Pre-reading Strategies
Item1 Asking students to read the titles, look at the illustration/ pictures to predict what the text is about
Item 2 Having the students quickly look over the text before reading
Item 3 Asking students warm-up questions related to the text before reading
Item 4 Teaching vocabulary before students read the text
Item 5 Asking students to relate the text/ topic to their experience
The questionnaire results indicate that teachers commonly employ pre-reading strategies, including the use of pictures, titles, and warm-up questions Chart 1 illustrates the outcomes related to these pre-reading techniques, highlighting a general trend in their application.
A significant majority of teachers engage in pre-reading activities, with 80% frequently asking students to read titles and examine illustrations to predict the text's content, as well as posing warm-up questions related to the material Additionally, 60% of teachers consistently teach vocabulary before reading, while 50% have students quickly skim the text beforehand However, the practice of relating the topic to students' experiences is less common, utilized by only 40% of teachers Overall, it appears that while pre-reading strategies are being taught, their implementation varies in frequency among educators.
While-reading Strategies
Item 6 Asking students to note down key words while reading
Item 7 Setting time limit for reading in class
Item 8 Telling students to read carefully and slowly
Item 9 Allowing students to use dictionary
Item 10 Asking students to guess /predict the meaning of unknown words
Item 11 Telling students to skip the unknown words
Item 12 Stressing the importance of reading every word
Item 13 Asking students to underline key words and/ or phrases
Item 14 Telling students to make guesses about up-coming information in the text
NeverRarelySometimesUsuallyAlways
Item 15 Teaching students to read the first and last paragraphs more carefully
The study highlights the prevalence of certain while-reading strategies in reading instruction, with "asking students to underline key words and/or phrases" being the most favored, utilized by 100% of teachers Additionally, 80% of respondents regularly employed the strategy of having students guess or predict the meanings of unknown words Furthermore, 70% of teachers implemented time limits for reading activities, emphasizing the importance of adjusting reading speed Conversely, only about 50% of teachers encouraged students to skip unknown words These effective strategies should be integrated into reading instruction to enhance students' reading skills.
Less popular strategies are “taking notes”, “making guesses about up-coming information” which are frequently utilized by only 40% of respondents Item 9, related to
“dictionary use” was being frequently used by only 20% of the teachers “Stressing the importance of reading every word” is the least popular strategy (10% of the population chose
Teachers often overlook essential while-reading strategies, which can significantly enhance students' reading skills and overall learning experience.
Post-reading Strategies
Item 16 Asking comprehension questions about the text
Item 17 Asking students to discuss the text after reading
Item 18 Asking students to summarize the text (written or oral)
Item 19 Assigning students tasks to do using the information in the text
Item 20 Asking students to interpret the text
The questionnaire aimed to identify the reading strategies utilized by teachers during the post-reading phase Results revealed that the most favored strategy was asking students to summarize the text, with 90% of respondents selecting this option Additionally, 80% of teachers frequently employed strategies such as asking comprehension questions and facilitating discussions after reading In contrast, only 30% of participants utilized tasks based on the text, while a mere 10% encouraged students to interpret the text This indicates a lack of emphasis among teachers on introducing diverse reading strategies that could enhance students' reading skills.
NeverRarelySometimesUsuallyAlways
The initial section of the student questionnaire aimed to collect demographic information, including age, gender, and self-assessed English proficiency The results revealed that all participants were 16 years old, with 50 females (62.5%) and 30 males (37.5%) Notably, 60% of students rated their English skills as good or fairly good, while 32 students (40%) considered their proficiency to be at an average level, with no respondents rating themselves below average The subsequent section of the questionnaire focused on students' training in reading comprehension, encompassing three stages: pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading.
Pre-reading Strategies
Item1 I am asked to read the titles, look at the illustration/ pictures to predict what the text is about/ to get the main ideas of the text
Item2 I am asked to look over the text before reading quickly
Item3 I am asked warm-up questions related to the text before reading
Item4 I am taught vocabulary before reading the text
Item5 I am asked to relate the text/ topic to my experience
The first strategy involves utilizing the title to give readers a preview of the text's content, while associating images and illustrations with the text helps students grasp the main ideas Although students recognize the significance of this approach, they still express varying levels of understanding.
Only 65% of respondents selected "always" or "usually" regarding their reading habits Additionally, 60% of participants felt trained in the strategy of quickly previewing the text before reading When it comes to answering warming-up questions related to the text prior to reading, a significant portion of respondents also indicated their engagement with this practice.
In a recent study, 23.75% of students reported that teachers typically engage them with warming-up questions, while 80% of teachers confirmed this practice Although participants acknowledged the importance of relating topics to students' experiences, only 37.5% implemented this strategy effectively Conversely, a significant 68.75% of students indicated they were consistently taught vocabulary The limited effectiveness of certain strategies may stem from participants' preference to quickly dive into reading the text rather than investing time in these preparatory methods.
It is essential that the students relate the topic to their experience and form some expectations about the topic in order for full comprehension to take place (Anderson, 1991, p 462)
Item 6 I am asked to note down key words while reading
Item 7 I am set time limit for reading in class
Item 8 I am told to read carefully and slowly
Item 9 I am allowed to use dictionary
Item 10 I am asked to guess /predict the meaning of unknown words
NeverRarelySometimesUsuallyAlways
Item 11 I am told to skip the unknown words
Item12 I am asked to stress the importance of reading every word
Item 13 I am asked to underline key words and/ or phrases
Item 14 I am told to make guesses about up-coming information in the text
Item15 I am taught to read the first and last paragraphs more carefully
Chart 5 illustrates the use of reading strategies during the while-reading phase Only 30% of participants reported "always" or "usually" taking notes while reading, while 70% set time limits for their reading sessions Consequently, 35% of students indicated that they read slowly and carefully Regarding the use of dictionaries, 20% of teachers selected the "usually" option, whereas 52% of students admitted to using a dictionary while reading This suggests that teachers felt constrained by time during the 45-minute reading lesson, limiting dictionary use.
