Senior High School English Narrative Reading

Good short story reading habits are expected to have a positive influence on narrative writing skills, which is one of the essential skills in learning Indonesian. This study aims to describe: 1) short story reading habits as an independent variable; 2) narrative writing skills as a dependent variable; 3) the relationship between short story reading habits and narrative writing skills. This study uses a quantitative approach with a correlational method. This study took place in the even semester of the 2024/2025 academic year, which was implemented at SMA Negeri Wongsorejo. The population of this study was 152 tenth-grade students of SMA Negeri Wongsorejo who submitted a questionnaire on their short story reading habits and took a narrative writing skills test. The sample was determined at 111 students based on a statistical formula and randomly selected using a technique without replacement from each population group. Data on short story reading habits were collected using a questionnaire, while data on narrative writing skills were collected using a test. Each research instrument is declared valid because it is compiled using objective and systematic procedures. Data on reading habits and narrative writing skills were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to analyze the level of relationship between the independent and dependent variables. The results of the study: 1) short story reading habits are categorized as moderate; 2) narrative writing skills are in the moderate category; 3) there is a positive and significant relationship between the habit of reading short stories and students' narrative writing skills, as indicated by a correlation coefficient of 0.845. Therefore, the contribution of the short story reading habit variable to the narrative writing skills variable is 0.8452, or 71.40 percent.

The purpose of this study is to determine the students’ perceptions of the roles of narrative structure in reading engagement of senior high school students. This study used qualitative method of research and descriptive approach as its research design, in addition to a set of structured interview questions to gather data from senior high school students of Pinagtongulan Integrated National High School, located at Lipa City, Batangas. These structured interview questions were carefully designed to cover various dimensions of the study, including the roles of narrative structure in the reading engagement of the students, how narrative structure affects the reading engagement and proposed activities to engage other students in reading using narrative structure. The results revealed that students perceived narrative structure as a crucial role as it serves as an organizer and backbone of each literature and through this, it helps the readers to easily understand the story in a more comprehensible way. It also allows reader to decode the information given and shows the sequence, organization and the flow of the story. This study also showed how narrative structure affects the reading engagement of the students as it enhances comprehension and gives students drive to learn more. Furthermore, it also affects reading engagement of the students in terms of motivation, character development and creates impact with their emotion. Lastly, students also concluded varied activities to engage other students to read using narrative structure. These includes activities like alternating/rewriting ending and making predictions, creating story boards and interactive materials and sharing experiences through reading, visualizing and group storytelling. By integrating these approaches, students concluded that other students will be more engaged to reading and it can help them to express themselves.

This study aims to determine the effect of using graphic organizers as a strategy on students' ability to understand narrative text. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group format. The sample consisted of two 10th-grade classes from a high school in Gresik, selected through convenience sampling. Data analysis was conducted using a t-test, and the effect size was calculated using the eta squared (η²) formula. The findings showed that the use of graphic organizers had a significant impact on students’ comprehension of narrative texts (p = 0.02 < 0.05). Based on the results of manual calculation, the η² value of 0.1305 was obtained, which, referring to Cohen (2007) criteria, is included in the small effect category. Although it falls into the small effect category, the positive change is still visible, which indicates that graphic organizers can be an alternative learning method that supports the reading comprehension process. The experimental group showed that they had an advantage in reading comprehension, which can be seen from their ability to identify and explain the main idea in their own words, effectively find supporting information through group discussions and practice questions, and make logical inferences by connecting information in the text with prior knowledge. The findings suggest that English teachers can consider using graphic organizers-based strategies as an effective learning method, especially for understanding plot, character, and conflict in texts. Schools can support this strategy approach by providing teacher training and the necessary resources. From a theoretical point of view, this approach is proven to improve students' literacy skills and has potential as a basis for future research across different contexts and text types.

No abstract available

Purpose of the study: This study aimed to improve the reading comprehension skill of the eleventh-grade students of State Islamic Senior High School Palopo through the implementation of Know, Want, Learn (KWL) technique. The study focused on helping students understand narrative texts more effectively and increasing their active participation during the reading process. Methodology: This study used Classroom Action Research (CAR) consisting of two cycles: planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. The subjects were 26 students of class XI Natural science 1 State Islamic Senior High School Palopo. The instruments included observation sheets, interview lists, reading comprehension tests, and a camera for documentation. Data were analyzed using descriptive quantitative and qualitative methods. Main Findings: The findings showed that students’ reading comprehension improved after applying the KWL technique. In the first meeting of Cycle I, the mean score was 52.88, and in the second meeting it increased to 61.01. Students also showed better participation, stronger motivation, improved understanding of narrative texts, and greater confidence in completing the KWL chart activities. Novelty/Originality of this study: This study provides a practical classroom strategy by integrating the KWL technique into reading comprehension instruction for narrative texts. It emphasizes activating prior knowledge, setting reading purposes, and reflecting on learned information, which creates a more structured, student-centered, and interactive reading process for senior high school students.  

This research aims to find out the effect of using the MangaPlus application on students' reading comprehension in the narrative text at tenth-grade students of SMAN 8 Muaro Jambi. This research used a quantitative research design with a quasi-experimental approach, including quantitatively accepted pre- test and post-tests. This research uses tenth-grade students of SMAN 8 Muaro Jambi from XE1 Fase and XE3 Fase as a sample class. Before offering treatment, the exam should assess the student's reading comprehension with 25 multiple-choice reading tests. In the pre-test experimental group, the researcher received 32 sample scores with mean values of 54, 70, 88, and. 32. After treatment, the researcher acquired 32 sample scores with means of 55, 58, 80, and 32. Based on the result of the research it can be concluded that the Mangaplus application can help students to enhance their reading skills.Keywords: Reading Comprehension, Narrative Text, Mangaplus Application

The objectives of this study were to find out the validity, practicality, and potential effect of the developed Palembang-local-culture narrative reading materials about Palembang food. This study was designed as research and development involving three phases including analysis, design, and evaluation and revision phases. The formative evaluation was done through one-to-one evaluation, small group evaluation, and field trial. The subjects of this study were eleventh grade of senior high school in  Palembang. The validity was done in expert review. The validity score of the developed product was 3,20 which was categorized as high validity level. The practicality was conducted in one-to-one and small group evaluation. The practicality of one-to-one evaluation was 3,6 which was at very high practical level and the practicality in small group evaluation was 3,7 which was at very high practical level. The result in field trial was categorized as effective. It showed that there were 18 students (78,26%) out of 23 students in field trial reached the MMC (Minimum Mastery Criterion) which was 75.

Penelitian ini dilakukan sebagai respons terhadap kesulitan yang dihadapi siswa saat belajar bahasa Inggris, khususnya saat membaca teks narasi. Dalam hal ini, penulis ingin menyelidiki masalah ini lebih lanjut. Strategi SOAPS dapat digunakan untuk membantu siswa memahami ide-ide utama teks narasi atau untuk meningkatkan pemahaman bacaan mereka. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui apakah ada dampak signifikan dari strategi SOAPS terhadap pemahaman membaca teks narasi siswa di sekolah Islam. SMA Darul Hikmah Pekanbaru. Hal ini juga berusaha untuk mengetahui pemahaman membaca siswa terhadap teks narasi yang diajarkan tanpa strategi SOAPS. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan menggunakan desain eksperimen semu. Data pemahaman membaca teks narasi siswa di SMA Islam Darul Hikmah Pekanbaru dikumpulkan oleh penulis dengan menggunakan pendekatan pre-test dan post-test. Populasi penelitian berjumlah 270 siswa. Hanya dua kelas dijadikan sampel oleh penulis karena besarnya populasi: XI IPA 1 (kelas eksperimen yang berjumlah 29 siswa) dan XI IPA 2 (kelas kontrol yang juga berjumlah 29 siswa). Dengan demikian, sampel dari kedua kelas tersebut berjumlah 58 siswa. Dengan menggunakan SPSS 22.00, penulis menggunakan uji-t sampel independen untuk analisis data. Pada akhirnya, penulis menyimpulkan dari analisis rumus uji T bahwa pendekatan SOAPS mempunyai dampak yang signifikan terhadap pemahaman membaca teks narasi siswa di SMA Islam Darul Hikmah Pekanbaru, dimana Sig.2 Tailed = 0,000 kurang dari 0,05. Artinya Ho ditolak sedangkan Ha diterima.

Abstract: Reading comprehension is an essential skill that students need to master. It helps students to develop their knowledge, skill, and memory to prepare for real life challenges. However, students in Indonesia still experience reading comprehension problems. Both PISA and the National Reading Index show that Indonesian students’ literacy in Indonesian text is low. Previous research also indicate that most Indonesian students do not understand English texts especially narrative text. This study aimed to identify what problems the senior high school students faced in reading English texts and how many percent of them faced reading comprehension problems. The design of the study was a survey. The findings of this research reveal that 52% of the students had problems in vocabulary and 43.2% of the students had problems in background knowledge when reading English texts. Therefore, the students need to exercise more on their vocabulary and background knowledge skills by reading more narrative text. Keywords: reading comprehension problems, survey, narrative text Abstrak: Pemahaman membaca adalah keterampilan penting yang harus dikuasai oleh siswa. Ketrampilan tersebut dapat membantu siswa untuk mengembangkan pengetahuan, keterampilan, dan memori mereka untuk menghadapi tantangan di kehidupan nyata. Namun, siswa di Indonesia masih mengalami masalah dalam memahami bacaan. Survey dari PISA dan Indeks Literasi Nasional menunjukkan bahwa literasi siswa Indonesia dalam teks bahasa Indonesia masih rendah. Penelitian sebelumnya juga menunjukkan bahwa sebagian besar siswa Indonesia tidak memahami teks bahasa Inggris terutama teks naratif. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi masalah apa yang dihadapi siswa sekolah menengah atas dalam membaca teks bahasa Inggris dan berapa persen dari mereka yang masih ada masalah di pemahaman bacaan. Desain penelitian ini adalah survei. Temuan penelitian ini mengungkapkan bahwa 52% siswa memiliki masalah dalam kosakata dan 43,2% siswa memiliki masalah dalam pengetahuan latar belakang saat membaca teks bahasa Inggris. Oleh karena itu, siswa perlu lebih banyak melatih kosakata dan keterampilan pengetahuan latar belakang mereka dengan membaca lebih banyak teks naratif. Kata kunci: permasalahan dalam memahami bacaan, survei, teks naratif

The research was conducted to describe students’ activities in reading comprehension classroom, especially in learning narrative text. A qualitative descriptive approach was used in this research. To collect the data, observation, interview, and test were employed to gather the data of students’ activities in learning narrative text within reading comprehension class. Data from observation and interview were analyzed descriptively, while data from test were first calculated to find the mean of the score, then they were used to analyzed the minimum criteria of achivement (Kriteria Ketuntasan Minimun/ KKM). Based on the observation, it yielded that the student activities in learning narrative text were 1) identifying difficult vocabulary, 2) translating the vocabulary over dictionary, 3) asking teachers or peers to comprehend meaning, 4) writing the correction in the paper, 5) reviewing initial analysis, 6) asking teachers or peers for main ideas and supporting detail, 7) giving overall corrections, and 8) summarizing. Furthermore, the test result showed that the student's scores are different from other students such as five students getting a good score, twelve students getting enough score, and three students getting less score. The students' average score of reading is 73,75 which was above KKM. The interview result discovered that most of them thought that the eight reading activities above gave much influences on students understanding on reading narrative texts and their ability in completing the test. The research conclusion was the eight reading activities found were relevant because most students’ reading comprehension were above KKM.  

