Use Of Reading Strategies Research Articles

The Impact of Peer-Collaborative Strategic Reading and Reflective Journal Writing on Orchestrated Reading Strategy Use and Comprehension

Research indicates that reading strategy instruction improves comprehension. Conceptualizing strategy training as mediating reading strategy use through collaborative and reflective practices, the present study examined the combined effect of peer-collaborative strategic reading and reflective journaling on strategy use and comprehension. Data were collected from 72 ninth-grade participants, employing a pretest-posttest comparison group design, through Reflective Journals, Reading Comprehension Test, and the Survey of Reading Strategies. The experimental group (n=36) participated in strategy training, while the comparison group (n=36) had regular study hours. Reflective journals show that the experimental group improved in rationalizing the conditional knowledge of strategies, using strategy clusters, employing responsive actions, specifying the details of strategy use and verbalizing the reading process. Findings also indicate that the experimental group outperformed the comparison group in post-test in comprehension and frequency of strategy use. The findings imply that reading strategy instruction models and teachers can increase the collaborative and reflective nature of strategy training to develop students’ strategic reading and comprehension.

READING STRATEGY IN FOCUS: NAVIGATING THE MEANING-MAKING PROCESSES IN READING MULTIMODAL TEXT

Indonesian EFL learners’ trouble comprehending multimodal texts was the main reason for this research. This study highlighted the reading strategy use in meaning reconstruction processes of multimodal reading. In this case, the meaning reconstruction process focused on the thinking processes of readers (EFL learners). This study applied a qualitative design (multiple case study) involving three readers studying at a private university in Indonesia. The triangulation data gained through verbal reports, non-participant observations, and interviews were analysed qualitatively. The findings show that all readers read the text while verbalizing their thoughts during the meaning reconstruction processes of the multimodal text. In the process, they segmented their verbal reports into many thought units. Each reader differently processed the thought units’ meanings through integrated reading strategies (i.e., monitoring comprehension, activating and connecting to background knowledge, questioning, inferring and visualizing meanings, determining the importance of text, summarizing and synthesizing). The use of the simultaneous integrated reading strategies is reflected in three stages of the meaning reconstruction process of reading print-based multimodal text, i.e., 1) Preparation, 2) Synchronization, and 3) Interpretation of the meaning. The complete meaning of each thought unit is reconstructed as a reader is able to implement the integrated reading strategies to find out the congruence of the multimodal information or knowledge of all reading elements (i.e., the reader’s prior knowledge, information of text, and context). Thus, reading strategies are crucial tools for reconstructing meanings of multimodal text.

Physical Science teachers’ use of reading strategies in a South African context

Teaching in global multilingual societies requires a change of instruction concerning reading comprehension, as many learners are not instructed in their home language. Reading comprehension skills are lacking in South Africa and are discernible in subjects like physical sciences, where the text requires high levels of cognitive thinking. This study focused on improving reading comprehension using strategies like vocabulary, syntactical awareness, and text recognition, among others. An interpretative qualitative approach was chosen to determine to which extent reading strategies are used and taught in the physical sciences classroom. Semi-structured interviews and non-participant teacher observations were conducted to determine the participants’ knowledge of and ability and skill in using reading strategies. The study found that the use of reading strategies in physical sciences classrooms was limited, and the participants (physical sciences teachers) were unable to integrate many strategies to assist with reading comprehension.

The effect of reading strategy use on online reading comprehension

In the current age, digital technology is rapidly changing daily routines, and young people today spend most of their time using various digital tools. Therefore, traditional reading of the printed page is being transformed into digital reading of online texts among students. Thus, online reading strategies have become crucial for their development in online reading performance. This study aimed to investigate the effects of online reading strategies used by lower secondary students on reading comprehension achievement. It conducted an online survey of reading strategies, involving three types of reading strategies, global, problem-solving, and support. The study recruited 4527 students at the lower secondary school level in Hungary. The study examined the students' attitudes toward literature and grammar in their native language (L1), use of online reading strategies, reading comprehension skills, and language arts achievement as well as examining the relations between them with various methods of analysis (descriptive/inferential, Rasch and path analyses). The findings demonstrated that the students' problem-solving strategies (from among the three reading strategies) exerted significant and positive impacts on reading comprehension. Additionally, the students’ attitudes toward L1 had a positively significant effect on their use of online reading strategies and language arts achievement and an indirect effect on reading comprehension skills. The study also found a significant relationship between language arts achievement and reading comprehension achievement. Therefore, this study is beneficial for language teachers in helping students improve reading comprehension skills.

