversant with theory and explicit teaching of reading comprehension strategies.Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the role played by teachers in developing Grade 9 learners’ reading comprehension skills in English Home Language and establishing which reading comprehension skills and strategies are taught to learners.Method: This study used a qualitative approach. Four data sets were utilised to collect data including a document analysis, a questionnaire for learners, interviews with teachers of English and lesson observations.Results: The findings of the study show that there is little guidance on how to teach reading comprehension skills. It also emerged that instead of teaching reading comprehension skills, teachers merely ‘test’ learners’ answering skills.Conclusion: This study suggests that there is a need for re-training and assisting teachers in explicitly teaching reading comprehension skills to learners. Learners may benefit from the enhanced expertise of teachers and become more proficient in reading comprehension.Contribution: The study has provided invaluable insights into the current teaching practice of comprehension skills with actionable insights for teachers, teacher educators, and policymakers to support learners’ academic success and bridge the gap between praxis and theory.

Reading Comprehension Instruction: Evaluating Our Progress Since Durkin’s Seminal Study

ABSTRACT Purpose: Nearly 50 years ago, Durkin (1978–1979) conducted a seminal observation study on reading comprehension teaching in Grades 3 through 6. She reported that teachers rarely taught reading comprehension (less than 1% of instructional time). Since then, we have gained substantial knowledge about teaching reading comprehension. We aimed to comprehensively review direct observation studies of reading instruction to understand the extent to which recommended comprehension practices are implemented in schools. Method: A systematic search of the extant literature identified 66 observation studies of reading comprehension instruction for children in K–12 schools, including a total of 1,784 teachers. We employed a mixed-method systematic review to address the research questions. Results: Integrated analyses revealed that reading comprehension instruction infrequently aligned with research-based practices. Findings revealed that, on average, 23% of instructional time during reading/language arts instruction was dedicated to reading comprehension. Like Durkin’s study (1978–1979), the results indicated that teachers spent much of this time engaging in initiation-response-evaluation conversation patterns rather engaging students in extensive discussion of text or teaching knowledge or practices (e.g. text structure, reading comprehension strategies) that support reading comprehension. However, analyses suggested that studies conducted after 2000 reported more research-based reading comprehension practices than earlier studies. Conclusions: These findings suggest a substantial gap persists between the reading comprehension practices identified as research-based and those observed in typical practice. There is a need for renewed efforts to prioritize reading comprehension instruction in policy and practice.

Exploring teachers teaching reading comprehension: knowledge, behaviours and attitudes

ABSTRACT There are few measures of teacher professional knowledge of reading comprehension, therefore little is known about the levels of teacher professional knowledge, their motivation and attitudes to teaching reading comprehension. The Knowledge, Behaviour and Attitudes Test for Reading Comprehension (KBAT-RC) was developed from a systematic literature review, in collaboration with researchers and practitioners. Findings from the first sample suggest that teachers prefer more tangible practices when teaching reading comprehension (teaching vocabulary, prediction and asking questions), in contrast to developing the inference skills and self-monitoring for meaning strategies of the children they teach. Implications for the development of teacher professional knowledge in reading comprehension are discussed.

THE EFFECT OF TEACHERS’ INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES ON THE TEACHING OF READING COMPREHENSION IN ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

This article investigated the effects of teachers’ instructional strategies on the teaching of reading comprehension in English as a second language. Data was collected through an interview schedule, field notes and an open-ended questionnaire. A purposeful criterion sampling technique was used to select ten teachers from ten schools. Data analysis was conducted using typological analysis, content analysis and Atlas.ti. The findings established the effect of teachers’ instructional strategies on the teaching of reading comprehension, the dominant instructional strategies used and the association between instructional strategies and the existing reading comprehension at schools. Teachers need to study and learn the application of instructional strategies apply strategies to optimise success and enhance teaching and learning, which results in positive students’ academic outcomes.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0735/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

What are the influences on KS2 teachers of comprehension and how are they shaping their learning and development?

