The Effect of a Blended Learning Program on Enhancing Critical Writing Skills for Intermediate Stage

 

The Effectiveness of Interactive and Key-Aligned Reading Strategies in Enhancing Reading Comprehension Skills of Grade 6 EFL Students

By

Eman Alkotob Ali Ramadan
Teacher of English Language
Asmaa That Al-Nataqain Primary Girls’ School
Kingdom of Bahrain

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Abstract

Developing reading comprehension skills is a significant challenge for EFL students, especially when traditional teaching methods fail to engage learners and promote effective reading strategies. This study investigates the effectiveness of interactive and key-aligned reading strategies in enhancing reading comprehension skills among Grade 6 EFL students. An action research design was employed, involving 38 students during the 2025/2026 academic year. The interactive strategies emphasized activities that promote identifying the main idea, reading for details, understanding vocabulary in context, literal comprehension, and reading accuracy and fluency. The study utilized a pre-posttest design to measure improvements in overall performance and specific sub-skills. Results indicated significant progress in students’ reading comprehension after implementing the strategies. Findings suggest that integrating interactive and key-aligned strategies into teaching practices enhances students’ engagement, comprehension, and reading performance. This study concludes that such strategies provide effective ways to foster comprehension and critical thinking in EFL classrooms.

Keywords: reading comprehension, interactive reading strategies, key-aligned assessment, EFL learners, Grade 6

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1. Introduction

Educational systems today require innovative teaching approaches to develop students’ reading comprehension and critical thinking abilities. Reading comprehension involves identifying main ideas, reading for details, understanding vocabulary in context, literal comprehension, and reading accuracy and fluency. Traditional teaching methods often fail to address these needs effectively, necessitating modern strategies such as interactive and key-aligned reading strategies.

Interactive strategies such as graphic organizers, gamification, flipped reading, skimming and scanning, and Think-Pair-Share encourage students to engage actively with texts, collaborate with peers, and apply comprehension strategies effectively. This study investigates the application of these strategies to enhance the reading comprehension skills of Grade 6 EFL students. It aims to address the difficulties students face in understanding texts by providing structured opportunities to practice, reflect, and develop comprehension strategies.

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2. Method

2.1 Procedure

An action research design was employed to examine the effect of interactive and key-aligned strategies on reading comprehension. The study involved 38 Grade 6 students during the 2025/2026 academic year. The students participated in reading activities designed to develop specific reading sub-skills using interactive strategies.

The procedures included:

• Administering a pre-test to measure initial comprehension skills.
• Implementing reading lessons using interactive strategies: graphic organizers, gamification, flipped reading, skimming and scanning, flipped learning, and Think-Pair-Share.
• Observing and recording student engagement and strategy use.
• Administering a post-test to measure improvements in overall reading comprehension and sub-skills.

2.2 Measures

The study utilized a pre-posttest design to evaluate students’ reading comprehension skills. The test (20 marks, 40 minutes) assessed overall comprehension and five sub-skills:

1.     Identifying the main idea

2.     Reading for details

3.     Understanding vocabulary in context

4.     Literal comprehension

5.     Reading accuracy and fluency

Tests were validated by experts to ensure reliability and relevance.

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3. Results

The results revealed significant improvements in reading comprehension skills after applying interactive and key-aligned strategies.

Table 1: Pre-Test and Post-Test Scores

Skill	Pre-Test Mean	Post-Test Mean	SD Pre	SD Post
Identifying Main Idea	1.4	2.6	0.8	0.5
Reading for Details	2.1	4.3	1.0	0.7
Vocabulary in Context	1.8	3.5	0.9	0.6
Literal Comprehension	1.9	3.6	0.8	0.6
Reading Accuracy & Fluency	2.1	2.8	0.7	0.4
Total Score	9.3	16.8	2.4	1.9

The significant differences in scores indicate that the interactive and key-aligned strategies were effective in enhancing reading comprehension skills.

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4. Tools

The tools used in implementing the interactive and key-aligned strategies included:

• Graphic Organizers: Structured visual aids to help students organize information and main ideas.
• Gamification Activities: Engaging games to reinforce comprehension and vocabulary learning.
• Flipped Reading Materials: Pre-reading tasks that introduce content and vocabulary before classroom discussion.
• Think-Pair-Share: Collaborative discussion to analyze text and clarify comprehension.
• Reading Worksheets: Practice exercises aligned with key reading skills.
• Observation Checklist: Used to monitor engagement, participation, and strategy use.

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5. Procedures

The strategies were implemented over eight weeks and included the following steps:

1.     Orientation: Introducing students to interactive reading strategies and the purpose of key-aligned comprehension skills.

2.     Skill Development: Teaching lessons on identifying main ideas, reading for details, understanding vocabulary, and literal comprehension.

3.     Practice and Reflection: Assigning tasks and worksheets that allowed students to apply strategies independently or collaboratively.

4.     Feedback and Assessment: Providing constructive feedback and measuring progress through pre- and post-tests.

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6. Recommendations

Based on the study’s findings, the following recommendations are proposed:

1.     Teachers should integrate interactive and key-aligned reading strategies into reading lessons.

2.     Training programs should be provided to equip teachers with effective reading strategies.

3.     Future research should explore long-term effects of interactive reading strategies on comprehension and other EFL skills.

4.     Schools should encourage collaborative and reflective learning environments to enhance comprehension and engagement.

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7. References

• Al-Harthy, I. S. M., & Al-Busaidi, F. Y. K. (2020). The effectiveness of SQ3R strategy on developing reading comprehension skills for basic eighth grade students in the Sultanate of Oman. International Journal for Research in Education, 44(2).
• Cohen, E. (2002). Cooperative learning and the equitable classroom in a multicultural society. Plenary presentation for IASCE conference, Manchester, England.
• Nation, I. S. P., & Macalister, J. (2020). Teaching ESL/EFL reading and writing (2nd ed.). Routledge.
• Snow, C. (2002). Reading for understanding: Toward an R&D program in reading comprehension. RAND Corporation.
• Brown, R. (2007). The process of community building in distance learning classes. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 5(2).Bottom of Form