Explicit reading strategy instruction or daily use of strategies? Studying the teaching of reading comprehension through naturalistic classroom observation in English L2

Abstract

Research suggests that developing deep understanding of text requires sustained emphasis on reading comprehension instruction and scaffolded strategy practices. However, although research has shown explicit teaching of reading comprehension strategies to be effective, we know little about whether strategy instruction and use are part of "daily life" in classrooms (Pearson, & Cervetti, 2017). The present study analyses 60 video recorded English as a second language (L2) lessons in seven lower secondary schools in Norway, across two school years (9th and 10th grade) based on The Protocol for Language Arts Teaching Observation. The article investigates the types of text-based reading comprehension instruction and strategy use that goes on in these classrooms. Key findings show that teachers engage their students in reading comprehension instruction of narrative and expository texts more than half the time, offering guided strategy practice based on student needs, and encouraging daily use of known reading comprehension strategies, instead of explicitly teaching new ones. These are powerful examples of successful reading comprehension instruction, and show that when English teachers prioritise reading comprehension instruction, they use authentic L2 texts to develop and scaffold critical literacy and metadiscursive awareness.

Language Use in the Classroom: Balancing Target Language Exposure With the Need for Other Languages

“…Interestingly, although this teacher discouraged the oral use of multilingual resources, she encouraged the students’ use of bilingual (English–Norwegian) dictionaries to scaffold their English reading comprehension (Brevik, 2019a). Thus, whereas teachers in most high‐frequency English classrooms briefly affirmed students’ language resources, this teacher (S02) explicitly prompted students not to use languages other than English.…”

The Quality of Instruction in Swedish Lower Secondary Language Arts and Mathematics

“…The same study found that the highest PLATO scores were found in the domain Classroom Environment, indicating that disciplinary problem were highly infrequent. A study of Norwegian English L2 showed that while strategy use occurred frequently, explicit instruction of strategies was very scarce (Brevik, 2019).…”

Norske elevers kunnskap om strategier for leseforståelse

“…Leseren må bevisst anvende det vi kan kalle kognitive teknikker før lesing, underveis eller etter lesing, eller i alle tre fasene, samtidig som formålet med lesingen er i fokus (Paris, Wasik & Turner, 1991). De strategiske leserne overvåker leseprosessen, oppdager hull i forståelsen og bruker reparasjonsstrategier hvis det trengs (Baker & Brown, 1984;Coiro & Dobler, 2007); de tar beslutninger om hvilken strategi de skal bruke, i hvilke situasjoner de skal bruke den, og hvordan de kan tilpasse den til en bestemt tekst (Paris, Lipson & Wixson, 1983), og endrer strategier for å passe til forskjellige typer tekster og forskjellige formål. Forståelse av hvorfor og når man skal anvende forskjellige strategier -såkalt situasjonsbetinget kunnskap -er altså viktig for strategibruk.…”