The objectives of this study were to find out whether or not there was a significant improvement before and after the treatment on the eleventh grade students‟ reading comprehension scores at one Islamic senior high school in Palembang by using Subtext strategy and to find out whether or not there was a significant difference on the eleventh grade students‟ reading comprehension scores between the students who were taught by using Subtext Strategy and those who were not. In this study, Quasi Experimental Design using pretest-posttest nonequivalent groups design was used. There were 60 students taken as sample. Each class consisted of 30 students from class XI IPS 2 as control group and class XI IPS 3 as experimental group. In collecting the data, reading comprehension test was used. The test was given twice to both experimental and control groups, as a pretest and posttest. To verify the hypotheses, the data of pretest and posttest were analyzed by using independent sample t-test and paired sample t-test in SPSS program. The findings showed that the p-output from paired sample t-test (sig2-tailed) was 0.000 which was lower than 0.05 and t-value 11.399 was higher than t-table with df=29 (2.0452). The result of p-output from independent sample t-test was 0.001 which was lower than 0.05, and the t-value 3.465 was higher than t-table with df=58 (2.0017). It means that teaching reading narrative text by using Subtext strategy had significant effect on the students‟ reading comprehension scores.

This study investigates the effect of self-assessment on the reading comprehension of narrative texts among grade X students in a senior high school EFL context. The primary objective is to determine whether the application of self-assessment significantly improves students’ reading comprehension skills. Employing a quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test measures, the study involved 42 students selected through simple random sampling from a population of 183 grade X students. Class XD, consisting of 19 students, served as the experimental group receiving self-assessment interventions, while class XC, with 23 students, functioned as the control group using conventional learning methods. Results revealed that the experimental group’s average pre-test score increased markedly from 51.89 to 75.89 post-intervention. In contrast, the control group’s average score showed a marginal increase from 44.87 to 48.08. To further confirm, an independent sample t-test was conducted with the help of SPSS 25 because the data had met the requirements of normality and homogeneity. Based on the comparison of post-test scores between the experimental and control classes, the results of the independent sample t-test showed a significance value (sig. 2-tailed) of 0.000. Since this value is smaller than the significance standard of 0.05, the null hypothesis (H₀) is rejected, and the alternative hypothesis (Hₐ) is accepted, which means that there is a significant improvement in reading ability among students using self-assessment. The findings suggest that self-assessment effectively enhances engagement and understanding of narrative texts, highlighting its value in EFL reading instruction to promote autonomous learning and literacy.

AbstractThis study was to investigate the influence of story face strategy and reading motivation towards reading comprehension achievement of the tenth grade students of State Islamic Senior High School Number 1 of Palembang. The population of this study was all the tenth grade students ofState Islamic Senior High School Number 1 of Palembang. The sample was 72 students were taken by using two-stage random sampling; cluster random sampling and simple random sampling technique. In carrying out the research, the writer used an experimental method; factorial design.The writer distributed pre-test, post-test, and reading motivation questionnaire in collecting thedata. Then, in analyzing the data, the writer used t-test and two-way ANOVA. The result of this study analysis that; First, there was a significant difference on reading comprehension achievement between the students who had high reading motivation and those who had low reading motivation taught by using story face strategy.Second, there was not any significant difference on reading comprehension achievement between the students who had high reading motivation and those who had low reading motivation taught by using conventional strategy. Third, there was a significantdifference on reading comprehension achievement between the students who had high reading motivation and those who had low reading motivation taught by using story face strategy and conventional teaching. The last, there was an interaction effect between story face strategy and students’ motivation on reading comprehension achievement of The Tenth Grade Students of State Islamic Senior High School Number 1 of Palembang.Keywords: Story face strategy, Motivation and Students’ Narrative Reading Comprehension Achievement.

The problem in this research is the relationship between attitudes towards literature and the ability to read short stories together with the narrative writing skills of class X SMA Swasta RK Bintang Timur Pematangsiantar students. The aim of this research is to describe the relationship between attitudes towards literature and the ability to read short stories, together with the narrative writing skills of class X SMA Swasta RK Bintang Timur Pematangsiantar students. The method used in this study was a descriptive method using correlation analysis techniques. The author used this method because the author wanted to find the relationship between the three variables in this research, namely attitudes towards literature (X1), ability to read short stories (X2), and narrative writing skills as variable Y. The population in this study was all classes, and the instruments used in data collection were tests and questionnaires. Tests were used to obtain data on short story reading abilities and narrative writing skills, and questionnaires were used to obtain data on students' attitudes towards the literature. The research results showed that "There is a significant relationship between attitudes towards literature and the ability to read short stories together with narrative writing skills by class X SMA Swasta RK Bintang Timur Pematangsiantar students at a significance level of 5%". Compared with the assessment criteria that had been proposed previously, it turns out that the t-test value is greater than ttable, so hypothesis Ha is accepted and Ho is rejected. Thus, attitudes towards literature have a significant relationship with students' narrative writing skills, and the ability to read short stories also has a significant relationship with Class X students' narrative writing skills at RK Bintang Timur Private High School Pematangsiantar

No abstract available

AbstractThe aim of this study was to find out whether or not the use of story gloves could increase students’ ability in reading narrative text. The writer used cluster random sampling to select the sample. The sample of this study was the 8.1 students of State Junior High School 7 of Palembang. The data were collected by using test. Then, toanalyze the data, the writer used matched t-test. The result showed that story gloves could increase students’ ability in reading narrative text because there was difference students’ score between pre-test and post test. The students’ average score in the pretest was 78,8 and the students’ average score in the post test was 86,8. Finally, theresult of matched t-test calculation was 9.638 and the degree of freedom (df) 39, t-table was 1.697. The t-obtained is higher than t-table, it means that alternative hypothesis was accepted and null hypothesis was rejected. In other word, it was effective teaching reading narrative text through story gloves to the eighth grade students of State Junior High School 7 of Palembang.Keywords: Teaching Reading, Narrative Text, Story Gloves

: Higher-order thinking is an important part of the quality of thinking. In recent years, relevant research has also attracted much attention. At present, senior high school English reading teaching still focuses on language input and ignores language output, which leads to the lack of active exploration spirit and migration and innovation ability of students. Students study at a shallow level. Based on this, this study attempts to make use of the research results of narrative theory to explore the teaching mode of senior high school English reading from the perspective of “Questioning the Author” theory, aiming to provide some reference for first-line English teachers in reading teaching.

No abstract available

This research explores the impact of using Google Sites for Differentiated Instruction on the learning motivation and reading comprehension of Grade XI students at SMK Negeri 4 Banjarmasin. The study aims to enhance literacy by integrating digital media into English narrative text instruction. A quasi-experimental design was employed, with an experimental group using Google Sites and a control group using conventional methods. Data were collected through pre-tests and post-tests measuring reading comprehension and questionnaire to describe learning motivation. The Independent Sample T-Test, Mann Whitney Test and N-Gain, and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) were used for statistical analysis. The results indicated that the experimental group showed significant improvements in both learning motivation and reading comprehension compared to the control group. The use of Google Sites provided a personalized and engaging learning experience, contributing to these positive outcomes. In conclusion, integrating Google Sites into Differentiated Instruction effectively enhances students' motivation and reading comprehension. This approach addresses individual learning needs and leverages technology to create a more interactive educational environment. The study suggests broader implementation of digital tools in education to improve literacy skills and student engagement.

The observed low reading proficiency among Indonesian students can be attributed to several variables, such as the level of readability or the degree of text difficulty. The comprehension of the suitability of texts for students was of utmost importance for English teachers. The correlational research methodology was employed in this study to ascertain the presence or absence of a statistically significant relationship between student reading comprehension and the outcome variable under investigation. The participants of this study consisted of tenth-grade students from SMA Gajah Mada and SMAN 7 Bandar Lampung, who were selected to participate in the research project conducted throughout the 2020-2021 academic year. To acquire pertinent data regarding the reading comprehension abilities of pupils, an assessment specifically designed to evaluate reading comprehension was administered. A total of 12 narrative reading materials were identified in this study, sourced from three different textbooks: the Pathway to English Textbook published by Erlangga, the Talk Active Textbook authored by Yudhistira, and the Bahasa Inggris Textbook developed by the Ministry of Education and Culture. The researcher evaluated text readability using the Flesch Reading Ease Formula, with the subsequent classification of the readability level based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) Level. The results of this study revealed a statistically significant positive correlation (r = 0.9054). A selection of six narrative reading materials, deemed suitable for tenth-grade students, was made accessible.

This study  aims at  finding out  whether there is a significant difference between reading comprehension scores among students with different learning styles; visual auditory,  and kinaesthetic of the second semester  students of English language education study program in  one private university in Bandung Regency.  This study used quantitative method and causal-comparative design. The instruments of this study included learning style questionnaire and  reading comprehension test. Further, it used independent sample t-test to analyze the data from learning styles questionnaire, and reading and reading  comprehension scores. Findings of the result reveal that there was significant difference between students’ reading comprehension scores based on there  groups’ learning styles: visual, auditory and kinaesthetic . The result shows that  that using e-storybooks in Project-Based Learning (PjBL) helped improve the reading comprehension of students with different learning styles: Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic.For Visual learners, the use of e-storybooks led to a significant improvement, with their average score increasing from 29.23 in the pre-test to 67.46 in the post-test. The use of print picture books in Project-Based Learning (PjBL) proved to be highly effective in improving the reading comprehension of students with different learning styles. For Visual learners, there was a significant improvement in reading comprehension, with the mean score increasing from 28.13 in the pre-test to 84.63 in the post-tes

Better writers tend to be better readers (Stotsky, 1983 in Kroll, 1990). Dealing with this main theory, there is an assumption that many students who like reading fiction (novel/ story) in Bahasa Indonesia, they also get good marks in English writing achievements. Therefore, the researcher interested to investigate whether there is a correlation between students' reading comprehension of Indonesian fiction and their writing ability of English narrative texts. To support this research, there are some related literature and related findings dealing with this research. The research is a correlational study in ex-post facto design. Population of the research is all second grade students. And the random sampling is used to take the sample. The sample includes 42 students. Next, the data is gained through the reading comprehension test, the writing narrative test as the research instruments. The instruments are validated by trying out, consulting the advisors, and so on. The data from those instruments is analyzed by using statistical analysis, the Pearson Product Moment coefficient correlation, since it is in the form of interval data. The data is calculated by using manual calculation, calculation by using Microsoft Excel program and calculation from SPSS (Statistical Product Solution Service) version 14.0 to get valid computation in analysis. The finding of this research shows that r observes = 0.8866>r table=0.3044 at significant level 0.05 with df=40. It means that there is a significant and positive correlation between students' reading comprehension of Indonesian fiction and their writing ability of English narrative texts. In other word, the higher students' reading comprehension of Indonesian fiction tends to be the higher their writing ability of English narrative texts and vice versa. Therefore, it is recommended to students to read Indonesian fiction in order to promote their writing ability. This finding is expected 2 to be able to give much significant contribution to teachers, students, next researchers, and people who are interested in reading-writing connection.