ABSTRACT This article is based on a doctoral study which devised a novel framework to examine influences on Key Stage 2 (KS2) teachers of reading comprehension. It provides an understanding of the impact of professional knowledge and reading comprehension instruction research on teachers. Analysis of 14 interviews with primary teachers found they valued 5 areas of comprehension teaching. Goos’ (2013) adaptation of Valsiner’s [1997. Culture and the Development of Children’s Action: A Theory of Human Development. 2nd ed. John Wiley] zone theory and Lave and Wenger’s (1991) Communities of Practice (CoP) are used to explore teachers’ development in teaching comprehension through their interactions with the social environments of schools.

Challenges and Facilitators in the Instruction of ESL Reading Comprehension to Autistic Students

Challenges and Facilitators in the Instruction of ESL Reading Comprehension to Autistic Students

Exploring Teachers’ Deep-Level Challenges of Teaching Reading Comprehension in Online Classes: “Infrastructure is not Entirely to Blame”

Understanding the challenges that EFL/ESL teachers face while teaching reading comprehension in online classes is crucial. This is because of the developmental nature of using technology in L2 pedagogy. Therefore, we conducted a transcendental phenomenology study to explore EFL/ESL teachers’ challenges in teaching reading comprehension in online classes. We analyzed 12 teachers’ narratives and interviews using Giorgi's (2009) five-step framework. We found that teachers faced three main challenges while teaching reading comprehension in online classes. Firstly, students had low cognitive preparation concerning the content of reading comprehension and using technology, which bring about challenges for teachers. Secondly, teachers struggled to adopt online teaching strategies to teach reading comprehension in online classes. Finally, they faced technological issues in online classes. We concluded that EFL/ESL teachers encounter two types of challenges when teaching reading comprehension in online classes. The first type is surface-level challenges, which are related to obvious reasons such as insufficient infrastructure. The second type is deep-level challenges, which are implicit and lead to surface-level challenges. As for the implication of the study, the findings prioritize the importance of addressing teachers’ professional development in using technology in L2 pedagogy.

The Effectiveness of Literature Circles (LC) Strategy on Learners’ Reading Comprehension at the VIII Grade of UPTD SMP N 3 Kec. Guguak

This research was conducted based on problems found by researcher in the learning process about reading comprehension using the Literature Circles (LC) strategy. It found that learners had problems when understanding the text although the teacher taught by using the Literature Circles strategy. Next, learners had difficulty to make a summary although the Literature Circles strategy was used. Last, in applying the Literature Circles strategy teacher had tried to help learners to comprehend some words that learners did not know from the text, but learners still tend to have difficulty in understanding those words. The purpose of this research was to see the effectiveness of using the Literature Circles strategy in teaching reading comprehension for VIII grade at UPTD SMP N 3 Kec.Guguak. The method used in this research was descriptive quantitative research, which aims to describe the significant effect of using Literature Circles (LC) strategy on reading comprehension learners. The population of this research were all of the learners in VIII grade of UPTD SMP N 3 Kec.Guguak. Then, the instrument used in this research was a reading comprehension test. The finding reveals that the use of Literature Circles strategy is effective to improve reading comprehension at VIII grade of UPTD SMP N 3 Kec. Guguak. It shows that in indicators the identifying the main idea and identifying generic structure in the text get the highest percentage of score (91.6%). Meanwhile, the result percentage of average score in indicator the vocabulary in the context get the lowest percentage of score (57.3%). Even though there is low score in those one reading comprehension’s indicator, but the total percentage of average score from all indicators in reading comprehension learners is 79.5%. According to the table of interpretation of the effectiveness percentage, 79.5% indicated ‘Effective” category. It means in using Literature Circles strategy is effective to improve the learners reading comprehension.

Effectively Teaching Reading Comprehension to Students With Special Educational Needs in Inclusive, Intermediate and Special Classroom Settings: A Scoping Review

Effectively Teaching Reading Comprehension to Students With Special Educational Needs in Inclusive, Intermediate and Special Classroom Settings: A Scoping Review

Empowering ESP Students Through a Scientific Approach: Unveiling the Impact on Engagement and Reading Comprehension Achievement

