The effect of collaborative versus individual strategic reading on college EFL learners’ reading comprehension and self-efficacy
The effect of collaborative versus individual strategic reading on college EFL learners’ reading comprehension and self-efficacy
Keywords: collaborative strategic reading (CSR), individual strategic reading (ISR), reading
comprehension, reading development, reading self-efficacy
Authors
Hassan Mohammed Kassem
Tanta University, Egypt
Shaqra University, Saudi Arabia
Bio Data
Hassan Kassem earned his Ph.D. in TEFL from Tanta College of Education, Egypt. He is currently teaching at Shaqra University, Saudi Arabia. His research interests include language learning strategies, and the teaching/learning of reading and language elements, especially vocabulary and grammar.
Abstract
The current study investigated the relative effect of Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR) and Individual Strategic Reading (ISR) on the reading comprehension and reading selfefficacy of EFL learners. It explored whether the cooperative element in CSR results in better EFL reading performance than ISR lacking this element. A convenience sample of 105 EFL sophomores at an Egyptian College of Education participated in the study. They were assigned to three groups, each consisting of 35 students. A reading comprehension test and a reading self-efficacy scale were developed by the researcher and used to measure participants’ reading comprehension and self-efficacy before and after the experiment. The three groups were homogeneous in reading comprehension and reading self-efficacy before the experiment. A one-semester intervention was then carried out where one group was taught reading strategies according to the CSR sequence. Another group was taught the same reading strategies according to the direct teaching method (which the researcher refers to as Individual Strategic Reading (ISR) since students apply strategies individually in a phase that is correspondent to the cooperative phase in CSR). A control group was also used as a comparison group. One way ANOVA revealed that the CSR and ISR groups achieved significantly higher gains in reading comprehension and self-efficacy than the control group. No significant differences were found between the CSR and the ISR groups in reading comprehension and self-efficacy. That is, the two approaches proved to be equally effective. Pedagogical implications and suggestions for further research are reported.
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Category: Monthly Editions, Volume 68
