Silent and oral reading methods on improving English reading comprehension among generation alpha pupils

Abstract

Reading comprehension enables each child to make meaning of the world. Therefore, it is important to develop this during the child’s primary years in school. Using ex post facto design, this study investigated the effects of reading methods on English reading comprehension of randomly selected 75 Grade 2 pupils in a private school in the Philippines. The scores of pupils who read two comparable narrative passages in oral and silent were compared. Paired t-test results revealed a significant difference between oral reading and silent reading. Silent reading had a greater positive effect on the comprehension of the pupils. Likewise, it was the most preferred reading method among the respondents. Focus group discussion with English teachers' results suggested that silent reading was preferred specifically because it helps in understanding the story better, remembering words, and concentrating given its quiet and peaceful nature. It is recommended that teachers employ sustained silent reading classroom practices such as Silent Reading Activity (SRA) Reading Laboratory, Genuine Love for Reading activities through the Four-pronged approach, and Drop Everything and Read time. These methods will help to support the reading needs and preference of the generation alpha pupils and to further strengthen the positive effects of silent reading on improving their reading comprehension.

Reading Comprehension Performance Among Impulsive and Reflective English Learners: Examining the Influence of Three Reading Methods

“…Despite potentially reducing reading The outcomes of the current study reveal that brief training in subvocalization results in comprehension performance comparable to that of reading aloud. However, conflicting results emerge from studies advocating for silent reading (e.g., Mendoza & Cruz, 2024;Schimmel & Ness, 2017) versus those favoring oral reading (e.g., Mott, 2019;Zolfagharkhani & Kowsary, 2013), with most research focusing solely on the benefits of one method without comparing all three. The discrepancies among these studies, including the current one, in comparing silent reading, oral reading, and subvocalization may arise from variations in participants' personalities or the context of test administration (McCallum et al, 2004).…”