Comparative Analysis of Reading Strategies among Tertiary ESL Learners: A Case Study

In comprehending a text, the use of relevant reading strategies by the students is essential in order to assist them in understanding the reading material which subsequently improves their academic performance. However, insufficient comparative studies have investigated the reading strategies used by ESL learners at tertiary level based on their academic achievement. The aim of this study is to investigate the type of reading strategies employed by tertiary level ESL learners during the three phases of reading which are during pre, while and post reading for both high and low achievers. A total of 60 undergraduate ESL learners from a private university in Malaysia answered a set of reading strategies questionnaires adapted from Strategy Of Reading Skills (SORS). It was found that high achievers use metacognitive strategies more frequently as compared to ESL low achievers who are inclined to use bottom-up strategies. The findings suggest that to be a successful reader, the use of appropriate reading strategies should be encouraged to help students to comprehend the reading text. The data obtained is useful for teachers who provide variation in reading activities targeting both high and low achievers ESL learners.

The Effects of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) on English Reading Strategy Use among College Students

The Effects of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) on English Reading Strategy Use among College Students

Prior knowledge Activation through the use of Effective Reading Strategies

Prior knowledge plays a crucial role in students' performance when it comes to utilizing effective reading strategies. When students possess prior knowledge related to the topic they are reading about, they can make connections, draw upon their existing understanding, and engage in more meaningful comprehension. Having prior knowledge allows students to activate their schema, which refers to the mental framework of information and experiences they have already acquired. This schema acts as a foundation for new learning and helps students make sense of new information. For example, if a student has prior knowledge about the solar system, they can easily comprehend and retain new information about planets or space exploration. Moreover, prior knowledge enables students to predict and anticipate what they might encounter while reading. By activating their prior knowledge, students can generate hypotheses about the content of the text, which enhances their engagement and motivation.

Impacts of Combined Reading Strategy Instruction on Ethiopian Students’ Strategy Use and Perception

The aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness of combined reading strategy instruction on reading strategy use and perception of Ethiopian secondary school English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Using a quasi-experimental pre-test-post control group design, eighty-seven students were selected from two intact classes that were assigned to the control and experimental groups. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect the data. After identifying students' level of reading strategies, students in the experimental group were explicitly taught a combination of reading strategies. The training took four months and at the end of which, a questionnaire was administered to both groups, whereas the interview was conducted only with the experimental group. ANCOVA and interview findings indicated that students in the treatment group greatly benefited from the training. Hence, it was concluded that combined reading strategy instruction is vital for EFL students to increase their reading strategy use and awareness which in turn helps them to improve their reading comprehension problems. Finally, it was recommended that EFL teachers should consider the role of combined reading strategies during teaching reading.

The Impact of Vocabulary, Inferencing, and Metacognitive Strategies on Second Language Reading Comprehension

This study aims to explore exploring the predictive factors of second language (L2) reading comprehension scores, specifically focusing on L2 vocabulary knowledge, first language (L1) syllogistic inferencing, L1 reading comprehension, and L2 reading metacognitive strategy use. The study involved 90 Korean EFL university students. Their L2 vocabulary knowledge, L1 syllogistic inferencing, L1 reading comprehension, L2 metacognitive reading strategy use scores were collected and analyzed for their influence on L2 reading comprehension scores. A path analysis was conducted for data analysis. The findings revealed that both L2 linguistic knowledge and proficiency in L1 reading comprehension had a positive impact on L2 reading comprehension scores, underscoring the significance of language-specific and crosslinguistic factors, respectively, in the comprehension of L2 reading. The results also indicated an indirect effect of L1 syllogistic inferencing skills on L2 reading comprehension through L1 reading comprehension. This implies that L1 syllogistic inferencing may boost L1 reading comprehension, subsequently benefiting L2 reading comprehension. Furthermore, the study brought to light the potential adverse effects of L2 support reading strategies on L2 reading comprehension. Overall, this study adds to our comprehensive understanding of L2 reading comprehension by shedding light on the intricate interplay of linguistic, cross-linguistic, and metacognitive factors.