Reading comprehension continues to pose a considerable challenge for learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL), particularly when they are required to interpret and comprehend narrative texts. While story books have long been incorporated into reading instruction as pedagogical resources, empirical evidence regarding their effectiveness among learners with varying levels of reading interest remains limited. Accordingly, this study examined the effect of story book–based instruction on students’ narrative reading comprehension while also investigating the role of reading interest and its potential interaction with the instructional approach. Employing a true experimental method with a 2 × 2 factorial design, the study involved 60 junior high school students who were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Based on their responses to a reading interest questionnaire, the participants were further categorized into high- and low-reading-interest groups. Data were obtained through a narrative reading comprehension test constructed with reference to Barrett’s Taxonomy and were analyzed using independent-samples t-tests and two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings demonstrated that students receiving story book–based instruction significantly outperformed those receiving conventional instruction across both high- and low-reading-interest categories (p < .001). In contrast, reading interest did not produce a statistically significant main effect on reading comprehension (p = .292), nor was there a significant interaction between instructional approach and reading interest (p = .435). These findings suggest that the instructional benefits of story books are relatively consistent across different levels of reading interest. The study therefore provides empirical support for incorporating story books into EFL reading instruction as an effective pedagogical resource for strengthening junior high school students’ comprehension of narrative texts.

This study examines the challenges faced by eighth-grade students at SMP Ma’arif Miftahul Ulum Melirang in comprehending English narrative texts, a crucial component of reading comprehension. The research addresses two main questions: what specific difficulties students face, and what factors contribute to these challenges. Using a descriptive qualitative method, the study involved 23 students through tests and questionnaires. The tests consisted of multiple-choice, short-answer, and true/false questions, while the questionnaire gathered students’ perceptions of their reading difficulties. The findings reveal that students struggle with four key aspects of reading comprehension: identifying main ideas, understanding vocabulary, making inferences, and recognizing detailed information. The most significant challenge was answering short-answer questions, which indicated a gap in understanding detailed content and vocabulary. Additionally, the study identified three primary factors contributing to these difficulties: the students’ backgrounds, including low motivation and fear of English; teaching techniques that were not well-aligned with students’ needs; and unsupportive learning environments. These findings highlight the need for improved teaching strategies and supportive environments to enhance students’ reading comprehension skills.

This research aimed to investigate whether there was an improvement in student’s reading comprehension before and after being taught through LRD strategy and find out their response toward the strategy. This research conducted at SMPN 3 Jati Agung academic year 2019/2020, with the total number of samples was 32 third grade students. The data collected by using multiple choice and questionnaire. To analyze quantitative data, the researcher used t-test while qualitative data applied scale Likert. The result showed there was an improvement in student’s reading comprehension after being taught through LRD strategy with the significant level <0.05. The students also agreed this strategy was easy to follow in the lesson to understand the materials. It can be concluded LRD strategy makes a positive impact on student’s reading comprehension.

In an increasingly globalized world, English reading comprehension is an essential skill, particularly for young learners in non-native English-speaking contexts such as Thailand. This study explores the effectiveness of narrative engagement in enhancing English reading comprehension among Thai elementary students through an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. The research involved 27 fifth and sixth-grade students from a primary school in Satun Province, Thailand. Data were collected through a reading comprehension post-test, a questionnaire, and classroom observation. Quantitative results revealed a high average post-test score (M = 86.67, SD = 8.77), indicating substantial improvement in reading comprehension following the narrative-based intervention. The findings show that students experienced emotional connection, attention, and identification with the stories. The majority of students reported feeling engaged, visualizing the scenes vividly, and relating to the characters’ experiences. These findings confirm that narrative engagement significantly contributes to students’ cognitive and emotional involvement in reading, leading to improved comprehension. The study recommends the integration of narrative texts into English language instruction to foster deeper reading experiences and motivation among young EFL learners.

The study reported in this article aims to investigate whether the use of the Direct Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) strategy can help students find ways to enhance their English reading comprehension of narrative texts at a vocational senior high school in the Province of Gorontalo. The study focused on first-grade students, particularly in class X TKJ. A quantitative method was employed, utilizing a one-group pre-test post-test design to determine the significant difference in students’ comprehension before and after being taught using the strategy. The results indicate that the use of the Direct Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) strategy help enhances students’ reading comprehension of English narrative texts. This was evidenced by a significant difference between the mean scores of the pre-test (8.7) and post-test (18.48). The t-test result indicated that T-test was higher than T-list: 13.91 > 2.056, with a significance level (α) of 0.05 = 2.056. Thus, H1 was accepted since L0 < L-list (0.100 < 0.173). Moreover, the use of this strategy facilitated students in maintaining focus, fostering critical thinking, active engagement in the learning process, enhancing comprehension of reading components, and understanding reading texts more easily.

This study aims to analyze and test the truth of the hypothesis regarding the influence of Vocabulary and Grammar Mastery on Students' Reading Comprehension in Narrative Texts. The research hypotheses tested include: 1) The influence of Vocabulary and Grammar Mastery together on Reading Comprehension in Narrative Texts. 2) The influence of Vocabulary Mastery on Reading Comprehension in Narrative Texts. 3) The influence of Grammar on Reading Comprehension in Narrative Texts. The study was conducted using a survey method. The population was grade XI students of State Senior High Schools in Bandung City with a sample size of 60 students, with the sampling technique used being random sampling. The research instrument used was a multiple-choice test with 30 options that had been tested for normality with a sig. 0.200 > 0.05. Data analysis used multiple linear regression analysis. The results of the hypothesis testing obtained the following conclusions: 1) There is a significant influence of vocabulary and grammar mastery together on students' reading comprehension in narrative texts. This is evidenced by Fcount = 150.500 and Sig. 0.001 < 0.05. 2) There is a significant influence of vocabulary mastery on students' reading comprehension in narrative texts, this is evidenced by tcount = 8.517 and Sig. 0.001 <0.05. 3) There is a significant influence of grammar on students' reading comprehension in narrative texts, this is evidenced by tcount = 6.059 and Sig. 0.003 <0.05. The results of this study are useful for improving the quality of vocabulary mastery and improving English grammar at the high school level.

This research was carried out to investigate the use of Pair Check technique on improving students’ reading comprehension on narrative text at grade X of SMKS 1 Tamansiswa. The research methodology used in this research was a quantitative method. The population of this research was grade X of SMKS 1 Tamansiswa in the academic year 2024/2025. The researcher took two classes as the sample. The samples were X-MPLB 1 as experimental group consisted of 25 students and X-MPLB 2 as control group consisted of 25 students. The experimental group was taught by Pair Check technique meanwhile control group was taught by Conventional technique. The data were obtained by using pre-test and post-test given to both groups. The experimental class’ mean score on the pre-test was 66,4 and the mean score of control class was 58. On the other hand, the mean of variable in experimental class on post-test was 80,4, while the mean score of control class on post-test was 68. To acquire data, the researcher used test as instrument. The result of t-test was 3,536 which was higher than t-table at 5% of level significance (1,6772). The result of significance value indicates that alternative hypothesis (Ha) was accepted, while the null hypothesis (Ho) was rejected. It meant that there was significant effect by using Pair Check technique at grade X of SMKS Tamansiswa in reading comprehension narrative text. In short, the Pair Check technique enhances students' critical thinking skills by encouraging them to analyze and discuss texts collaboratively. This method promotes active engagement with the material, allowing learners to clarify misunderstandings and reinforce their comprehension through peer interaction. Additionally, Pair Check fosters a supportive learning environment where students can build confidence in their reading abilities and develop effective communication skills.

The Effect of Using Survey, Question, Re-read, Question, Construct, Question (SQRQCQ) Method Toward Students’ Reading Comprehension on Narrative Text at First Grade of SMKS Teknologi YPL Lirik. This research aims to determine the effect of using the SQRQCQ (Survey, Question, Re-read, Question, Construct, Question) method on students’ reading comprehension of narrative texts. The study employed a quantitative approach using a quasi-experimental design. The population of this research consisted of 107 first-grade students at SMKS Teknologi YPL Lirik, while the sample included 48 students divided into two groups: an experimental class (treated with SQRQCQ) and a control class (taught using conventional methods). The instrument used in this research was a reading comprehension test in the form of multiple-choice questions. The data were analyzed using an independent sample t-test with SPSS 26. The results showed that the post-test mean score of the experimental group was higher (M = 79.79) than that of the control group (M = 77.29). The t-value was 2.978 with a significance level of 0.005, indicating a significant difference between both groups. Furthermore, the Eta Squared value was 0.113, which shows a medium-to-large effect size. In conclusion, the SQRQCQ method significantly improves students’ reading comprehension on narrative texts and can be considered an effective strategy for English reading instruction at vocational high school.  

Reading is essential for English language learners, as it enhances their comprehension and academic success. However, eighth-grade students at SMPN 2 Secang confronted challenges regarding reading comprehension, necessitating the implementation of suitable learning strategies to improve their understanding of texts. The objective of this study is to find out how effective is the use of Index Card Match strategy for students' reading comprehension improvement of narrative text and to find out the difference in reading comprehension of narrative text between the students who are taught by using Index Card Match strategy and STAD (Students Team Achievement Division) strategy. This study carried out quantitative research in Quasi-Experimental Design. Two classes were involved in this study, class VIII-F (experiment class) and class VIII-G (control class), with 65 students at SMP N 2 Secang. Reading comprehension tests were administered as the instrument for collecting data. The result of this study reveals that the experiment class showed an improvement in their posttest scores compared to the pretest. Moreover, the N-gain score results in 48.6013, meaning that the Index Card Match strategy falls into the less effective category. The independent sample t-test reveals a significant value of 0.071, which exceeds 0.05, indicating that the scores of the two groups are pretty similar, as well as the acceptance of H0 (null hypothesis). This study holds significant implications for enhancing teaching and learning practices in junior high school contexts. The findings can contribute to developing adaptive learning strategies, ultimately improving students' engagement and academic performance in reading.

This study investigates the effectiveness of using narrative texts to enhance student motivation and reading comprehension in English learning among XI IPA 1 students at MAN 1 Barru during the 2023/2024 academic year. Employing a one-group pretest and post-test design, this quantitative research systematically collects and analyzes numerical data to measure student progress. The findings reveal a significant improvement in students’ reading comprehension, as indicated by an increase in the mean score from 69.00 in the pre-test to 87.00 in the post-test. Additionally, the number of students achieving the mastery threshold (≥75) rose from 16.0% (4 students) in the pre-test to 48.0% (12 students) in the post-test. Statistical analysis confirmed that this improvement was highly significant (p = 0.000). These results indicate that learning with narrative texts effectively enhances students' reading comprehension skills, contributing to their overall English language proficiency. The findings of this study confirm that the implementation of narrative texts in reading instruction significantly improves students’ comprehension abilities. The substantial increase in post-test scores suggests that narrative texts can serve as an effective pedagogical approach to foster motivation and engagement in reading activities. Educators are encouraged to integrate narrative texts into English language instruction to optimize student learning outcomes.

The problem in this study is that many Indonesian students still face significant challenges in English reading comprehension, especially with narrative texts, which hinder their academic progress. Addressing this issue requires innovative pedagogical approaches utilizing technology. This research investigated the effect of the Storybird application in improving students’ reading comprehension of narrative text among ninth graders at SMP Negeri 3 Tangerang Selatan. A quantitative pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was employed. The sample consisted of 47 ninth-grade students selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using pre-test and post-test assessments and analyzed using descriptive statistics and a paired samples t-test. Data analysis revealed a significant increase in students’ scores, with an average improvement of 18.98 points between the pre-test (M=65.11) and post-test (M=84.09). The statistical calculation confirmed this difference was significant (t(46) = -16.492, p < 0.05). The study concluded that the Storybird application was effective as a teaching and learning medium for improving students’ reading comprehension of narrative text in this context.

