Integrating Multiple and Focused Strategies for Improving Reading Comprehension and L2 Lexical Development of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners

Abstract

Effective reading is essential for success in learning a foreign language. EFL learners, therefore, need to master a number of reading strategies to be able to comprehend text information. Strategic reading research has already evidenced the possibility of teaching comprehension strategies to enhance learner’ comprehension and metacognitive abilities. Further research is needed though to examine the procedures or methodologies through which the approach can be applied. This pretest-posttest quasi-experimental article aimed, firstly, to compare the effects of the two widespread methods of explicit teaching of comprehension strategies (focused vs. multiple) on EFL learner’ reading comprehension and lexical development and, secondly, to explore whether or not integration of fixed and multiple instructional techniques significantly improved intermediate EFL learners reading comprehension ability and lexical knowledge. To this end, four intact classes including 69 intermediate EFL learners in a language center in Isfahan were randomly assigned to one control and three experimental groups. The groups received the same amount of instruction, however differently, three receiving focused, multiple, and integrated strategy interventions respectively and the other receiving conventional reading-based instruction. The results revealed that while receiving focused strategy intervention did not offer a statistically significant advantage over the typical classroom setting, benefiting from multiple strategy intervention significantly improved the learners’ ability in reading comprehension. Moreover, the results asserted the efficacy of integrated strategy instruction in improving both reading comprehension and lexical development among Iranian intermediate EFL learners.Keywords: Focused strategy instruction, Lexical development, Multiple strategy instruction, Reading comprehension