Influence of Reading Strategies on ESL Students’ Reading Comprehension in Secondary Schools in Malé, Maldives

The use of reading strategies plays an integral part in the reading comprehension level of students. However, English as a Second Language (ESL) learners are unaware of the impact of reading strategies on their reading comprehension level. Moreover, teachers also lack a solid foundation for teaching reading strategies to students and are unable to understand the reading strategies preferences of the students. Only a few studies have been conducted highlighting the significance of reading strategies on students’ comprehension levels, especially in the context of Maldivian secondary schools. The main objective of this study is to identify the use of reading strategies to improve the reading comprehension level of ESL learners in secondary school. This research employed an experimental design. A total of 118 students from grades 9 and 10 from a secondary school participated in the study. Two instruments were utilized to collect data: a questionnaire, a pre-test, and a post-test. Statistical analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between reading strategies and comprehension achievement. Moreover, a significant difference in strategy use was found between male and female students. Recommendations include implementing school-wide reading programs, using think-aloud technique to model strategies, and consistent teacher training in Maldives as well as monitoring of students' reading strategies to improve comprehension and learning opportunities.

Exam stress and the metacognitive strategies of reading in students with dyslexia: The role of motivational mechanisms and educational support.

Despite numerous studies on dyslexia, there is still a lack of empirical data on the factors determining the functioning of students with dyslexia in the context of written exams. Therefore, the aim of the study is to identify the relationship between sources of stress in an exam situation and the reported use of reading strategies by dyslexic students in terms of motivation and therapeutic interventions in the educational environment. This descriptive-analytical study used data from a larger project focused on children with and without dyslexia. The research sample (n = 640) included girls (n = 280) and boys (n = 360) aged between 14 and 15 years (M = 14.40, SD = 0.55), attending the 7th or 8th grade in Polish mainstream primary schools. Random and intentional sampling was used. All students completed four questionnaires. The results were analyzed using regression analysis in Model templates for PROCESS v4 for SPSS by Hayes. The study showed significant weak and moderate positive correlations between the sources of exam stress and the reading strategies reported by students, ranging from 0.186 to 0.570, as well as significant moderate and strong correlations between reading strategies and experienced educational support, ranging from 0.229 to 0.505, and between reading strategies and motivation to read, ranging from 0.582 to 0.701. The type of stress source significantly influenced the selection of specific reading strategies. Motivation acted as a mediator, while educational support was a moderator in the relationship between exam stress and the reported use of reading strategies. Based on our results, the source of stress may be perceived as factors activating metacognitive mechanisms aimed at selecting appropriate strategies for working with texts. Researchers and teachers should be aware of the need to undertake activities to support students with dyslexia focused on developing the ability to recognize the sources of exam stress and select effective coping strategies.

Are More Proficient Readers More Strategic? A Case Study of Four Taiwanese EFL University Students

The article presents the results, interpretations, and potential pedagogical implications of an experimental case study that explored the beliefs and actual use of reading strategies of four Taiwanese EFL university students. The emphasis of the qualitative analysis is put on what the participants effectively do rather than what they believe they do, something that many studies in the field overlook. In addition, the study investigated the interplay between reading strategy use and reading proficiency. The research triangulates the introspective data with the products of participants’ task activity. The participants were asked to fill out a self-reporting questionnaire. After a few days, they performed a reading task accompanied by the think-aloud protocol, took a comprehension test, and were interviewed. The study revealed that participants’ perceptions of their reading strategy use and the actual use were not always aligned. More importantly, the study findings indicate that the variety, frequency, and appropriateness of the actual use of reading strategies positively correlated with the participants' reading and general linguistic proficiency levels. Pedagogical implications and suggestions for further research are discussed, as well as the current study's limitations.

