The Effectiveness of the Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) Strategy in Jordanian EFL Tenth-Grade Students’ Reading Comprehension

Khaldoun Ali  Al-Janaydeh; Dina AbdulHameed  Al-Jamal

doi:10.35516/hum.v51i6.2961

Authors

Khaldoun Ali Al-Janaydeh Ministry of Education, Jordan https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1268-457X
Dina AbdulHameed Al-Jamal Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Faculty of Educational Science, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0623-4604

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35516/hum.v51i6.2961

Keywords:

DRTA, EFL learners, Jordan, Ministry of Education, reading comprehension, Yarmouk University

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate to what extent the Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) strategy affects Jordanian EFL tenth grade students' reading comprehension.

Methods: The study followed the quasi-experimental design, which is based on a one-group pre- and post-test design (repeated measures) to measure the dependent variable before the treatment was implemented and once it was implemented. The treatment lasted for eight weeks during the first semester of the academic year 2021–2022. The sample of the study consisted of 30 male students in the tenth grade who were purposefully selected from Turra Secondary School in Al-Ramtha Directorate of Education. To achieve its objectives, a DRTA-based instructional program and a pre- and post-reading comprehension test were developed. The results were statistically analyzed using SPSS.

Results: The study results showed that using DRTA made a statistically significant difference (at α = 0.05) between the mean scores on the pre-test and the post-test. They also showed improvement in the sample’s reading comprehension resulting from the reading activities in which the participants were involved in the program.

Conclusions: The study recommended using DRTA to improve students’ reading comprehension. The study concluded that using DRTA is an effective learning strategy for improving students' comprehension. DRTA combines four techniques: predicting, reading, confirming or refuting, and justifying. These techniques are used to enhance reading comprehension.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abdel-Jawwad, S. (2018). Using Directed Reading-Thinking Activity to develop the General and the Specific Reading Comprehension Skills of Second Year Preparatory Students. The Egyptian Society for Reading and Knowledge, 204, 81 – 164.

Abdullah, R. (2014). Teaching Thinking through Reading. Egyptian-Lebanese Press: Cairo.

Abisamara, N. (2001). Teaching Second Language Reading From an Interactive Perspective. Retrieved from https://www.nadasisland.com/reading/

Aghdam, M., & Behroozizad, S. (2018). Directed Reading-Thinking Activity and Reading Comprehension. The Journal of English Language Pedagogy and Practice, 11(22), 111-126.

Al-Ali, A. (2020). An Investigation of the Extent of Using Cultural Clues in EFL Reading Comprehension by Undergraduates and their Opinions towards them. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation. Yarmouk University, Jordan.

Allen, J. (2004). Tools for Teaching Content Literacy. Portland, ME: Sten House Publishers.

Al-Ma’ani, A. (2008). The Effect of Directed Reading - Thinking Activity on the Achievement of Upper Basic Stage Students of Jordan in Literal and Inferential Reading Comprehension. Unpublished Thesis: Amman Arab University for Graduate Studies.

Almanza, T. (1997). The Effects of DRTA and Cooperative Learning Strategies on Reading Comprehension. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 405 565). Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/

Almasi, J. (2003). Teaching Strategic Processes in Reading. New York: The Guilford Press.

Al-Mutairy, F. (2015). The Effectiveness of a Suggested Training Program Based on DRTA in Developing Reading Comprehension Skills and Adults’ Attitudes toward Reading. The Egyptian Society for Reading and Knowledge, 161, 51-108.

Al-Odwan, T. (2012). The Effect Of The Directed Reading Thinking Activity Through Cooperative Learning On English Secondary Stage Students’ Reading Comprehension. Jordan International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2(16), 138-151.

Altbach, P., & Knight, J. (2007). The Internationalization of Higher Education: Motivations and Realities, Journal of Studies in International Education, 11, 290–305.

Baniabdelrahman, A. (2006). The Effect of Using Authentic English Language Materials on EFL Students’ Achievement in Reading Comprehension. Journal of Educational & Psychological Sciences, 7(1), 9-21.

Barnett, M. (1989). More than Meets the Eye: Foreign Language Teaching. Language in Education: Theory and Practice, no. 73. CAL/ERIC series on Language and Linguistics. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Barrett, T. (1972). Taxonomy of Reading Comprehension. Reading Comprehension 360. Lexington, Kentucky: MA. Monograph.

Barry, S. & Lazarte, A. (1995). Embedded Clause Effects on Recall: Does High Prior Knowledge of Content Domain Overcome Syntactic Complexity in Students in Spanish? The Modern Language Journal, 79(4), 491-504.

