Efficiency of Using a Web-Based Approach to Teach Reading Strategies to Iranian EFL Learners

Abstract

Applying new technologies with their effective potentials have changed education and, consequently, the L2 teacher role. Coping with online materials imposes the necessity of employing Web-based approaches in L2 instruction. The ability to use reading strategies in a Web-based condition needs sufficient skill which will be fulfilled if it is integrated in pedagogy. The main focus of the present study was to investigate the efficiency of teaching reading strategies in a Web-based condition to Iranian EFL learners. Thirty L2 learners at upper-intermediate level from an English institute in Isfahan were selected as the experimental group. The group received a 20-hr reading strategy training in Web-based condition. Participants were taught 4 general reading strategies which were practiced through 3 stages of cognitive theory: cognitive, associative, and autonomous proposed by Anderson (1993). The instruments included a pre/posttest of hypertext reading comprehension, a pre/posttraining questionnaire for assessing the participants' familiarity with general reading strategies, a pre/posttest of reading comprehension, and an attitude questionnaire towards Web-based reading strategy instruction. Findings indicated that after reading strategy program, the participants' frequent usage of each reading strategy increased significantly and, consequently, they performed better at the reading tasks in Web-based and conventional conditions. Furthermore, the group had positive attitudes towards Web-based reading strategy instruction.

ESL/EFL Instructors’ Perceptions of the Efficacy of Online Reading Instruction

“…The study's results also were consistent with other findings in the literature, including those of Kilickaya andKrajka (2010), Huang (2013), and Dehghanpour and Hashemian (2015). Specifically, the current study and these studies together confirmed the advantages that online reading environments offer to L2 reading instructions including engaging learners in interactive reading activities, engaging interest by using multiple modalities (text, video, pictures, sound, animations, reader control over paths followed in completing assignments, and different levels of support and comprehension assistance.…”

“…Finally, Dehghanpour and Hashemian (2015) examined the efficiency of teaching reading strategies in a Web-based setting to 30 Iranian EFL learners. Participants learned four general reading strategies, which were practiced through three stages of cognitive theory: cognitive, associative, and autonomous.…”

Developing Web-Based Lessons to Improve Khon Kaen University Graduate Students’ Reading Skills

“…They also claimed that web-based lessons can facilitate students 'reading comprehension ability and strategy use, and they can apply the reading strategies explicitly during the course. The results were consistent to the past studies ( [7]- [10])…”

“…Research studies using web-based instruction to teach reading skills, especially in graduate level, has been found less [7]. Therefore, this study employed web-based lessons to develop Thai graduate students as previous studies showed that web-based instruction is very helpful to assist students' reading skills [7]- [12].…”

“…Therefore, this study employed web-based lessons to develop Thai graduate students as previous studies showed that web-based instruction is very helpful to assist students' reading skills [7]- [12]. This study aims to develop web-based lessons in order to improve Khon Kaen University Graduate students based on these following research questions: (1) To what extent can web-based lessons improve Khon Kaen University graduate students' reading skills?, and (2) What are Khon Kaen University graduate students' attitudes toward learning via web-based lessons to improve their reading skills?…”