Directed Reading-Thinking Activity and Reading Comprehension (Graded Reading)

Reading comprehension is one of the essential skills for learning in every language and in Iranian educational system, there seems a need to make some revisions in teaching reading comprehension. For this reason, this study attempted to introduce Directed Reading-Thinking Activity (coined by Stauffer, 1969) as a teaching comprehension model which was expected to enhance students’ reading comprehension ability of graded readings. In order to aims of study in the first step 20 subjects were chosen randomly from intermediate level in Zaban Sara institute. Drawing on a mixed-methods design, 20 participants were randomly divided into two groups, each group consisted of 10 participants. This study utilized a comprehension test for homogenizing them and determining their level of proficiency before commencing the study. The test was selected from Michigan Comprehension Test for intermediate level with B1 difficulty level. In quantitative stage of the study, both groups compared in pre-test and post-test. These tests were retrieved from Oxford library site for graded readings comprehension. The participants of this study assigned one of the conditions: one group taught by Directed Reading-Thinking Activity while the other group taught by conventional strategy for 17 sessions twice a week. During the implementation of Directed Reading-Thinking Activity, the observer, observed the experimental group for seven sessions. In the qualitative stage, seven students from experimental group were interviewed about the effect of implementing Directed Reading-Thinking Activity-based setting on their comprehension of graded readings. The findings of the study revealed that Directed Reading-Thinking Activity had significant effect on their reading comprehension of graded reading. The study provided some Pedagogical implications for EFL teachers and students, and also suggested some possible avenues for further work.