Berry, J. (2005). Levels of Reading Comprehension. Retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/document/286514964/Level-of-Reading-Comprehension

Betts, E. (1946). Foundations of Reading Instruction. New York: American Book Company

Billmeyer, R., & Barton, M. (1998). Teaching Reading in the Content Area: if not me, then who? Aurora, CO: McREL. Retrieved from https://www.indian.edu/1517/DRTA.htm

Blachowicz, C., & Ogle, D. (2008). Reading Comprehension: Strategies for Independent Learners (2nd ed.). London: The Guilford.

Brassell, D., & Rasinski, T. (2008). Comprehension that works: Taking Students Beyond Ordinary Understanding to Deep Comprehension. Corrine Burton: Huntington.

Brown, F. (1983). Principles of educational and psychological testing 3rd ed. New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

Camp, D. (2000). It takes two: Teaching with twin texts of fact and fiction. Reader Teacher, 53(5), 400-409.

Carrell, L., & Eisterhold, J. (1983). Schema Theory and ESL Reading Pedagogy. TESOL Quarterly, 17, 553-573.

Carrell, P., & Wise, T. (1998). The Relationship Between Prior Knowledge and Topic Interest in Second Language Reading. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 20(3), 285-309.

Chen, Q., & Donin, J. (1997). Discourse Processing of First and Second Language Biology Texts: Effects of Language Proficiency and Domain-Specific Knowledge. The Modern Language Journal, 81(2), 209-227.

Conner, J. (2006). Instructional Reading Strategy: DRTA (Directed Reading Thinking Activity). Retrieved from https://www.indiana.educ/1517/DRTA.htm

Cronbach, L. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika, 16(3), 297-334.

Cruse, M. (2007). Teaching and Learning: An Ethnographic, Sociolinguistic Analysis of the Teacher’s Role in the Construction of Knowledge in a Small Group Directed Reading Thinking Activity. A Dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Education. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-Santa Barbara.

Davis, F. (1968). Research in Comprehension in Reading. Reading Research Quarterly, 3(4), 499-545.

Day, R., & Park, J. (2005). Developing reading comprehension questions. Reading in a Foreign Language, 17(1), 60-73.

DeFoe, M. (1999). Using directed reading thinking activity strategies to teach students reading comprehension skills in middle grades language arts. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/[ED432011

Doran, R. (1980). Basic Measurement and Evaluation of Science Education. Washington, DCl: National science teachers Association.

Draheim, E. (1986). Directed reading-thinking activity, conceptual mapping and underlining: Their effect on expository text recall in a writing task. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED285137.pdf

Duke, K., & Pearson, D. (2002). Effective practices for developing reading comprehension. What research has to say about reading instruction. 3rd ed. ed. A.E. Farstrup and S.J. Samuels, 205–242. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Durkin, D. (1981). Reading Comprehension in five basal reader series. Reading Research Quarterly, 16(4), 515-543.

Elfira, E., Marhum, M., & Mashuri, D. (2015). Improving Reading Comprehension of the Grade VIII Students through Directed reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) Strategy. e-Journal of English Language Teaching Society (ELTS), 3(1), 1-11. Retrieved from https://media.neliti.com/media/publications/243427-none-099ee7c4.pdf

El-Koumy, A. (2006). The Effects Of The Directed Reading-Thinking Activity On EFL Students' Referential And Inferential Comprehension. Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), USA. Retrieved from http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2365150

Erliana, S. (2011). Improving reading comprehension through directed reading thinking activity strategy. Journal of English as Foreign Language, 1(1), 49-57.

Gillet, W., & Tample, C. (2000). Understanding reading problems . (5th ed.). New York : Addison Wesley.

Glass, C., & Zygouris-Coe, V. (2006). Directed Reading Thinking Activity. Florida.

Goodman, K. (1967). Reading: A Psycholinguistic Guessing Game. Journal of the Reading Specialist, 6, 126–135.

Grabe, W., & Stoller, F. (2002). Teaching and Researching Reading. Longman.

Haggard, M. (1988). Developing Critical Thinking with the Directed Reading-Thinking Activity. The Reading Teacher, 41(6), 526-533.

Hans, A., & Hans, E. (2015). Different Comprehension Strategies to Improve Student's Reading Comprehension, European Centre for Research Training and Development UK, 3(6), 61-69. Retrieved from https://www.eajournals.Org

Harp, B., & Brewer, J. (1991). Reading and Writing: Teaching for the connections. Florida, USA.

Harris, T., & Hodges, R. (Eds.). (1995). The Literacy Dictionary. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Hasanudin, H., Said, E., & Rumalean, A. (2020). Directed Reading Thinking Activity Strategy: A Study to Enhance Students' Reading Comprehension. Qalam: Jurnal Ilmu Kependidikan, 9(1), 13-15.

Hedgcock, J., & Ferris, D. (2009). Teaching Readers of English Students, Texts, and Contexts (First Ed.). New York: Taylor & Francis E-Library.

Hudson, T. (2007). Teaching Second Language Reading. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.

Ismail, E. (1994). The Effect of Directed Reading on Developing Thinking on Egyptians Student Teachers. Unpublished Thesis. Cairo - University. Cairo. Egypt.

Ismail, M. (2018). The Use of Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) to Improve Students Reading Comprehension of the First Grade of SMK Pembangunan Kota Ternate. Langua – Journal of Linguistics, Literature, and Language Education, 1(1), 42-48.

Jennings, C., & Shepherd, J. (1998). Literacy and the key learning areas: successful classroom strategies. Eleanor Curtain Publishing.

Jordan, F. (1997). English for Academic Purposes: a guide and resource book for teachers. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Katims, S., & Harris, S. (1997). Improving the Reading Comprehension of Middle School Students in Inclusive Classrooms. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 41(2), 116. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1059642.pdf

Kompyang, A. (2017). The Effect of Directed Reading Thinking Activity in Cooperative Learning Setting Toward Students’ Reading Comprehension of The Eleventh Grade Students. Journal of Psychology and Instruction, 1(2), 88-96.

Leech, N., Barrett, K., & Morgan, G. (2011). SPSS for intermediate statistics: Use and interpretation (4th edition). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Publishers.

Long, D. (1990). What You Don’t Know Can’t Help You. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 12, 65-80.

Maarof, N. (2010). Using DRTA to Overcome EFL Students’ Problems in Reading Literature in English. The International Journal of Learning, 17(8), 93-104.

McIntosh, M., & Bear, D. (1993). Directed reading-thinking activities to promote learning through reading in mathematics. Clearing House, 67(1), 40-44.

Megawati, I. (2019). The Effect of Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) Strategy on Students’ Reading Comprehension. Getsempena English Education Journal (GEEJ), 6(2), 172-180.

Mesmer, H. (2016). Teaching Skills for Complex Text: Deeping Close Reading in the Classroom. Teacher College Press, 1234 Amsterdam Avenue, Newyork, NY 10027. Teachers College, Columbia University, LC Record. Retrieved from https://Lccn.Loc.Gov/2016037364

Mhaidat, N. (2003). The Effects of Directed Reading-Thinking Model on Tenth Grader’s Reading Comprehension. Unpublished Master Thesis: Yarmouk University, Jordan. Retrieved from https://search.mandumah.com/Record/567673

Mikulecky, B., & Jeffries, L. (1996). Reading Power. Reading Foster. Thinking Skills. Reading for Pleasure Comprehension Skills. Singapore: Linda Jeffries, Addison Wesley Publishing Company.

Moreillon, J. (2007). Collaborative Strategies for Reading Comprehension: Maximizing Your Impact. American Library Association. Chicago.

Muayanah, M. (2014). Reading Comprehension Questions Developed by English Teachers of Senior High Schools in Surabaya. jsh Jurnal Sosial Humaniora, 7(1), 20-44.

Munro, J. (2005). The Use of Reading Comprehension Strategies at Multiple Levels of Text Processing. International Journal of Learning, 11(1), 7-16

Neal, K. (1988). Prediction in the Reading Process: Providing a connection between Prior Knowledge and Comprehnesion. Doctoral Dissertation, Auburn Univeristy. Disseration Abstracts International, 49, 776.

Nerim, N. (2020). Scrutinizing directed reading thinking activity (DRTA) strategy on students reading comprehension. Journal of Language and Language Teaching, 8(2), 128-138.

Nuttall, C. (1996). Teaching Reading Skills in a Foreign Language. (2nd Ed.). Oxford, UK: Heinemann.

Perez, B. (1998). Sociocultural contexts of language and literacy. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Pesa, N., & Somers, S. (2007). Improving reading comprehension through application and transfer of reading strategies (Master’s thesis, Saint Xavier University). Retrieved from: http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/ content_storage_01/0000019b/80/28/0c/59.pdf

Petre, R. (1971). Quantity, Quality, and Variety of Pupil Responses during an Open- Communication Structured Group Directed Reading-Thinking Activity and a Closed Communication Structured Group. Directed Reading Activity. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the international Reading Assn. (16th, Atlantic City, April, 1971). Retrieved from: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED071053.pdf

Pressley, M., & Block, C. (2002). Summing up: What comprehension instruction could be. In C. C. Block & M. Pressley (Eds.), Comprehension instruction: Research-based best practices (pp. 383–392). New York: Guilford Press.

Radaideh, E. (2020). The Effect of Digital Storytelling on Fifth Grade Students' Reading Comprehension Skills and their Motivation towards it. Unpublished Dissertation. Faculty of Education, Yarmouk University, Jordan.

Renn, C. (1999). The Effects of the Directed Reading Thinking Activity on Second Grade Reading Comprehension. Unpublished M.Ed. Dissertation, Grand Valley State University, Michigan, USA.