This study aims to investigate the design of Electronic Comics to enhance students' reading comprehension of Narrative Text, and to identify the strengths and weaknesses of Electronic Comics in this regard. This study uses the Design and Development Research (DDR) method, which involves three main phases: analysis, design, development, and evaluation. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and comic trials. The research participants were three English teachers, one media expert, and eleventh-grade MIA students. The findings obtained in designing were: In the analysis stage, researchers conducted observations and interviews to understand students' constraints and preferences for learning media. In the design and development stage, two narrative texts were transformed into electronic comics and validated by experts. Validation results showed that the first Electronic comic achieved a score of 83%, and the second achieved a score of 96%. After that, an Electronic comic trial was conducted in the eleventh grade of MIA for the evaluation section to find strengths and weaknesses. The strengths of electronic comics include visual appeal that increases students' interest in reading and the ability to present information interactively and engagingly. However, the weakness is the limited access to technology for some students, which can affect the effectiveness of its use.

This study aims to analyze the difficulties encountered by Grade 7 students at SMP Panca Budi Medan in understanding narrative texts in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. Employing a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through classroom observations, student and teacher interviews, and document analysis. The findings reveal that students face various challenges, including limited vocabulary, lack of understanding of narrative text structure, difficulty in making inferences, and low motivation toward reading. These difficulties are influenced by both linguistic and non-linguistic factors, such as students’ limited exposure to English reading materials and the lack of effective reading strategies. The study highlights the need for more interactive and strategy-based teaching practices to improve students' reading comprehension skills. It also recommends increased support from schools and teachers in promoting reading habits and providing engaging narrative texts suited to students' language proficiency levels.

Primary English reading instruction in China tends to emphasise vocabulary, syntax and translation, and the focus is on finding the right answers to questions in textbooks. This article reports the outcome of introducing graphic organisers (GOs) as an aid to reading comprehension through explicit instruction to Chinese young learners. This study investigated the use of GOs in raising learners’ awareness of text structures and their perceptions of using GOs in reading lessons. The GOs (story maps and spider maps) were selected based on their suitability for expository and narrative texts. Data were collected using pre- and post-tests, teacher logs, and interviews. Participants were 34 fourth graders from a public school in Beijing. The results show that students’ text structure awareness improved after six weeks of intervention, and that students’ perceptions were positive overall towards using GOs.

This study was designed to examine the effects of applying different cognitive reading comprehension strategies on the reading comprehension of four text types (descriptive, narrative, argumentative, and expository) among Iraqi beginner, intermediate, and advanced EFL learners to investigate whether the benefits of cognitive reading strategies are consistent across different English proficiency levels and various text types. Hence, a total of 300 Iraqi beginner, intermediate, and advanced EFL learners were selected through a convenience sampling procedure from undergraduate students of Thi Qar University and were equally divided into three levels of English proficiency; each level included four experimental groups according to four text types. To measure the participants' improvement after implementing the treatment, 12 reading comprehension tests were constructed and administered twice, once before the study's treatment and once after the participants' exposure to cognitive reading comprehension strategies as a post-test. The findings of both quantitative and qualitative phases of the study denoted to the effectiveness of cognitive reading comprehension strategies for improving the comprehension of various text types among EFL learners of different proficiency levels. Moreover, it was revealed that these strategies were more effective for the comprehension of descriptive and narrative texts than the argumentative and the expository ones. The results also showed that the intermediate and the advanced learners benefitted more than the beginners from the cognitive reading strategies. Finally, pedagogical implications are discussed in the light of the findings.

This study is a potential endeavor to make an inquiry into the perceived effect of text typology on reading achievement gains among Moroccan English as a foreign language (EFL) learners. It also evinces whether strategy instruction can be an influencing variable on learners’ reading achievement with regards to text type (i.e., narrative, expository). Indeed, incorporating two primary text genres (i.e., narrative, expository) in the conduct of this current research, the study is intended to substantiate any marked interrelatedness existing between text typology and reading achievement at the pre- and post-testing stages among EFL university learners. For assuring a thorough, rich investigation of this stated postulate, two sampled Moroccan EFL groups (n=113), as first-year English majors, were addressed. The obtained data were collected by means of a corpus of research instruments such as reading comprehension tests (i.e., pre-test, post-test), strategy training and reading comprehension texts (i.e., narrative, expository). The findings showcased that text genre is not a significant, influential variable on reading achievement scores among the control (n=50) and treatment groups (n=63). Finally, the study puts forward some useful implications pertaining to EFL text processing/ analysis and an explicit mention of some limitations, which encountered the undertaken study, is made.

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Reading skill has been found to be one of difficult skills to achieve for many learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Importantly, based on the preliminary study, narrative texts  are deemed to be difficult.  This study was conducted to investigate the students’ difficulties in reading text at a private primary school in Batu, involving 29 ninth grade students in the academic year of 2018-2019 as the samples. Employing the purposive sampling method by which the best class was selected, the researcher used10-items of a closed-ended questionnaire to collect the data. In the analysis, some aspects of the narrative text such as words, structure, language feature, character, setting, plot, moral value, and point of view were highlighted. Consistently, narrative texts were found to be the most difficult text faced by students at school. According to the English teacher, students got the difficulties because of lack of vocabulary, the use of simple past tense, and the instruction to make sense of the moral values. Further, difficulties pertain to the effort to comprehend the structure, point of view, and the words.

This study reports the relative effectiveness of the inclusion theory when the combined strategy instruction on improving the reading comprehension of narrative and expository texts for students with dyslexia is implemented. A total sample of 298 students of English as a foreign language from both public and private schools participated in the study which employed a pre-test- post-test control group design to investigate the efficacy of combined strategy instruction consisting of Graphic organizers, Visual displays, Mnemonic illustrations, Computer exercises, Prediction, Inference, Text structure awareness, Main idea identification, Summarization, and Questioning. The study concluded that combined strategy instruction in the field of the inclusion theory is more effective than regular instruction in improving reading comprehension when using narrative texts, but there’s no difference, when using expository texts. There was no significant difference neither by gender nor by school types in all the grade levels under study.

Developing reading competence among junior high school students remains a persistent challenge in EFL contexts, particularly when conventional instruction fails to accommodate diverse learner needs. This study examined whether a peer tutoring approach could produce measurable gains in reading skill among seventh-grade students at SMPN 4 Tanjung. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test control group design was employed, involving 60 students distributed equally across an experimental class (VII-1, n=30) and a control class (VII-2, n=30). Over a period of four to six weeks, the experimental class participated in structured peer tutoring sessions, while the control class continued to receive teacher-led conventional instruction. Reading ability was assessed through narrative text comprehension tasks administered at the start and end of the intervention. Results revealed that the experimental group's mean score climbed from 58.33 to 73.33, whereas the control group's mean moved from 59.13 to 66.88. A paired-sample t-test confirmed within-group improvement in the experimental class (sig. = 0.000, p < 0.05), and an independent-sample t-test established a significant between-group difference at post-test (sig. = 0.000, mean difference = 15.03). These outcomes indicate that peer tutoring is a viable and effective instructional strategy for fostering reading development in secondary EFL settings.

Reading comprehension remains a persistent challenge in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction, particularly when secondary learners engage with complex expository genres such as analytical and hortatory exposition. Although story mapping strategies have been extensively validated within narrative reading context, their pedagogical efficacy in structuring expository text comprehension remains underexplored. This pre-experimental study investigated the effect of the Story Mapping strategy on the reading comprehension achievement of eleventh-grade EFL students at MAN 1 Pekanbaru, Indonesia. Utilizing a one-group pretest-posttest design, thirty-two students selected via cluster random sampling participated in a four-session instructional intervention integrating graphic-based story mapping techniques. Data were collected using a validated 32-item multiple-choice test evaluating five comprehension dimensions: main idea identification, detailed information extraction, reference recognition, inferential reasoning, and vocabulary in context. Non-parametric analysis using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test revealed a statistically significant improvement in reading performance from pre-test (M = 31.15, SD = 6.42) to post-test (M = 54.59, SD = 12.18), with Z = -4.791 and p < .001. Normalized Gain analysis (N-Gain = 0.33) demonstrated moderate pedagogical effectiveness. These findings confirm that adapting story mapping as a structural visual organizer significantly facilitates schema activation and text-base mental model construction in expository reading.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of text structure instruction on reading comprehension of narrative and expository texts. 80 students were assigned to four groups. EG1 and CG1 were given a narrative pretest. Then, EG1 received instruction of narrative structures and CG1 received some example of narrative text without instruction. And after five sessions the posttests were given. EG2 and CG2 participated in an expository pretest. The EG1 received the instruction of expository structure in five sessions but control group did not receive any instruction. Then expository posttests were given. T-tests were used to test the hypotheses of this study. The results indicated that the instruction of narrative structure affected reading comprehension ability of learners. However, the expository text structure did not affect reading comprehension ability of the students.

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English language teaching in Papua faces distinctive challenges due to its multilingual environment, geographical isolation, and reliance on undocumented oral traditions, yet limited research has examined how these realities shape culturally responsive pedagogy in EFL contexts. This study aimed to explore how English teachers at junior high, senior high, and university levels in Jayapura integrate Papuan local cultural content into narrative reading instruction, and to identify challenges in implementing such instruction when source materials are largely oral and undocumented. Guided by culturally responsive pedagogy and using a narrative inquiry design, three purposefully selected teachers participated in in-depth interviews, classroom observations, document analysis, and maintained reflective journals over three months. Data were analyzed thematically with cross-case comparison. Findings revealed six interrelated strategies, contextual substitution, community engagement, project-based cultural documentation, trilingual and bilingual vocabulary methods, and student-centered cultural knowledge exchange, through which teachers enhanced reading comprehension, cultural relevance, and student engagement. These strategies, however, were constrained by six persistent challenges: scarcity of documented materials, high individual material development burden, time constraints, cultural sensitivity and protocol requirements, curriculum rigidity, and professional isolation. The study offers an empirically grounded framework for integrating indigenous oral traditions into English reading instruction and highlights the need for institutional support, collaborative networks, and curriculum flexibility to preserve oral cultural heritage while strengthening students’ linguistic and cultural identities.

Reading comprehension is crucial for academic success, and the rise of digital platforms like Wattpad has transformed reading habits, particularly among young learners. While Wattpad offers opportunities for engagement and access to diverse literary content, its impact on reading comprehension, especially in EFL contexts, remains unclear. Existing research on digital reading and comprehension often focuses on broader comparisons between digital and print modalities without specifically examining the unique characteristics of platforms like Wattpad and their potential influence on specific comprehension skills related to narrative text understanding.  Aim: This study investigated the correlation between Wattpad reading habits and students' reading comprehension of narrative texts among Indonesian EFL learners. Data analysis using Spearman's correlation revealed a weak, positive, and non-significant correlation (r = .285, p = .267) between Wattpad reading habits and narrative text comprehension. This suggests that, in this sample, increased engagement with Wattpad did not significantly translate to improved comprehension skills. These findings challenge assumptions about the direct link between digital reading engagement and comprehension gains. The study highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of how digital platforms like Wattpad can be effectively integrated into EFL instruction to enhance reading comprehension, particularly concerning narrative texts.

