The implementation of collaborative strategic reading (CSR) and its effects on EAP learners’ reading comprehension and reading strategy awareness across two proficiency levels

This study examined the effects of Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR) instruction on the reading comprehension and reading strategy awareness of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) university learners. The participants were 15 more proficient and 15 less proficient Thai EAP university students majoring in Electrical Power Engineering at a public university in the northeast of Thailand. The scores from the pre-and post-reading comprehension tests were compared after 10 weeks of CSR instruction. The results from the paired-sample t-test indicated that both proficiency groups significantly improved their reading comprehension. With regard to the six reading skills investigated, the results showed significant improvement in the main idea, referential relationship, vocabulary in context, and inference skills but not with factual information and organization and logic skills. Moreover, the scores from the pre- and post- Survey of Reading Strategies (SORS) were compared to examine the effects of CSR on EAP learners’ reading strategy awareness after the instruction. The results from the paired-sample t-test showed that both proficiency groups significantly increased their reading awareness. With regard to the three category of reading strategy awareness, the results indicated a significant improvement in global (GLOB), problem-solving (PROB), and support (SUP) strategies. To explore the participants’ perceptions toward the intervention, a perception questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were used to collect the data. The responses revealed positive perceptions toward the CSR instruction. It can be concluded that the combination of strategy instruction and cooperative learning in CSR helps improve EAP learners’ reading comprehension and enhance their active involvement in cooperative learning groups. It is suggested that EAP teachers use this CSR instruction to help improve their leaners’ reading comprehension and active class participation.