The study aims to investigate whether collaborative strategic reading (CSR) strategies can improve higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) of students. It is an experimental design using pre-test and post-test as an instrument. Research data was obtained by giving a reading test in one of the public vocational high schools in Surabaya, Indonesia. These test data were analyzed using independent sample T-test and paired sample T-test in SPSS. Results showed that Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR) could improve higher-order thinking skills for students. Based on data analysis results, t count was found to be larger than t table. Moreover, the result of the paired-sample t-test also indicated a significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores of experimental students. Sig. Sig. (2-tailed) equals.000. To sum up, the strategy benefits students in enhancing higher-order thinking skills for students.
Academic writing is noteworthy competence to be accomplished for English as a foreign language (EFL) students to fulfill their academic needs at the university. To do so, Indonesian tertiary universities accommodate and foster this competence using academic writing course. The study, therefore, sought to look into: 1. what undergraduate EFL students' perceptions of the importance of academic writing to their current study and future career, 2. what the students' perceptions of the difficulties of academic writing, 3. what the students' attitudes towards their previous and future academic writing courses. The present study investigates students' needs emerging in academic writing during classroom practices to gain insightful and profound perspectives for forthcoming needs of the course. Data were collected through a five scaled questionnaire of need analysis distributed to thirty-four EFL students from a private university, and a focus group interview involving nine participants. Results indicate 61% (Mdifficulties=3.05) of students faced difficulties in both general skills and language problems of academic writing and a new course was expected to provide moves/steps for writing the sections in a research article. The present study then suggests that e-database resources are needed for academic papers models and references hence its efficiency and flexibility in prospective academic writing.
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