Persistent gaps in reading achievement among students of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Qatar have raised concerns about the effectiveness of reading comprehension instruction. This quantitative, descriptive study investigates the ways in which EFL teachers’ reading comprehension instruction in Qatar government schools varies according to each teacher’s gender, length of teaching experience, and grade level. Data were collected from 754 EFL teachers via an online questionnaire distributed through the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. The survey measured teachers’ use of reading comprehension strategies and explicit instruction. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed significant trends and variations across these variables. Female teachers scored higher in both the implementation of reading strategies (M = 50.68) and explicit strategy instruction (M = 24.68) compared to male teachers (M = 48.46; M = 23.8). Conversely, no significant multivariate effect was found for teaching experience or grade level, although novice (0–5 years) and secondary-level teachers consistently reported lower strategy use than their peers. The implications of these findings suggest the need for targeted professional development to enhance strategy use, particularly among male and secondary-level teachers, and tailored programs to support novice teachers’ transition from explicit to flexible instruction. The study contributes to a better understanding of the demographic influences on reading comprehension instruction in EFL contexts and informs efforts to improve literacy outcomes through teacher development.

This study sought to conduct an interpretive systematic review (ISR) of the authors’ research on EFL reading instruction published between 2001 and 2025. The ISR consists of twenty-seven studies categorized into 6 clusters: EFL reading material used, specialized reading texts and skills, reading combined with other skills, extensive reading, technology enhanced EFL reading instruction, and EFL reading assessment and material coverage. Across the corpus, the ISR shows that effective EFL reading instruction is multidimensional, authentic, strategically scaffolded, and enriched by technology and culturally responsive materials. The studies consistently demonstrate that learners progress most when instruction moves beyond the textbook and immerses them in real world genres, multimodal resources, and collaborative environments that mirror contemporary literacy practices. Authenticity was a recurring strength: exposure to genres such as inspirational quotes, linguistic landscapes, multicultural stories, mobile fiction apps, art texts, news headlines, advertisements, and legal documents expanded learners’ cultural awareness, strengthened inferential and critical reading skills, and prepared them to process specialized texts prior to translation tasks. Findings across clusters highlight several converging principles. Authentic materials enhance comprehension, technology increases engagement, explicit strategy instruction deepens processing, and extensive reading fosters autonomy and fluency. At the same time, the studies reveal persistent challenges, particularly with text structure, cohesive ties, genre specific features, and vocabulary inference, indicating the need for sustained, systematic instructional support. Structural issues also emerged, including limited textbook coverage and misalignment between curriculum and assessment, underscoring the importance of coherent program design and stronger teacher preparation. Technology enhanced studies showed that mobile e books, mind mapping software, online courses, synchronous web conferencing, reading apps, and online videos significantly improved comprehension, vocabulary, and engagement, especially for struggling readers. Assessment focused studies emphasized the need to align tests with instructional goals and learners’ linguistic and cognitive needs. The meta conclusion of this ISR is that EFL reading development is maximized when instruction is integrative, student centered, and responsive to learners’ linguistic, cognitive, and cultural needs, and when assessment and material coverage are aligned with these broader pedagogical aims. Overall, the ISR points toward a holistic, authentic, technology supported, and strategically scaffolded model of EFL reading instruction capable of meeting the complex demands of contemporary learners.

This study examined the effect of integrating Indonesian historical narratives into EFL reading instruction on senior high school students’ critical reading skills. A quantitative approach using a quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test control group design was employed. The participants were 60 Grade XI students at SMA 2 Muhammadiyah Palembang, Indonesia, comprising 30 students in an experimental group and 30 students in a control group. The experimental group received EFL reading instruction integrating Indonesian historical narratives with explicit critical reading activities, whereas the control group received conventional EFL reading instruction. Data were collected using a critical reading test administered before and after the intervention. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, an independent-samples t test for baseline comparison, assumption tests, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), with pre-test scores entered as the covariate. The experimental group’s mean score increased from 56.68 (SD = 6.30) on the pre-test to 66.24 (SD = 6.02) on the post-test, whereas the control group increased from 56.15 (SD = 6.52) to 61.78 (SD = 6.24). The baseline comparison indicated no significant difference between the groups, t(58) = 0.321, p = .749. ANCOVA revealed a statistically significant effect of instructional group on post-test critical reading performance after controlling for pre-test scores, F(1, 57) = 11.190, p = .001, ηp² = .164, indicating a moderate-to-large effect. The findings suggest that integrating Indonesian historical narratives with explicit critical reading activities can enhance students’ critical reading performance in EFL contexts. Culturally and historically contextualized English reading materials may provide meaningful contexts for developing students’ abilities to identify claims and evidence, make inferences, interpret perspectives, evaluate information, and construct evidence-based reasoning. The study contributes pedagogically by demonstrating the potential of culturally relevant materials for critical reading instruction and theoretically by supporting the role of contextualized content in promoting higher-order reading processes.

The current study, being part and parcel of my unpublished doctoral dissertation which is entitled “Moroccan EFL Students’ Learning of Cognitive and Metacognitive Reading Strategies: Rabat FLHS Semester One Students as a Case Study” (defended in 2015), is intended to unravel the conceived impact of comprehension-monitoring strategies instruction (self-monitoring, self-questioning, and rereading) on the first-semester English Department learners’ reading comprehension scores. It is a manifestation of the extended depth and scope of the conducted explicit training in monitoring strategies, as high-order metacognitive heuristics, in the promotion of the learners’ text-processing mode and reading performance in English (L3). With a view to achieving this stated goal, 113 first-semester university students (Control Group: N= 50; Experimental Group: N= 63) undertaking their studies in the English Department took part in this quasi-experimental study. The data were gathered through the implementation of the strategy training, a select range of ‘experimental’ reading comprehension texts (i.e., narrative, expository), and narrative and expository reading tests (pre-tests and post-tests). The research findings reveal that instruction in L3 comprehension monitoring strategies resulted in positive reading achievement gains at post-testing among the experimental group. As to the control group, it did not exhibit any developmental progress at the level of the reading scores across the pre-post-test continuum. Thus, some action-oriented recommendations and implications relative to the undertaken research study, as well as a few limitations, are plausibly brought forth.  Article visualizations:

This research aims to find out how project-based learning as a strategy in teaching narrative texts can enhance reading comprehension in the eighth grade of SMP Islamiyah Serua, Depok. This data used interviews, observations, and assessments. The research adopted classroom action research that consists of planning, action, observation, and reflection by Kemmis McTaggart, which was carried out in two cycles and every cycle consists of 3 meetings. The findings indicated enhancement with positive learners’ responses through implementing project-based learning. Furthermore, learners' scores on reading comprehension of narrative texts experienced a gradual increase in each assessment. Only five learners, or 20%, passed the Minimum Mastery Criteria before implementing this strategy. Then, there was enhancement when implementing project-based learning in narrative text; nine learners passed the assessment criteria or 36%. Learners’ scores continued to increase on post-assessment 2, where 22 learners or 88%, passed the assessment criteria with an average of 81.24. In conclusion, project-based learning can enhance learners’ reading comprehension, especially in teaching narrative text.

The local culture integration in foreign language (FL) reading classroom can help learners understanding text more easily and quickly. This research took 37 secondary school students in the junior level (11 males & 26 females) as the sample. The quantitative research method was used with a case-study research design. There were three research objectives focused in this study: (1) the influence of local culture-based pictorial narrative texts on students' reading comprehension; (2) the correlation between students' perceptions of integrating local culture into the development of reading materials and students' reading comprehension; and (3) the difference of problems faced by students in understanding pictorial narrative texts in terms of purpose of the story, characters in the story, orientation, complications, and resolution of the story. The results showed that local culture-based pictorial narratives had a significant effect on students' reading comprehension, and were positively correlated to each other. In addition, students do not have discrepancy in terms of problems encountered when understanding the narratives such as the purpose of the story, characters in the story, orientation, complication, and resolution of the story.

Recent research on disciplinary literacy has called for a paradigm shift among secondary content teachers from perceiving themselves as disciplinary content transmitters to disciplinary literacy teachers who model and engage students in reading, writing, inquiring, and doing like experts within each discipline. How do content teachers incorporate disciplinary literacy and stay responsive to the unique and diverse learning needs of the adolescent English Language Learners (ELLs) who are integrated in the mainstream classes? Drawing on Moje’s (2015) 4Es framework and a translanguaging pedagogy, this paper presents a set of instructional practices to support content teachers in integrating disciplinary literacy within the disciplines to enhance adolescent ELL students’ learning in vocabulary development and reading. La recherche récente en matière de littératie dans toutes les disciplines appelle à un changement de paradigme chez les enseignants des différentes matières du secondaire pour se percevoir non plus comme des transmetteurs de contenu de la discipline mais comme des enseignants de littératie de la discipline qui servent de modèles et motivent les élèves à lire, écrire, se renseigner et à se comporter comme des experts à l’intérieur de chaque discipline. Comment les enseignants de contenu incorporent-ils la littératie dans leur discipline et restent-ils à l’écoute des besoins d’apprentissage uniques et variés des adolescents qui apprennent l’anglais (AALS) et qui sont intégrés dans les classes ordinaires? En s’appuyant sur le cadre 4E de Moje (2015) et sur une pédagogie translangagière, cet article présente une série de pratiques d’enseignement visant à soutenir les enseignants de contenu dans l’intégration de la littératie dans toutes les disciplines de façon à enrichir l’apprentissage des adolescents ASL en matière de développement du vocabulaire et de lecture.

The present study has the main objective to test whether the Teams Games Tournament (TGT) method can improve students' reading comprehension on narrative texts. To answer the formulation of the problem, this study utilized a quasi-experimental method by involving an experimental class and a control class with data collection techniques through observation, reading comprehension test, and interviews. The results of this study reveal three main points: First, a comparison between the results of the t-test and t-table at a significant level of 5% showed tt > t0 or 9.13 > 1.67. This means that the Teams Games Tournament can enhance students' reading comprehension on narrative texts. Second, the TGT method can increase student cooperation, train courage to express opinions, build discipline, caution, and tolerance towards fellow students. Third, this method can also create a competitive learning climate and encourage students to become active learners.

The development of digital technology currently affects all matters related to the learning and teaching process. Therefore, in the distance learning process, learning media, students’ participation, and interest are needed which are very necessary in responding to the challenges of today's education world. Therefore, this research aims to describe the students ‘participation and interest through strategy-based instruction in learning reading narrative text. The approach refers to students' understanding of how interested and understanding they are in studying English language material and how distributed to 27 students at one of the state universities in Indonesia. The results show that there is positive response from the students ‘participation and interest through strategy-based instruction. The most indicator is the students’ feeling happy and comfortable when learning using strategy-based instruction. Besides, it creates the teaching learners’ specific strategies to improve their skills and achieve their goals. Applying this concept to creating happiness can involve a variety of techniques and approaches such as; goal setting, positive thinking, mindfulness and meditation, healthy lifestyle, social connections, personal growth, time management, act of kindness, and self-care. Furthermore, the students' participation in strategy-based instruction involves actively engaging with the learning process, using specific strategies to enhance their understanding and performance. By actively involving students in the learning process and equipping them with effective strategies, educators can foster a more engaging and effective educational experience.Keywords: students ‘participation; students ‘interest; strategy based instruction; reading narrative text

 This study aims to explore the implementation of the Reading to Learn (R2L) strategy in teaching reading comprehension to English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners at a vocational high school in Riau. By utilizing the six stages of the R2L strategy, the research systematically delves into how this method was applied to enhance reading comprehension among EFL learners through a thorough and in-depth qualitative approach. The study employed a qualitative case study research design, selecting an English teacher and three EFL learners as participants using a purposive sampling technique. Data were gathered through interviews and observations, and the subsequent analysis revealed that the implementation of the R2L strategy was less than satisfactory. Furthermore, the study found significant variability in participants' responses regarding the execution of each stage of the R2L strategy. This inconsistency underscores the need for improvements in the implementation process to fully capitalize on the potential benefits of the R2L strategy for teaching reading comprehension to young and adolescent EFL learners. The findings suggest that refining the application of the R2L strategy could lead to more effective teaching outcomes and better reading comprehension skills among EFL learners.   

The study explores the Story Grammar Strategy’s impact on reading comprehension among Grade 5 learners at West City Central School for the 2024-2025 academic year. Using a descriptive survey and a pretest-posttest control group design, researchers assessed the strategy’s effectiveness compared to traditional teaching methods. Sixty learners were divided into experimental and control groups, each consisting of 30 participants. The experimental group employed the Story Grammar Strategy, while the control group followed conventional methods. Data collection involved a researcher-designed questionnaire and modified multiple-choice tests. Initial findings showed both groups performed below expectations in the pretest. However, post-test results revealed significant improvements in the experimental group’s reading comprehension and attitudes toward reading, demonstrating the strategy’s effectiveness. The study concludes that Story Grammar enhances learners’ ability to identify narrative elements, improving reading comprehension. It recommends prioritizing this strategy in classroom instruction. Teachers are encouraged to utilize online resources such as graphic organizers and story maps. Additionally, the school administration should conduct training and workshops on Story Grammar implementation and collaborative learning approaches. Such efforts can bolster students’ engagement and confidence in reading, leading to improved academic outcomes. This strategy shows promise as an innovative tool for teaching reading comprehension.

Among myriad research on teaching reading on English Young Learners, little has been discussed the practice within two different socio-culture settings. Indeed, the success stories of teaching reading to young learners with different social and cultural circumstances will be able to offer insight and new perspectives of teaching reading to EYL for researchers, mainly English teachers. This study aimed at narrating and exploring the process of teaching reading within two different countries, Indonesia and Thailand. This study invited two Indonesians EFL teachers who teach English to young learners in Indonesia and Thailand. Underpinning the narrative research design, this study narrated the experience of the participants from interview process triangulated by their narrative framework and teaching reading materials. From the obtained data, the findings were presented using four major themes: teaching experience, the students, teaching reading, and teaching reading materials. The result revealed that the participants had some similarities and distinction aspects. Teaching technique that the participants used could be said as the similar aspect of the participants. Meanwhile, teaching materials could be said as the integral factors underlaying the differences. Furthermore, organizational system and community around participants played significant role in affecting the differences and similarities.

The purpose of this paper is to review literature to understand the importance of including Adolescent Literature with an Afrocentric context in the English Language Curriculum. Its focus is on how crucial it is that the prescribed literary setwork for English Language learners, particularly grade 12 learners, mirror the geographical and social realities of learners, and promote local knowledge and heritage in local contexts while being sensitive to global imperatives. The theoretical frameworks of Decolonization, Afrocentricity, and Identity form the foundation of this argument as they are linked with the National Curriculum Statement’s principle of social transformation which motivated this writing, teaching literature for social transformation. The findings of this review revealed that teaching literature that is age appropriate and reflects leaners’ life experiences and history, in terms of geographical and social realities, can help learners understand literature and encourage reading. This review recommends further empirical research on Afrocentrism in education and the teaching of Adolescent Literature in South African contexts in the hopes that it would encourage South African setwork selectors to consider selecting Adolescent Literature with an Afrocentric context for South African English Language learners.

Teaching languages to adolescents can be a challenge. . . but one that is most rewarding! What works? What doesn't work? This book provides a reader friendly overview on teaching modern languages to adolescents (Years 7–13). Each chapter takes an aspect of language teaching and learning, and explains the underlying theory of instructed language acquisition and its application through examples from real language classrooms. The book explores teachers' practices and the reasoning behind their pedagogic choices through the voices of both the teachers themselves and their students. At the same time, it highlights the needs of the adolescent language learner and makes the case that adolescence is a prime time for language learning. Written in an accessible, engaging way, yet comprehensive in its scope, this will be essential reading for language teachers wishing to integrate cutting-edge research into their teaching. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core at 10.1017/9781108869812

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Reading comprehension in Ghanaian Junior High Schools remains a major concern despite long-standing reforms. This study examined teachers’ perceptions and classroom practices in rural schools and explored how these shape comprehension instruction. Schumann’s (1978) Acculturation Model guided the study and positioned comprehension as a social process influenced by learners’ cultural and linguistic alignment with English. A qualitative approach using a narrative research design was employed. Fourteen English language teachers from rural schools in the Nkwanta North District were purposively selected. Data came from interviews, observations, and documents, and was analyzed thematically. Findings revealed two main perceptions emerged. Many teachers viewed comprehension as a mechanical and exam-driven task. Others framed it as a meaning-making act linked to students’ social worlds. Classroom practices reflected these positions. Most lessons focused on literal recall and teacher-led routines. A few teachers used dialogue and familiar cultural examples to support deeper reading. Contextual pressures such as scarce materials, rigid syllabi, and examination demands shaped these choices and limited pedagogic flexibility. The study concludes that comprehension improves when teachers act as cultural mediators who connect learners’ lived realities with English texts. It calls for teacher development that supports culturally grounded and interactive reading practices in rural Ghana. Keywords : Reading Comprehension; Teachers’ Perception; Reading Instruction

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Every text has an underlying structure which has a vital contribution in making it a meaningful whole. Awareness of a text’s structure therefore is significant in developing an overall sense of the text. Story grammar offers a simple and effective framework to analyze a coherent structure in narrative texts, hence is assumed to facilitate the comprehension of narratives. The research has been designed to be a descriptive study, with the objective to explain and illustrate how story grammar functions in constructing and decoding meanings in a narrative text, and, to highlight its scope in pedagogy. A short story text has been randomly selected from the short story collection in the English text book by Punjab text book board for Intermediate level. A three stepped comprehensive analysis of the sample text has been done by implementing the selected story grammar model. It has been found that story grammar helped in deriving coherent structure and meanings from the selected short story text; hence it has pedagogical implications in developing narrative comprehension.

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ABSTRACTThe objectives of this study were to find out (1) whether there was significant difference in reading comprehension achievement of narrative text between the tenth grade students of SMA Negeri 6 OKU who were taught by using story grammar strategy and that of those who were not, (2) whether there was significant difference in reading habit between the tenth grade students of SMA Negeri 6 OKU who were taught by using story grammar strategy and that of those who were not. The population of the study consisted of four classes of the tenth grade students of SMA Negeri 6 OKU with the total was 123 which divided equally in experimental and control groups by using cluster random sampling to get the two classes as the sample. At the end of the study the writer found out that there was significant difference in students` reading comprehension achievement of narrative text and their reading habit between the students who were taught by using story grammar strategy and that of those who were not. It was identified that sig. (2-tailed) or p value (0.00) was less than alpha value (0.05) and the independent sample test shows the comparison of reading habit posttest of both experimental group and control group displayed the difference between scores. It was identified that sig. (2-tailed) or p value (0.00) was less than alpha value (0.05) Keywords: Story grammar strategy, reading comprehension, narrative text, reading habit

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of using the story grammar method to develop seventh grade students' narrative texts comprehension in English as a foreign language. Previous research suggests that narrative texts comprehension can be improved through story grammar method. The researcher designed a story-mapping for teaching the experimental group. The researcher also developed an instrument, which is a narrative comprehension test to measure the students' performance. The sample consisted of two classes (n= 52) of grade seven male students from a school in the Sultanate of Oman, Al-Batinah South. These classes were randomly selected. One class functioned as an experimental group and the other as a control group. The results revealed that the students in the experimental group performed better than the students in the control group. The story grammar method had a positive effect on the students' narrative textss comprehension. Based on these findings, the study presents some recommendations and suggestions for further research.

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Teaching English as Foreign Language emphasizes on teaching discourse in the classroom. This paper is presented focusing on conceptual paper in teaching reading. Specifically, this study focuses on written discourse discussing on the use of narrative text to teach students’ reading skill. In foreign language teaching, teaching reading is one of important goal that students want to achieve. This paper focuses on one of English text type that is narrative text. It covers the theoretical basis dealing with the method of teaching reading, the use of narrative text that applies the text discourse analysis and the use of story grammar strategy. Furthermore, it also covers the teaching procedure (pre-teaching, whilst-teaching, post-teaching), reflection, and conclusion. Finally, it presents the reflection and conclusion of this analysis. The result shows that students’ comprehension can be enhance through story grammar in the teaching of reading narrative text along with appropriate assessment for them.

This research was conducted to find out what strategies that teachers usefor teaching reading comprehension in MAN abc Banyuwangi. Thisresearch used descriptive qualitative method. In the implementation ofthis study the researcher conducted interviews and document analysis toobtained relevant data to answer the objectives of this research. Thisresearch was conducted at MAN abc Banyuwangi and two Englishteachers were selected as samples in this study. Based on the results of theinterview with two English teachers, the data obtained is the teachersusing different strategy in teaching reading comprehension. The firstteacher use Scaffolding strategy while the second teacher use peerteaching. Scaffolding strategy can develop ideas that students can read.Peer teaching can develop student’s mentality also readingcomprehension ability. These strategies should be selected on the basis oftheir suitability and effectiveness with the learning process so that theiruse will allow teachers to explore students' ideas and help them read in abetter way. Based on the interview analysis, the reason why the teacheruses this type of strategy in students' reading comprehension is becauseto make students understand the text and guide students to focus moreon the text.

This quantitative pre-experimental study examined the influence of Reciprocal Teaching in improving tenth-grade students’ reading comprehension of recount texts among the tenth graders at an Indonesian Islamic Secondary School in the province of Lampung, Indonesia. This research used a one-group pre-test post-test design with 18 students. After the implementation of the Reciprocal Teaching method, a post-test aligned with the four core strategies, namely: predicting, clarifying, questioning, and summarizing, was conducted. The Shapiro-Wilk normality test showed that the pre-test scores were not normally distributed (p-value = .020), while the post-test met the normality assumption (p-value = .139). A Wilcoxon test was then applied and revealed a highly significant improvement (p-value = .000), indicating that Reciprocal Teaching had a strong positive effect on students’ reading comprehension on recount text. The findings conclude that the structured scaffolding provided by RT effectively enhances students' ability to construct meaning and internalize reading strategies. This study highlights the significance of RT as a robust instructional tool for EFL teachers to foster independent reading habits and improve academic outcomes in Islamic secondary school settings. The results recommend broader implementation of strategy-based instruction to address persistent literacy gaps in foreign language learning.

This study analyzes the scaffolding strategies employed by EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers in teaching reading comprehension to secondary school students. The research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies in addressing the challenges faced by students in understanding narrative texts. A qualitative case study approach was adopted, involving observations, interviews, and documentation methods to gather data from seventh-grade students at SMPN 1 Cilamaya Wetan. The findings indicate that while the scaffolding strategies applied generally align with the principles of effective reading instruction, there are areas for improvement in both the narrative texts used and the implementation of these strategies. This research contributes to the understanding of how scaffolding can enhance reading comprehension and offers recommendations for educators to refine their teaching practices.

: As one of the effective strategies, teacher scaffolding in technology supported language learning needs more exploration considering the advance of technologies and the needs of students. This study implemented an innovative reading program that integrated teacher scaffolding into a mobile technology supported collaborative learning environment to engage students of English as a foreign language in reading activities and to develop motivations in reading. The program was supported by a learning management system of Edmodo, and was conducted in a local secondary school. During implementation, multiple data such as reading test results, log data and interview data were collected to examine student learning outcomes, engagement, and attitudes. The findings confirmed the positive impacts the program made on students’ reading performance. The study also identified the effective features of the learning system and the provision of teacher scaffoldings, which will inform future design of school-based language learning programs supported by mobile technologies.

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This study examined an instructional method that combined scaffolding and Schema Theory to address the reading comprehension of 105 urban high school students. Participants in the treatment condition read a pair of advance organizers and were asked to paraphrase them in writing to stimulate durable memory representation prior to reading the main passages. Students were assessed on their comprehension of both a narrative and an essay to measure treatment effects across text genres. Low level readers were expected to show greater benefits. Both high and low level readers from the treatment group benefited from the advance information on both passages. The results suggest that comprehension may be readily addressed via schema activation through advance organizers paired with cognitive strategies designed to assist with the encoding of information into long term memory. 

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This study examined the level of utilization of scaffolding reading strategies by English teachers and its relationship with the level of reading performance of Senior High School (SHS) students in understanding informational texts. Specifically, it focused on two categories of scaffolding strategies: planned scaffolding, which includes Semantic Mapping, Concept Definition Mapping, Frayer Model, and Anticipation Guide; and interactional scaffolding, which includes Concept Question Chain, Reciprocal Teaching, and SQ3R. The descriptive-correlational research design involved 200 SHS students and their English teachers. Data were gathered using teacher self-assessment tools and a researcher-made reading test assessing students’ ability to select and organize information, identify properties of well-written texts, and make connections between text and context. Findings revealed that both planned and interactional scaffolding strategies were utilized, with some strategies rated as highly utilized. Students demonstrated high levels of reading performance in informational texts. However, correlation results indicated no statistically significant relationship between the levels of teachers’ utilization of scaffolding strategies and students’ reading performance. Despite the absence of statistical significance, a comprehensive reading intervention program was designed, integrating digital literacy and stakeholder involvement to provide additional scaffolds for learners. The program aims to enhance comprehension by promoting interactive and technology-supported learning environments. The study concludes that the success of scaffolding strategies in improving reading comprehension is influenced by multiple factors such as implementation fidelity or consistency, student engagement, and collaborative support. It recommends continuous teacher training, incorporation of digital tools in reading instruction, and active engagement of peers, parents, and the community as support systems.

Using internet is popular among students in Libya at different levels these days  , one of the purpose of using internet is online reading , it plays important roles  for EFL readers . Specifically, Libyan students are using different online strategies to understand online reading texts. This study, specifically, aimed to identify the online metacognitive reading strategies used by EFL secondary students in Sirt- Libya and to investigate the relationship between metacognitive online reading strategies and gender among secondary school students in Sirt- Libya.  This study involved 100 secondary school students in Sirt. This study, which is quantitative in nature, is based on an Online Survey of Reading Strategies (OSORS) questionnaire by (Anderson, 2003) and which serves as the research instrument. The findings showed that the sampling were moderate users of metacognitive online reading strategies. Problem solving strategies were the highest frequently used strategies, while global strategies were the least. male students were higher than female students used strategies .Based on the findings, some future research recommendations were presented.

This study ascertained the influence of gender, locality and age on metacognitive reading strategies of secondary school students. The sample size consists of 440 students randomly selected from 23 secondary schools. An adopted questionnaire tagged “metacognitive reading strategies questionnaire,” was used as the data gathering instrument, with a logical validity of 0.88 and Cronbach alpha of 0.73 as internal consistency. The data collected were analysed statistically using descriptive statistics and t-tests. Data analysis revealed that females' reading strategies outnumber males'; females' global strategies ranked highest, while females' problem-solving strategies ranked lowest; and students in urban secondary schools tended to utilise metacognitive reading strategies more frequently than their rural counterparts. This study also shows that students with higher age brackets make more use of metacognitive reading strategies than lower-age students. Therefore, it is recommended that educators should be prepared to educate students how to effectively utilise various components of metacognitive reading strategies.

As highlighted by international assessments, the reading comprehension levels of Turkish students are far from the desired level. In this sense, the competencies of teachers who play a vital role in promoting students' reading comprehension skills are of high importance. The expectation that teachers who have a long educational life will have a high level of reading comprehension skills is the central starting point for this study. Identifying the level of reading comprehension of teachers is crucially important in terms of revealing competency levels of teachers. In this study, a descriptive screening model, one of the quantitative research methods, was employed to identify teachers’ levels of reading comprehension and use of reading strategies. The universe of the research consists of teachers working in secondary schools in Denizli province. Stratified sampling, which is based on probability sampling, was used for the selection of the sample. The sample included a total of 418 teachers. The research findings indicate that the teachers' reading comprehension and use of reading strategies levels differ by the branch variable, and Turkish teachers exhibit better reading comprehension than other teachers since it is their field of study. In addition to that, it is seen that there is a positive and significant relationship between the level of use of reading strategies and the level of reading comprehension. Therefore, it is thought that an effective instruction of reading strategies will enable teachers of other branches to yield better performance.

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Virtual Literature Circle (VLC) shows promise in developing critical reading skills among EFL students, but limited empirical research addresses the specific challenges in fostering collaborative learning, engagement, and learning outcomes. To address this gap, a sequential mixed-method study involving 25 EFL students was conducted. The findings indicate significant improvements in collaborative learning dynamics and engagement that positively influenced critical reading skills. However, challenges such as technological barriers and diverse learning preferences were identified. This study emphasizes the importance of integrating VLC into pedagogical frameworks to create effective, interactive learning environments for EFL students. Overcoming these challenges is essential for transcending disciplinary boundaries and maximizing the benefits of VLC in EFL education. By recognizing and addressing these obstacles, educators can better support EFL students in developing essential critical reading skills, thus enriching their learning experiences.

This research investigates the potential of gamification in encouraging reading motivation among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students. Reading motivation is crucial in language learning, and gamification offers promising inenues to enhance it. The study examines both reading skills and the various factors influencing reading motivation. Utilizing a conceptual paper methodology, this research systematically analyzes existing literature, theories, and concepts related to gamification and reading motivation in EFL learning, providing a comprehensive synthesis that forms the basis for understanding the potential impact of gamification on enhancing reading motivation among students. The synthesis of findings indicates that gamification positively impacts EFL learners’ reading motivation by fostering greater involvement, independence, and belief in their reading abilities. By incorporating game elements like points, badges, and leaderboards, this study reveals that through gamification in reading activities, learners not only achieve a sense of progress and competition but also overcome challenges like lack of interest, self-confidence, and autonomy in EFL reading, ultimately fostering increased motivation.

This Systematic Literature Review (SLR) investigates how vocabulary knowledge and reading motivation shape English as a Foreign Language (EFL) reading comprehension experiences across secondary and tertiary education levels (Amirah & Wennyta, 2024). Adhering to the PRISMA guidelines, this review synthesizes 20 empirical studies published between 2015 and 2025 sourced from major international databases including Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, Taylor & Francis, Springer, SAGE, Wiley, and Google Scholar (Amirah & Wennyta, 2024). The synthesis reveals that vocabulary knowledge provides a critical cognitive foundation, acting as a threshold-dependent predictor of text accessibility (Alfiani et al., 2024). Concurrently, reading motivation functions as the primary affective driving force that determines reading engagement and the deployment of self-regulated strategies (Lesiana et al., 2024). The integration of these variables indicates a reciprocal cognitive-affective interaction: rich lexical frameworks enhance task-specific self-efficacy, while high intrinsic motivation prompts sustained engagement with complex vocabulary (Alfiani et al., 2024). Conversely, limitations in these domains lead to cognitive fragmentation, vocabulary constraints, and reading anxiety (Nanda, 2020). This paper identifies critical research gaps, particularly regarding longitudinal moderation dynamics in rural and under-resourced learning environments (Amirah & Wennyta, 2024). It concludes with actionable implications for English Language Teaching (ELT) methodologies, promoting the adoption of balanced, strategy-based instructional designs (Nanda, 2020).

This study explores how English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) university students develop the ability to construct connections across poems in a literature classroom. Conducted as a classroom-based study, the research draws on students’ written responses, concept maps, and survey data collected during an eight-week poetry unit. The findings indicate a developmental progression from isolated interpretation toward more connected and integrative forms of reading. Students reported that cross-poem comparison tasks supported deeper understanding, interpretive engagement, and retention of literary meaning, although they also experienced difficulties in identifying meaningful relationships and expressing interpretations in English. The study suggests that scaffolded comparison activities and collaborative meaning-making may support the development of intertextual reading practices in EFL contexts. The findings also offer pedagogical implications for poetry instruction and literature teaching in higher education.

This study investigates the integration of a multimodal approach with active learning strategies mainly mind mapping and group discussion in teaching Critical Reading to fourth-semester English Literature students at one of private university in Bandung. The research is grounded in the increasing importance of multimodal literacy and critical thinking as 21st-century competencies. Multimodal instruction, based on Kress and van Leeuwen’s theory, along with Mayer’s Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, is believed to enhance engagement and comprehension. Active learning is incorporated to stimulate student participation and higher-order thinking skills. A qualitative method was employed using open-ended questionnaires distributed at the end of the semester and observation was conducted while learning process.  The selection of participants aimed to ensure they had sufficient exposure to multimodal learning practices. Data were analyzed inductively to identify students’ perceptions and responses toward the strategies applied, and to find out the student’s engagement during learning process in critical reading classroom. The findings aim to contribute to more effective pedagogy in critical reading instruction.

In reading classroom, students are required to comprehend text. One of its requirement is engagement as it is successful things in learning. However, one of recommended strategy is literature circle. Because a literature circle is strategies guide students to a deeper understanding of what they are reading through structured discussions about texts and books, and help students practice and develop the skills and strategies of being good readers. This study aims to investigate the students’ engagement of literature circles during the reading classroom. This is qualitative research with case study as a research design. To obtain data, observation, and interview were used for this research and then the obtained data was analyzed through thematic analysis. This research takes place in one of public junior high school in Telagasari and took several students from one class to interviews. There are three steps in the literature Circle, such as group discussion about books, they read books and discuss with the group and then find unfamiliar word. So we can solve the problem and find out the meaning of the word.  

This research reports on the findings of a case study on the application of Google Classroom based literature circle in an EFL reading class. The purpose of this study is to investigate EFL students' engagement in an online collaborative learning via Google Classroom-based literature circle. Based on data analysis from observation and questionnaires of three EFL students’ volunteers, the results revealed that the students are actively engaged in their own roles in the literature circle, such as leading the discussion in group by giving questions about the text, responding to the questions, sharing ideas and opinions, and retelling the story. This study found that students were enthusiastic about the Google Classroom-based literature circle. The implication of this study can contribute the teacher as alternative to implement online collaborative learning in reading classroom.

This paper investigates the innovative application of the Flipped Classroom Model in teaching reading to EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students in China. By examining current literature and theoretical frameworks, the study explores how the flipped classroom approach can address the unique challenges faced by Chinese EFL students in developing reading proficiency. It hypothesizes that this model, by promoting active learning and student engagement, can significantly enhance reading skills. The paper discusses potential implications for theory, practice, and future research, highlighting the need for customized interventions and longitudinal studies to understand the long-term benefits. Additionally, it identifies research gaps in cultural influences, interdisciplinary approaches, and the integration of emerging technologies, providing a roadmap for future investigations in this field.

This paper presents a literature-based review of reading strategies applied to the teaching of literary texts in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. Considering the relevance of literature in language education, the study discusses how the use of effective reading strategies can enhance students’ comprehension and engagement with texts, supporting the development of additional skills such as writing, speaking, and listening. Emphasis is placed on the role of teachers in mediating the reading process and fostering readers’ interaction with the text through the activation of prior linguistic and extralinguistic knowledge. The study highlights how strategic reading enables learners to construct meaning, recognize relevant information, and connect the text to their own realities, promoting both language acquisition and critical thinking.

