Improving reading comprehension for Saudi Students by using the Reading Aloud Strategy.

Abstract

Reading is important to help students gain access to many different kinds of knowledge, information, and ideas. The reading aloud strategy can be used to reach effective outcomes and increase students’ reading comprehension. The purpose of this study is to provide support for the reading aloud strategy to improve reading comprehension. The study was conducted during the summer of 2014 in Saudi Arabia. The participants of this study were 41 male students in the 5th grade. The researcher explained the reading aloud strategy to the participants to increase their reading comprehension. Then the students employed the intended strategy during the reading lessons in order to increase their reading comprehension. This research study used the 5th grade textbook to determine if the use of the reading aloud strategy improved reading comprehension for students. This was measured by a comparison of pre and post intervention reading comprehension tests. In addition, a survey created and designed by the researcher for this study measured if students’ enjoyment of reading increased through the use of the read aloud strategy. Lastly, the researcher conducted observations and recorded field notes on students’ behavior during reading lessons. According to the results, the reading aloud strategy showed positive effects on the development and improvement of Saudi students’ comprehension. The participants were able to connect their own experiences and personal knowledge with the daily texts to share their opinions and demonstrate a high level of understanding.