Enhancing English Reading Comprehension by Integrating Direct Access to Digital Materials and Scaffolded Questionings in Paper Prints

This paper presents an augmented paper-based reading system which incorporated digital materials and the reading strategy of scaffolded questioning into printed materials to enhance students´ English reading comprehension. QR codes were printed on paper prints to provide direct access to digital resources and scaffolded questions; smartphones were used to scan the QR codes and display digital learning materials. The results showed that the reading strategy of scaffolded questioning significantly improved students´ English reading comprehension, but direct access to digital materials using QR codes did not. Implications of the study shed light on the future development of the system.