The Contribution of Strategy-Based Instruction in Reading Achievement: An Autonomy Perspective

Instruction of essential skills and strategies is critical in increasing reading comprehension. Amongst them, independent reading is a necessary skill for learners at any stage of learning. This research examined the efficacy of strategy training in enhancing reading achievement in autonomy-supportive environments. To this end, an explanatory mixed-methods research was designed. Fifty sophomores in two groups majoring in TEFL participated in the study after taking a Preliminary English Test. They were randomly assigned to two treatment conditions. The learners' performance on the reading section of PET was scored separately as a pretest, indicating that the two groups had the same reading ability level at the onset. The study examined two different methods, practicing strategies through the Intensive-Extensive Reading Method (I-ERM, n=26) and the CALL-based Reciprocal Collaborative Reading Method (RCRM, n=24), followed by a post-test. Participants also filled in a questionnaire about cognitive and metacognitive strategies before and after the semester. Eight learners from each group participated in semi-structured interviews about different aspects of their instruction. Independent samples t-tests and content analysis were used to analyze the quantitative and qualitative data. The results indicated significant reading achievement after the intervention in both groups. Interviews also verified that the participants were positive regarding the efficacy of instructions which resulted in promoting reading and other language skills. They perceived the instructions as significant, compelling, and convincing.