Assessing Saudi EFL Learners’ Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies: A Cross-Sectional Study

With extant studies producing inconclusive findings regarding English as foreign language (EFL) readers’ metacognitive strategies, researchers are yet to investigate the perceived metacognitive awareness and use of reading strategies among tertiary EFL learners with varying proficiency levels, an area that has not fully received attention in the Saudi context. Hence, this study investigated differences in the metacognitive reading strategies that Saudi students learning English as a foreign language used when reading English texts to determine whether metacognitive awareness varied across proficiency levels (low, intermediate, and high). The study adapted and administered the Survey of Reading Strategies questionnaire to 260 Saudi English majors and analyzed the data using independent-samples ANOVA across the three proficiency groups, and found how participants varied in their perceived use of reading strategies across global, problem-solving, and support strategy categories. Overall, EFL learners with high-proficiency reported global and problem-solving strategies more often than intermediate- and low-proficient groups did, while low-proficiency group reported using support strategies more often than high- and intermediate-proficiency groups did. The study results also revealed how problem-solving strategies were most frequently reported by study participants, followed by support and global strategies. Subsequently, two major pedagogical implications are discussed: the need for Saudi EFL readers to be exposed to diverse reading strategies to help facilitate their reading comprehension of English texts, as well to reading-strategy instruction, which should emphasize global, problem-solving, and support strategies for Saudi EFL learners with varying reading abilities across different reading tasks.

Exploring Students' Difficulties in Comprehending English Reading Texts at SMP Muhammadiyah Limbung

The aims of this research are to explore students’ difficulties in comprehending English reading texts and to discover the causing factors of students’ difficulties in comprehending English reading texts. This research is a qualitative descriptive method. Participants of this research were students of class VIII. 3 at SMP Muhammadiyah Limbung. The instruments used in this research were reading comprehension test and interview. The reading comprehension test was administered to 26 students in class VIII.3 in form of an essay test to collect the data regarding students’ difficulties based on the mistakes they made in answering the test. The researcher chose 15 students as participants in the interview. The interview was used as the supporting data from the reading comprehension test and to identify the causing factors of students’ difficulties. The results of the reading comprehension test and interview showed that there were five difficulties students experienced in comprehending English reading texts. The difficulties that they experienced were difficulty in comprehending the main idea, difficulty in understanding vocabulary, difficulty in understanding references, difficulty in understanding inferences, and difficulty in understanding detailed information. The causing factors of students’ difficulties in comprehending English reading texts are divided into two factors, namely internal and external factors. Internal factors include limited vocabulary knowledge, lack of fluency, lack of familiarity with the subject matter, difficulty level of the text (readability), inadequate use of effective reading strategies, weak verbal reasoning, problems with information processing, and problems in recalling after reading. External factors include home environment and school environment.

Investigation of Metacognitive Reading Strategy Use for Items Constructed at Different Cognitive Processes

Investigation of Metacognitive Reading Strategy Use for Items Constructed at Different Cognitive Processes

Exploration of Moroccan EFL University Students’ Retrospective Knowledge of Cognitive and Metacognitive Reading Strategies in Processing Advanced-level Written Discourse in English

Based on my unpublished Doctoral Dissertation (Defended in 2015) that investigates the impact of explicit reading strategy instruction on Moroccan EFL university learners’ (meta) cognitive reading strategy use and reading achievement, the present exploratory study reflects the extent to which the learners are retrospectively conscious of the (meta) cognitive reading strategies (RSs) that facilitate the assimilation and comprehension of the textual input. It addresses 113 English department university students belonging to two groups (Group 1: N= 50; Group 2: N= 63) studying at the first-semester level. The data were obtained through the dependence on two advanced-level reading comprehension texts (i.e., narrative, expository) which were accompanied by a retrospective questionnaire (RQ). The results evince that, given that the targeted two groups unconsciously used some (meta) cognitive reading strategies (RSs) for attaining the textual comprehension, their retrospective consciousness of the core nature and essence of these metacognitively-oriented strategic moves is typically typified by utmost inadequacy. Finally, some useful recommendations relative to both EFL reading research and pedagogy as well as some unavoidable limitations are presented.

