Impact of Reading Strategies on Reading Comprehension among Students of ESL at a School in Dubai, UAE: Moderated Mediation Regression Model

Sheeba Jojo, Varghese Kizhakkacharuvil John, Chanintorn J. NuKoon

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between reading strategies and the Lexile score of the online reading comprehension program ‘Literacy Pro’. This would give a clear insight into the impact of the reading strategies on reading comprehension. It was hypothesized that the reading strategies adopted by students and the same recommended by the teachers have a positive intervening effect on student Lexile scores. The findings of the study were not completely supportive as hypothesized. The moderated mediation regression results are not reflecting any significant improvement in the Lexile score of students through the intervention of reading strategies adopted by the students, and training imparted to that effect by the teachers shows no major disparity. Reading comprehension is the product of multiple skills and knowledge sources, and the struggling readers often experience difficulty in multiple reading skills. ‘Literacy Pro’ is a multi-component online reading skill development program. Skills such as word identification, vocabulary knowledge, reading fluency, literal meaning, inferential meaning and expertise in grammar are necessary to construct the meaning of a text. Further research in these areas will provide clear insights into how reading comprehension may effectively be improved. This paper throws light on improving the sub skills of reading by focusing on reading strategies before, while and after a reading exercise. It further explores how the realm of technology may be effectively used to leverage reading comprehension skills. In the wake of advancement in the use of mobile technology in education, the same may be explored to enhance reading comprehension in a more interesting and entertaining manner for students.

 

Keywords: ESL, Literacy Pro, moderated mediation, online reading, reading comprehension.


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