Developing academic reading skills through strategy training

Sruti Akula (PhD ELE) EFL UniversityDeveloping academic reading skills through strategy training Presentation Introduction Description of the studyTheoretical frameworkTools used and the data (reflection grids, interview, pre test, post test)Interpretation of the dataFindingsConclusion Implications

Introduction The study argues that Explicit strategy instruction needs to be exploited as a valuable teaching/learning tool Self reflection grids, enabling self evaluation, (thereby raising meta-awareness) enhances reading comprehension and helps struggling readers to become efficient readers

The StudyLocation: Kakinada A.P.Target group: undergraduate science students Focus: Reading strategiesStrategies are conscious techniques used intentionally to solve problems encountered while reading e.g. skimming, scanning, inferencing, predicting

Description of the studyWhy reading strategies?Readers at the undergraduate level need to be self-dependent There is a need to read beyond the textbooksIt was observed that learners dont use reading strategies effectivelyInadequate reading skills seem to hinder academic progress

Description of the studyDuration-18 hours spread across 12 daysTarget group15 undergraduate science students Science students as these skills are needed for reading scientific texts (e.g. summarizing, note-taking, note-making)Intervention To develop academic reading skills

Description of the studyMaterials6 unitsEach unit focuses on a reading strategyUnit consists of reading texts and tasksScientific Texts- from popular science Approach- interactive, task-based discussionsHere, the reading process, appropriate strategy used is more important than arriving at the right answer Unit was divided into A pre-task discussion about the strategy in use, the nature of the texts and tasksCompletion of the tasksPost task discussion about the reading processes and strategies used Filling the reflection grids

Theoretical framework The study operates on the premise that reading is a process involving the use of strategies that can be developed through sustained teaching and practiceExplicit strategy instruction contributes significantly to reading proficiency Focus and methodology of the intervention carried out for the present study (diagrammatic representation) Reflection gridsPurpose of the gridsCapturing strategy useReflection, self-evaluationAwareness raising

Grids had statements that aimed at capturing the reading process, strategy use6 grids were used for 6 units

Reflection grids Some statements were common in the grids used while the rest were specific statements focusing on strategy in useGeneral statements dealt with aspects like:Schema/back ground knowledge Reading style, process (reading at a slow pace; predicting the content from the title; using repetitive ideas, linkers to understand text organization; drawing inferences)Reflection gridsUse of L1 while reading in L2Dealing with unfamiliar words

Specific statements were about aspects likeReading style (skipping parts of the text, rereading, reading in chunks)Note making techniques (underlining key points)

Structured interviewResponsesPredicting saves timeUsing background knowledge made reading effective Awareness about text organization helped me improve my reading comprehension

Structured interviewUnderlining key points was helpful in capturing the gist of the text which in turn helped in competing tasksSkipping and reading in chunks saved time improving reading speedNote making tables helped while summarizingRereading to understand the text better Pre testA Pre-test aimed at assessing learners reading proficiency was administeredIt had reading texts followed by MCQs, tasks on information transfer, comparing two texts on the same topic and answering short answer questions. The mean of the pre-test scores of 15 selected students was 50.9%

Post testThe post-test aiming at assessing the result of the course and learners achievement. It had pre-reading, while reading and after reading activities/tasks

The mean of the post-test is 66%Though the tasks were of a higher order when compared to the pre-test there was improvement in the mean

Interpretation It is widely agreed that strategies play a crucial role in developing reading skills and that strategy training techniques produce effective readers suggesting that strategies should be taught explicitlyGiven below is the list of strategies most preferred by the target group in the order of priorityGuessing the meaning of the unfamiliar words from the context (100%)

Interpretation Predicting what the text is about by looking at the title (95.8%)Underlining the key points while reading (87.5%)Rereading the text several times going back and forth to understand the text better (80%)Reading the text word by word at a slow pace to enable understanding (64%)Drawing inferences from the text with the help of the clues provided by the writer (61%)

Interpretation Trying to link new ideas presented in the text with existing knowledge while reading a text on a familiar topic (57%)Skipping some parts of the text that are not needed (53%)Looking for repetitive ideas and words to understand the connection between different parts of the text (53%)

Interpretation Taking the help of linkers to understand the way text is organized and to get a clear idea about arguments developed in the text (50%)Reading the entire text quickly once to get the gist and then reading paragraph by paragraph for deeper meaning (50%)Reading in chunks (47%)Strategies related to using L1 while reading in L2 were least preferred Findings Explicit strategy training can be done through reading tasks, awareness raising discussions and reflection gridsIt enhances the academic reading skills of the students, improves reading fluency, and builds their confidence to read and comprehend academic texts Awareness raising using grids and discussions led students to reflect on their reading processes (meta awareness)

Conclusion A specially designed course in strategy training results in improved reading performance

Self-reflection and self-evaluation enable learners to become better readers

Implications of the study Reflection- for the learners as well

Teacher- action research

Teacher education- course design