This study is anchored in the constructivist theoretical perspective, which emphasizes the active role of learners in constructing knowledge through interaction and experience. It aims to investigate the efficacy of a scientific method in improving reading comprehension and student engagement among Informatics Study Program students at Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani Cimahi, Indonesia. The study utilizes a mixed-methods research design to assess the effectiveness of traditional lecture methods and the scientific approach in enhancing reading achievement. The study was conducted at Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani Cimahi in West Java and involved 68 second-semester students enrolled in the Informatics Study Program, with a specific focus on the English Practicum course. The results of the research found that the scientific approach led to better reading comprehension and higher engagement levels compared to traditional lectures. However, when comparing the two methods, the statistical analysis showed no significant difference between them, suggesting that the impact of the scientific approach may vary. The study also found the value of student-centered, evidence-based teaching methods for improving educational outcomes in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) settings. The study emphasizes the necessity of employing adaptable, empirically supported teaching methods to address a wide range of learning requirements and enhance educational achievements. Although the study has limitations that are specific to its environment and relies on data provided by the participants themselves, the findings strongly support a wider adoption of scientific approaches in teaching reading comprehension.

Meningkatkan Pemahaman Puisi pada Siswa Kelas IV SD: Sebuah Studi Eksperimental tentang Metode SQ4R dengan Dukungan E-Book

Low comprehension of poetry texts among students is a significant educational challenge. It is characterized by difficulties in interpreting content and answering related questions. Monotonous teaching methods that fail to engage students or provide opportunities for deep exploration of poetic texts often cause this issue. If left unaddressed, this problem can hinder learning goals. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Reflect, Review (SQ4R) method, assisted by e-book media, on improving poetry text comprehension in fourth-grade students. A quantitative, pre-experimental approach using a One-Group Pretest-Posttest design was employed. The entire population of 30 fourth-grade students was sampled through saturated sampling. Data were collected through pre- and post-tests and analyzed using a paired-samples t-test. The results showed a significant improvement in poetry comprehension, supporting the alternative hypothesis. The N-Gain analysis revealed a moderate level of improvement. Despite the modest gain, these findings suggest that the SQ4R method, when combined with e-book media, can significantly enhance students' poetry comprehension skills. This approach offers a more engaging and effective learning strategy compared to traditional methods. Future research should investigate the long-term effects of this method and its applicability across different age groups and literary genres. These results provide valuable insights for educators looking to diversify their teaching methods in reading comprehension instruction.

The interplay between teacher beliefs, instructional practices, and students’ reading achievement: national evidence from PIRLS 2021 using path analysis

BackgroundReading and reading comprehension are crucial skills, yet many students in grade 4 struggle with them. To address this, several instructional practices have gained popularity. For one, explicit reading strategy instruction (ERSI) is deemed useful, given the finding that successful readers tend to employ reading strategies. As a second example, differentiated reading instruction (DRI) is believed to improve all students’ reading comprehension. Indeed, a one-size-fits-all approach may not work for all students, considering their different reader profiles. Despite the importance of ERSI and DRI, much uncertainty remains about what happens in the classroom and why. One way to understand teacher instructional practices such as ERSI and DRI, is by applying psychological behavioural theories to the teaching context. They provide a framework to predict human behaviour based on human characteristics and beliefs. Educational research points to teachers’ self-efficacy (TSE) and attitudes (TA) as particularly important concepts, especially in the field of science. However, associations between TA, TSE, instructional practices and students’ reading achievement remain insufficiently studied. This study addresses this knowledge gap by exploring the interplay between TSE and TA regarding ERSI and DRI, the implementation of these practices, and students’ reading achievement.MethodsDigitalPIRLS 2021 data from Belgium (Flanders) were used. To gather information about ERSI, DRI, TA and TSE, national adaptations were made to the teacher questionnaires. Three nested path models with a two-level design (students nested into classes) were estimated.ResultsThis study indicates that teachers with higher TSE and more positive TA in ERSI and DRI implement these practices more frequently. Positive TA regarding ERSI and DRI also correspond to positive TSE regarding these instructional practices. Furthermore, ERSI and DRI implementation are positively related. Finally, no significant associations between teacher beliefs, instructional practices, and students’ reading comprehension were found.ConclusionWhereas TSE and TA are considered highly context-dependent, uncertainty remains about TSE and TA regarding ERSI and DRI. The results highlight the importance of subject-specific TSE and TA for teachers’ instructional practices. Ultimately, the findings emphasize the necessity of supporting teachers in developing their TSE and TA towards reading comprehension instruction.