Despite the fact that Foreign Language (FL) literature is considered to be an important element in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) lessons, it is not part of the majority of classrooms (Bloemert et al. 2016). In most Spanish high-schools, FL literature is introduced by means of mandatory readers: these are often not worked on in the lessons and students are asked to read them on their own and take an exam. Taking into account that assessment methods have a direct influence on students’ level of engagement, reading motivation and learning achievement (Guthrie & Wigfield, 2000; Gujbels & Dochy, 2006; van der Watering et al. 2008), this study analyses the perceptions of 52 students in their first year of upper-secondary education on two different assessment methods during two different terms. In the first term, the reader was used in the classroom and students were asked to do an individual assignment at the end. In the second term, students read the reader on their own and took an exam. The data were gathered by means of a students’ questionnaire and systematic classroom observation. Overall, results show a preference towards the individual assignment in terms of reading engagement and a ‘deep learning’ approach to the reading experience.

This study investigates how integrating Literature Circles with the Teaching and Learning Cycle enhances junior secondary English as a Foreign Language students’ engagement, comprehension, and motivation in extensive reading of narrative texts. Using a qualitative classroom action research design with phenomenological orientation, data were collected through semi-structured interviews, reflective journals, and classroom observations. The intervention followed four Teaching and Learning Cycle stages—Building Knowledge of the Field, Modelling of the Text, Joint Construction of the Text, and Independent Construction of the Text—combined with rotating Literature Circle roles to scaffold comprehension and collaboration. Findings reveal that students progressed from supported participation to independent analysis, showing gains in vocabulary noticing, inferential reasoning, and critical response. Students also reported heightened intrinsic motivation, confidence, and ownership of learning, facilitated by structured peer interaction and equitable participation. Challenges such as time constraints, text difficulty, and performance anxiety emerged but also suggested avenues for refinement in instructional design. This study contributes conceptually by bridging constructivist, sociocultural, and genre-based perspectives, pedagogically by operationalizing scaffolding through structured roles, and contextually by adding evidence from Indonesian junior secondary classrooms. These findings highlight the potential of Literature Circles integrated with the Teaching and Learning Cycle as a sustainable model for student-cantered reading instruction and provide directions for future research on scalability, digital mediation, and application across genres

Thesis. This study explores three important concepts in the field of language teaching. The purpose is to investigate whether reading circles are effective means of improving students’ reading motivation and engagement. Concept. To this end, using a qualitative design, 27 students of English language and literature from the University of Mazandaran participated in the study. The data were collected through a learning journal, teacher’s field notes and a subsequent semi-structured interview. All the students were engaged in a reading circle once a week for the duration of 12 weeks. Analysis of the data was done based on coding and content analysis. Results and Conclusion. Results indicated that reading circles had the potential to motivate learners to read more and also was an appealing activity for them to engage in and contribute to their circles. The findings suggested that the unrepeatable configuration of the group and the goal setting mindset promoted by the activity and a high sense of achievement and enjoyment after completion of the task corresponded positively with their high level of engagement and motivation to read new passages. Even though the results cannot be generalised to other contexts, they can be suggested to be applied in other EFL contexts for motivating learners to engage more in reading.

The Reading and Writing classroom introduces a digital storytelling project to engage students in meaningful learning experiences. Digital storytelling integrates multimedia elements such as images, audio, and video with narrative structures, offering an engaging and interactive approach to language learning. By immersing English as a Second Language (ESL) learners in rich, contextually relevant stories, digital storytelling can cater to diverse learning styles and promote a deeper understanding of textual content. This study investigated students' perceptions of digital storytelling projects and their potential impact on reading and critical thinking skills in Reading and Writing classrooms. This preliminary study involved 64 first-year ESL students from Universiti Malaysia Sabah Labuan International Campus. The data gathered from the study were taken through a mixed-method approach, combining questionnaires and qualitative feedback from the participants. The data analysis revealed that students generally had positive perceptions of the project, with most participants agreeing that the digital storytelling project enhanced their reading comprehension, critical thinking, and creativity. The study suggests that digital storytelling can be a valuable tool for developing reading skills and higher-order thinking in ESL learners. Future research is needed to explore digital storytelling projects' long-term effects on reading and critical skills.

The development of critical thinking and reading skills in ESL classrooms is supported by various scholarly works and pedagogical theories. For example, Bloom's Taxonomy, which underpins many educational frameworks, emphasizes the importance of higher-order thinking skills (Bloom, 1956). As highlighted by Paul and Elder (2008), integrating techniques such as Socratic questioning fosters active dialogue, encouraging students to critically question and analyse texts. Research by King (1991) illustrates that reciprocal teaching methods can effectively engage learners, creating an interactive environment where students can share interpretations and challenge perspectives. Additionally, Lim and Woong (2019) discuss how the use of multimedia resources in education can enhance learner engagement and comprehension. Flavell (1979) outlines the importance of metacognitive strategies, which help students reflect on their learning processes and adapt their reading strategies accordingly. The impact of digital media on literacy is explored by Carr (2010), who addresses the challenges of attention spans in the digital age while highlighting the potential of diverse digital formats to engage students. This paper provides a foundational understanding of the theoretical and practical approaches to developing critical thinking and reading skills in ESL contexts, encouraging educators to implement innovative strategies in their classrooms.

In the era of globalization and information technology, the ability to think critically is a very important skill for students to have. This ability is not only useful in an academic context, but also in everyday life to make informed and rational decisions. However, research shows that many students still have difficulty in using critical thinking skills, especially when reading narrative texts. This study aims to identify the difficulties experienced by students in using critical thinking skills when reading narrative texts. In addition, this study also aims to find effective teaching strategies to improve students' critical thinking skills in this context. This study uses a qualitative approach with a case study method. Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and document analysis. The research participants were junior high school students who were selected by purposive sampling. The data obtained were analyzed using thematic analysis techniques to identify the main themes that emerged from the data. The results showed that students experienced several difficulties in using critical thinking skills when reading narrative texts, including difficulties in analyzing characters, understanding the storyline, and identifying key themes. In addition, the study found that the use of teaching strategies involving group discussions and open-ended questions can help improve students' critical thinking skills. The implications of this study show that teachers need to develop more interactive and collaborative teaching strategies to improve students' critical thinking skills.

In response to the new curriculum standards 'requirements for cultivating critical thinking, this study explores effective approaches to foster logical reasoning, critical analysis, and creative thinking in high school English reading classes. Using the ‘Scientists Who Changed the World’ unit from Yilin Press Edition 4 as a case study, we integrated cognitive stratification, constructivist tasks, and a three-dimensional critical model. Through observation, interviews, and text analysis tracking the entire classroom intervention process, the results demonstrated that chain tasks focusing on title prediction, structural summarization, viewpoint questioning, and role transfer can continuously activate students' higher-order thinking. These tasks guide learners from information extraction to meaning creation and value judgment, significantly enhancing independent thinking and cross-textual expression abilities. The research indicates that explicitly embedding critical thinking cultivation into news narrative reading provides an operational framework for implementing core competencies in English education.

This research aimed to determine whether the Question-and-Answer Relationship (QAR) strategy can improve students’ reading comprehension of narrative texts and critical thinking skills in Amharic. The study employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design. A total of 118 seventh graders from Addis Amba Elementary School in Bahir Dar were selected and randomly assigned to either the intervention group (taught reading comprehension using QAR) or the control group (taught according to the grade level curriculum) for 14 sessions. Data were collected through reading comprehension and critical thinking tests. Analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) revealed significant effects (p < 0.05) and large effect sizes (η² > 0.14) of the QAR strategy on both reading comprehension of narrative texts (F (1,116) = 33.35, p < .001, η² = .223) and critical thinking (F (1,116) = 28.074, p < .001, η² = .195). Findings suggest that the QAR strategy is effective in enhancing students’ reading comprehension of narrative texts and critical thinking skills within the Amharic context.

This preliminary qualitative study examines the development of critical thinking skills and the level of reading for learning among secondary school L2 learners. The study involved two 15-year-old high-proficiency L2 learners from a Malaysian secondary school, using three qualitative instruments: think-aloud protocols, reflective journal writing, and structured interviews. Data were analysed according to the five stages of Reading for Learning – decoding, understanding, comparing, evaluating, and revising ideas. The participants read a narrative text selected from the KSSM Form 3 Close-Up B1 Students Book by Healan and Gormley (2018), entitled Survival in the Andes. Findings showed that both learners demonstrated critical engagement, particularly in making judgments and drawing connections with prior knowledge. However, the highest cognitive stage, revising one’s ideas, was not observed during think-aloud sessions but emerged in reflective journals and interviews, indicating a time-delayed cognitive transformation that may be due to the amount of time participants spent doing independent research. The study highlights the multidimensional nature of critical thinking in L2 reading and underscores the importance of using multimodal, reflective approaches to foster deeper learning and cognitive development

This paper investigates how stylistic analysis of poetry and fiction can foster critical reading skills among learners in ESL/EFL contexts. Rather than focusing on classroom interventions, the study adopts a text-based approach, examining selected poems and fictional passages to illustrate how stylistic features such as metaphor, imagery, parallelism, deixis, and narrative perspective encourage deeper interpretative engagement. Drawing on stylistics as an interface between language and literature, the analysis demonstrates that close attention to linguistic patterns enhances awareness of how meaning is shaped, disrupted, or foregrounded in literary texts. By analyzing a poem by William Blake and an excerpt from Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms, the study shows how stylistic techniques stimulate critical awareness of thematic complexity, ambiguity, and authorial choices. The findings suggest that stylistic analysis, when applied to diverse texts, equips learners with interpretive strategies that go beyond surface-level comprehension, ultimately contributing to critical reading competence in second-language literary studies.

This paper examines content elements that effectively facilitate L2 learners’ critical thinking skills in ESL reading when using a Multimedia Interactive Package (MIP). The MIP was designed to incorporate the ‘demand task’ components of Weir’s validation reading framework. Ninety-two treatment group respondents were requested to respond to a set of questionnaire on content elements needed to be included into the MIP. Overall, majority of the respondents, either ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’, positively perceived that ‘demand task’ components discourse mode, channel of communication, text length, nature of information, content knowledge, lexical, structural and functional – facilitated them at acquiring higher order thinking skills more effectively. Coupled with the use of computer-mediated interactive multimedia capabilities which could provide drills and exercises, immediate reinforcement and feedback, online tests and dynamic learning engagement, MIP intervention can facilitate learning success amongst L2 learners’ critical thinking skills in ESL reading.

This experimental study investigated the effects of flipped classroom in enhancing critical thinking and reading comprehension levels of 212 senior high school ESL learners in the Philippines; half of which received the conventional lecture-discussion approach to instruction and the other half received flipped learning approach.  Both the control and the experimental groups were subjected to equal number of 15 instructional sessions.  In order to establish the baseline data for each group in the critical thinking variable and the reading comprehension variable, pretests were conducted and were subsequently compared to posttest results.  The t-test of two independent samples assuming equal variances was used to determine if there was a significant difference between the flipped classroom approach and the lecture-discussion approach with regard to enhancing critical thinking and reading comprehension levels.  Results reveal that in both approaches, there were improvements in the critical thinking levels and the reading comprehension levels of the respondents.  However, the results reveal that the respondents who received instruction using the flipped learning approach significantly outperform the respondents who received conventional instruction.