Motivation, Strategy Use, and Comprehension in Foreign Language Reading: The Case of Saudi EFL Learners at the Preparatory Year

This study explored the relationships among reading motivation, reading strategy use and, reading comprehension in EFL reading. A cohort of 308 male and female EFL students at the preparatory year of an emerging Saudi university completed a reading motivation questionnaire, a reading strategy questionnaire, and a reading comprehension test. Independent samples t-test results revealed that students with high reading motivation (extrinsic, intrinsic, and efficacy) used three reading strategy categories (pre, while, and post-reading strategies) more frequently than students with moderate reading motivation. Similarly, students with high reading motivation were found to have better reading comprehension. Reading strategy use was also found to induce significant differences in students’ reading comprehension. Results of multiple regression revealed that extrinsic motivation was the best predictor of students’ reading strategy use and reading comprehension. Of all strategy categories, while-reading strategies were the best predictor of students’ reading comprehension. Of all motivation and strategy factors, while-reading strategies, reading efficacy and extrinsic motivation significantly predicted reading comprehension, with while-reading strategies being the strongest predictor. Implications for reading instruction and suggestions for further research are offered.

Modelling the interrelationships among self-regulated learning components, critical thinking and reading comprehension by PLS-SEM: A mixed methods study

This explanatory mixed methods study investigated the interrelationships among self-regulated learning (SRL) components, critical thinking and reading comprehension using PLS-SEM. For this purpose, a conceptual PLS-SEM model was evaluated on a sample of 183 Iranian elementary EFL learners. Then, 15 students were randomly selected to complete the follow up semi-structured interview. Three instruments including Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, the questionnaire of Critical Thinking ability in English Reading and a reading comprehension test were used to provide data sources for PLS-SEM models. The results of the quantitative analyses of measurement and structural models indicated that among the three components of SRL, cognitive strategies and metacognitive strategies significantly and directly affected critical thinking and reading comprehension. However, motivation had significant indirect effects on the outcome variables. Meanwhile, from among the SRL components, motivation had the strongest total effects on SRL. The qualitative findings of the study approved the predictive relationships of SRL components with reading comprehension and critical thinking. Moreover, the semi-structured interviews showed that the participants' effective use of self-regulated reading strategies, reading motivation and regulatory reading instruction were the major factors affecting EFL learners' SRL in reading comprehension and critical thinking.

LEARNING STYLES AND LEARNING STRATEGIES IN LEARNING ENGLISH USED BY NON-ENGLISH STUDENTS

Non-English students of Nursing and Economics need to learn English effectively by using appropriate learning strategies that reflect their learning styles in which to achieve their learning goals. This study investigated learning styles and learning strategies in learning used by non-English students. An explanatory mixed-methods design was used involving both quantitative and qualitative data. The findings revealed that out of listening, speaking, and writing strategies, there was a statistical difference (p> 0.05) in the language learning strategies used in reading by different sensory learning styles (visual, auditory, and tactile). For personal learning styles, the use of strategies in speaking and reading employed by Extroverted-Random-Open and Introverted-Concrete-Closure of Nursing and Economics students also had statistical differences (p< 0.05). On the contrary, strategies in listening and writing used by both groups of Extroverted-Random-Open and Introverted-Concrete-Closure were no statistical differences. Meanwhile, in cognitive learning styles, there was a statistical difference (p> 0.05) in the use of strategies in speaking and reading between synoptic and etanic Science and Social Science students. These findings showed that both Nursing and Economics students used the strategies for receptive skills (listening and reading) and productive skills (speaking) in high-frequency usage except for writing strategies in the moderate range. It means that they can be categorized as language learners and users

The Reading Challenges, Strategies, and Habits of University Students With a History of Reading Difficulties and Their Relations to Academic Achievement

Given the increase in students with learning disabilities entering university, we investigated a broader group—students with a history of reading difficulties (HRD)—who are known to be at risk of academic struggles. We identified the self-reported reading challenges and strategies of university students with HRD (n = 49) and those with no history of reading difficulties (NRD; n = 88) and examined group differences and relations with first-year grade point average (GPA). Students with HRD reported more difficulties with perceived reading comprehension, concentration, and reading speed than students with NRD. Groups differed in use of reading strategies: Students with HRD were descriptively more likely to reduce reading volume by using alternative materials and chose to read based on text length and availability of alternative materials. For both groups, reading completion and concentration strategies were positively related to GPA, while perceived difficulty with reading comprehension and choosing to read based on interest were negatively related to GPA. Some strategies were negatively associated with GPA for students with NRD, but not for students with HRD. Findings revealed the challenges that students with HRD experience with reading in university and identified strategies, potentially adaptive or maladaptive, that they used to manage their academic reading load.