The effectiveness of the question and answer relationship (QAR) strategy in enhancing reading comprehension among ESL students. (1st. 24 pages)

Ann Susana Raj, Cruz Dhurairaj (2008) The effectiveness of the question and answer relationship (QAR) strategy in enhancing reading comprehension among ESL students. (1st. 24 pages). Masters thesis, Open University Malaysia (OUM).

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyse whether the Question and Answer Relationship (QAR) strategy is effective in enhancing the reading comprehension performance of upper secondary, English as a Second Language (ESL) students of low English proficiency (LEP). A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test non-equivalent control group research design was employed in this quantitative study. Two intact Form Four classes in a rural secondary school were used as the experimental (35 students) and control groups (32 students). Explicit strategy instruction of QAR was conducted over six weeks for the experimental group while the control group was taught using the traditional method. Results of the pre and post-tests were statistically analysed using One-way ANOVA, Repeated measures ANOVA and 95% confidence intervals. Significant improvements in marks were found in the experimental group for three variables namely, the subjective reading comprehension questions and summary as a whole, ‘In my Head’ questions and the summary question. For the subjective reading comprehension questions, the result was inconclusive while for ‘In the Book’ questions, there was no significant improvement in both the experimental and control groups. Based on the results, it was concluded that explicit cognitive strategy instruction was effective in enhancing reading comprehension performance to a large extent. However, limited vocabulary seems to have hindered LEP students from locating the appropriate answers in the text for ‘In the Book’ questions. Therefore, this study found that in order to be fully effective, the QAR strategy should ideally be taught together with strategies that increase the vocabulary of LEP students. (Author's abstract)

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