Teaching Reading Comprehension of Explanatory Text by Using Directed Reading and Thinking Activity (DRTA)

This research aims to improve the reading skills of fifth grade students of SDN Warnasari using Directed Reading and Thinking Activities as a learning method in English subjects. This reserach used classroom action research and conducted in three cycles. Methods used to collect data include documentation, observation, and test. The increase in students' reading comprehension can be seen from classical completeness which shows that from one cycle to the next, classical completeness scores increased from 58% in cycle I to 84% in cycle II and increased to 100% in cycle III. The average student score in cycles I and II also increased, from 76.4 in cycle I to 82.10 in cycle II and 86.31 in cycle III. The conclusion is the application of the Directed Reading and Thinking Activity method can improve students' reading skills in English subjects in class V at SDN Warnasari for the 2023/2024 academic year.

Application of Schema Theory in English Reading Comprehension Teaching in Senior High School

English reading is a basic language skill, and the level of English reading comprehension is directly related to the level of learners’ language ability. In recent years, the new curriculum standards and the new college entrance examination reform have put forward higher requirements for high school students’ English reading comprehension ability. However, English teachers pay much more attention to vocabulary, sentence patterns and grammar knowledge, and to some extent neglect the cultivation of the cultural knowledge, genre structure and reading strategies at present. English reading teaching based on schema theory emphasizes linguistic knowledge as the basis, activating the existing schema, enriching the background knowledge and grasping the discourse structure, so as to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the text. Therefore, this paper combines schema theory with English reading teaching, and analyzes how to effectively use schema theory to help students effectively read and improve their reading ability from three stages: before reading, while reading and after reading.

The Effectiveness of Using Webtoon Platform in Teaching Reading Comprehension Among Second Semester Students at Universitas Bhinneka PGRI in Academic Year 2023/2024

English, a crucial global language, is essential in education and communication. In Indonesia, mastering English is vital, with the 2013 curriculum emphasizing the four skills: speaking, writing, listening, and reading. Reading comprehension, which integrates written content with prior knowledge, is particularly important. Various internal and external factors, such as word recognition, parental support, and educational media, impact students' reading comprehension. Digital media like Webtoon offer advantages such as accessibility and interactivity, making them valuable educational tools. This study examined how well the Webtoon platform taught reading comprehension to second-semester students at Bhinneka PGRI University's English Education Department in the academic year 2023–2024. Twenty-two individuals were chosen at random from the student body to make up the sample. This study employed a quantitative research approach with a pre-experimental design that included a one-group pretest, treatment, and post-test to determine the impact of Webtoon on reading comprehension skills. Using this strategy, the effectiveness of the intervention may be evaluated by contrasting pre- and post-test results. Students' reading comprehension scores increased dramatically after using Webtoon; on average, their scores went from 69.00 to 81.81. The data distribution was validated by normality tests, and a significant difference was found using a paired t-test (t(15) = -12.854, p < 0.001). These results showed how Webtoon improves reading comprehension and makes a good contribution to education by demonstrating creative uses of digital media in the classroom.Using this strategy, the effectiveness of the intervention may be evaluated by comparing pre- and post-test results.

Use of Schema Theory in the Teaching of English Reading Comprehension in Senior High School

This paper examines the use of schema theory in enhancing English reading comprehension in senior high school students. Schema theory, a cognitive psychology framework, emphasizes that readers’ prior knowledge and experiences play a crucial role in comprehending new information. This paper summarizes the basic viewpoints of schema theory and discusses its practical applications in English reading comprehension in senior high school. Research has shown that implementing schema theory not only benefits students’ language skills but also fosters their critical thinking abilities. When students are able to connect new information with their existing schemas, they become more familiar with analyzing and interpreting complex texts. This theory encourages active engagement with the material and promotes a deeper level of comprehension. This paper also addresses challenges and solutions in implementing schema theory. By incorporating schema theory into reading classes, teachers can help students develop a deeper understanding of texts, improve their reading efficiency, and enhance their overall English proficiency.

The Application of Schema Theory in Senior High School English Reading Comprehension Teaching

The Application of Schema Theory in Senior High School English Reading Comprehension Teaching