Reutzel, D., & Cooter, R. (1996). Teaching Children to Read: From Basals to Books (2nd ed.). Englewood, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Richards, J., & Schmidt, R. (2010). Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics. Longman Pearson: UK.

Richardson, J., & Morgan, R. (1997). Reading to Learn in the Content Areas. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.

Riley. D. (2006). The Effect of Directed Reading Thinking Activity on Low Reading Achievement First Grade Students. Dissertations International Abstracts, 32(4). 259-261.

Robinson, R., & Good, T. (1987). Becoming an Effective Reading Teacher. New York: Harper and Row.

Rosenshine, B. (1980). Skill Hierarchies in Reading Comprehension. In R. J. Spiro, B. C. Bruce, & W. F. Brewer (Eds.), Theoretical issues in reading comprehension: Perspectives from Cognitive Psychology, Linguistics, Artificial Intelligence, and Education (535–554). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Ruddell, B. (2002). Teaching children to read and write: Becoming an Effective Literacy Teacher. Pearson: USA.

Rumelhart, D. (1980). Schemata: The Building Blocks of Language. In R. J. Spiro, B. Bruce, & W. Brewer (Eds.), Theoretical Issues on Reading Comprehension (33–58). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Sarairah, B. (2006). The Effect of the "Directed Reading-Thinking Activity" Model and the Learning Style on EFL Jordanian Eleventh Grade Students' Literal and Inferential Reading Comprehension Achievements. Mu'tah Lil-Buhuth wad-Dirasat, 21(4), 9-35.

Shastri, P. (2010). Communicative Approach to the Teaching Of English as a Second Language. Himalaya Publishing House: Mumbai.

Shepherd, D. (1978). Comprehensive High School Reading Methods. Columbus, OH: Merrill.

Singleton, J. (2009). The Effects of Directed Reading – Thinking Activity (DR-TA) On Third Grade Students’ Reading Comprehension in Rural School Districts. A Dissertation. The University of Mississippi.

Stahl, K. (2008). The Effect of Three Instructional Methods on the Reading Comprehension and Content Acquisition of Novice Readers. Journal of Literacy Research, 40, 359-393.

Stauffer, G. (1969). Directing Reading Maturity as a Cognitive Process. New York, NY: Harper and Row.

Talbot, F. (2009). Make an Impact with your written English, How to use word power to impress in presentations, reports, PR and meetings. U.S.A: Kogan Page Limited.

Tankersley, K. (2005). Literacy Strategies for Grades 4-12: Reinforcing the Threads of Reading. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Thompson, R. (2007). Metacognition: An Intervention for Academically Unprepared College Students. Ph.D. Dissertation. The University of Capella.

Tierney, R., & Readance, J. (2005). Reading Strategies and Practices: A compendium (6th Ed.), Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Tierney, R., Readence, J., & Dishner, E. (1995). Reading Strategies and Practices. Needham Heights, MA: Simon and Schuster Company.

Vacca, R., & Vacca, J. (1996). Content Area Reading (5th edition), New York, NY: Harper Collins College Publishers.

Wardana, S. (2015). Improving Reading Comprehension Ability of the Eight Grade Students of SMP N 4 Singaraja by Using Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) Strategy in Academic Year 2015/2016. Unpublished Thesis. Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha.

Watkins, P. (2017). Teaching and Developing Reading Skills. Cambridge University Press: UK.

Welson, M., Abdel-Haq, E., & Kamil., Y. (2020). The Directed Reading Thinking Activity for Enhancing Reading Comprehension and Metacognitive Awareness among English Department Faculty of Education Students. Journal of Faculty of Education, 121(3), 69-100.

Witherspoon, F. (1995). The Effects of Metacomprehension Strategy Instruction on Students’ Reading Achievement and Metacomprehension Strategy Awareness. A Ph.D. Dissertation, Alabama University. Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Yazandi, M., & Mohammadi, M. (2015). The Explicit Instruction of Reading Strategies: Directed Reading Thinking Activity vs. Guided Reading Strategies. International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature, 4(3), 53-60.

Yosef, O. (1989). The Effects of two schema-Based Strategies on Egyptian high school students’ reading comprehension of EFL. Doctoral Dissertation, Indiana University. Retrieved from:

https://www.proquest.com/openview/8d52741f8999795b13279c33f71ae98a/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y

Yuliana, F. (2015). The Effect Of Directed Reading Thinking Activity And Reading Interest On Students‘ Reading Comprehension Study in the 8th Grade Students of MTS Jamiyyah Islamiyyah Pondok Retrieved from: https://repository.uinjkt.ac.id/dspace/bitstream/123456789/28357/1/FRISKA%20YULIANA-FITK.pdf