A survey revealed that 52% of participants used a dictionary, while only half attempted to guess the meanings of unfamiliar words Additionally, 37.5% of participants reported that they "always" or "usually" skipped unknown words while reading In contrast, all teachers instructed students to underline key words or phrases, but only 28.75% of students actually employed this strategy.
The responses from teachers indicate a neglect in teaching key while-reading strategies, as evidenced by student feedback on specific questions For question 13, only 3.75% of students reported that they "always" made guesses about upcoming information in the text, while 12.5% stated they "usually" did so Additionally, 21.25% of students indicated that they "always" or "usually" read the first and last paragraphs more carefully.
Item16 I am asked comprehension questions about the text
Item 17 I am asked to discuss the text after reading
Item 18 I am asked to summarize the text (written or oral)
Item 19 I was assigned tasks to do using the information in the text
Item 20 I am asked to interpret the text into Vietnamese
The survey results indicate that the most favored post-reading strategies among students are "answering the teacher’s comprehension questions" and "summarizing the text," with 53.75% of respondents selecting these options In contrast, less common strategies include "interpreting the text" and "discussing the text," utilized by 37.5% and 11.25% of students, respectively The least favored approach is "doing assigned tasks using the information in the text." Furthermore, the findings suggest that teachers tend to underutilize post-reading strategies, possibly due to a lack of familiarity or perceived value, although nearly all teachers reported using comprehension questions and summarizing during the post-reading phase.
It is essential to consistently encourage students to explore various reading strategies that can enhance their reading skills By doing so, educators can effectively support their students' growth and comprehension abilities.
Table 1: Teachers’ actual classroom practices: (Unit 14, 15, 16) Pre- reading Strategies
No Items Frequency of reading strategies used
1 Having the students quickly look over the text before reading 3 3 3 3
2 Having the students quickly look over the text before reading
3 Asking students warm-up questions related to the text before reading
4 Teaching vocabulary before students read the text
5 Asking students to relate the text/ topic to their experience
Table 2: Teachers’ actual classroom practices: (Unit 14, 15, 16) While- reading Strategies
No Items Frequency of reading strategies used
7 Setting time limit for reading in class 3 3 3 3
10 Asking students to guess /predict the meaning of unknown words
11 Telling students to skip the unknown words 3 3 3 3
13 Asking students to underline key words and/ or phrases
Table 3: Teachers’ actual classroom practices: (Unit 14, 15, 16) Post- reading Strategies
No Items Frequency of reading strategies used
16 Asking comprehension questions about the text
18 Asking students to summarize the text
20 Asking students to interpret the text 2 2
Table 1 illustrates the frequency of pre-reading strategies employed by four teachers across three class periods The data indicates that all teachers consistently implemented various pre-reading strategies, including predicting the text's content using pictures or titles, connecting the text to students' background knowledge, and teaching relevant vocabulary However, the strategy of having students quickly skim the text prior to reading was notably less utilized, appearing only in unit 15.
While-reading strategies play a crucial role in reading classes, with certain techniques proving more effective than others Popular strategies include setting time limits for reading, encouraging students to predict the meanings of unfamiliar words, advising them to skip unknown words, and prompting them to underline key phrases and words These methods enhance comprehension and engagement during the reading process.
Teachers encouraged students to make predictions about forthcoming information in the text and to identify key words They emphasized the importance of reading slowly and carefully, particularly focusing on the first and last paragraphs However, none of the educators permitted students to use a dictionary during reading sessions Instead, they aimed to foster alternative strategies, such as inferring word meanings from context or omitting unfamiliar words.
Hence, it can be said that teachers neglected teaching some of the important while reading strategies, “telling students to guesses about up-coming information in the text”,
“teaching students to read the first and last paragraphs more carefully”, which can actually help students become better learners or readers
In their actual classes the two specific strategies in post-reading strategies are
“answering the questions and summarizing” Only two teachers (teachers 8, 9) used
The findings from the interviews align with the questionnaire results, indicating that most teachers recognize the importance of reading strategies in enhancing students' comprehension of texts Additionally, students demonstrate an awareness of the language they are learning.
All four teachers observed that students struggled with reading due to limited vocabulary and grammar knowledge To address these challenges, they offered varied solutions: one teacher simplified the text with explanatory sentences, another provided examples, while the other two utilized both Vietnamese and English for clarification.
To enhance students' understanding of the reading material, all participants agreed on several effective strategies They posed comprehension questions, encouraged discussions about the text, and required students to summarize its main ideas after reading.
In a study examining the use of reading strategies in lessons, teachers indicated that they primarily adhered to the tasks provided by the textbook, including visuals and guiding questions All four educators acknowledged the importance of teaching reading strategies to their students, affirming their commitment to incorporating these techniques into their instruction One teacher specifically highlighted the significance of these strategies in enhancing student learning.
“…students face difficulties when they are not aware of reading strategies while dealing with a long text or a text with many new words.” (teacher 4)
The teachers indicated that though students know how to read in their first language, they may not transfer these skills to cope with reading in the second language: