pISSN 12631-2840
eISSN 2631-2859
kronos.idiomas@uce.edu.ec
REVISTA KRONOS
INSTITUTO ACADÉMICO DE IDIOMAS REVISTA KRONOS
UNIVERSIDAD CENTRAL DEL ECUADOR 4(2), agosto 2023 enero 2024, pp. 9-20
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29166/kronos.v4i1.4316
CC BY-NC 4.0 —Licencia Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial 4.0 Internacional
© 2023 Universidad Central del Ecuador
William Chuquiguanga | Universidad Nacional de Educación, UNAE (Ecuador)
abstract This research paper aims to investigate the impact of the PQ4R reading strategy on the reading comprehen-
sion abilities of tenth-grade EFL students. The study involved thirty-two middle high school students and used a quan-
titative experimental approach with a pre-experimental design that involved a one-group pre-test-post-test design. The
students were administered a Cambridge A2 reading test as a pretest and post-test. A pretest was conducted before ad-
ministering the PQ4R reading strategy, and a post-test was conducted after the intervention to evaluate the strategy's ef-
fectiveness and measure the learners' progress. The results were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The
pretest results showed a low English reading performance among the participants, but after the intervention, the post-
test results revealed a significant improvement in their reading skills. The t-test for paired samples showed a significant
difference between the mean scores of the pretest and post-test. Cohen's d effect size value indicated a large effect of the
PQ4R strategy on learners' reading comprehension. These findings demonstrate the potential benefits of incorporating
practical language teaching methods, such as the PQ4R strategy, into EFL classes to enhance language acquisition and
comprehension in a foreign language context.
key words English learning, PQ4R reading strategy, students’ reading comprehension.
fecha de recepción 20/06/2023 fecha de aprobación 30/08/2023
El efecto de la estrategia PQ4R en la comprensión lectora de los estudiantes de inglés como
lengua extranjera en una escuela secundaria en Cuenca, Ecuador
resumen Este trabajo de investigación tiene como objetivo establecer el impacto de la estrategia de lectura PQ4R en
las habilidades de comprensión de lectura de los estudiantes de EFL de décimo grado. El estudio involucró a treinta y
dos estudiantes de secundaria y utilizó un enfoque experimental cuantitativo con un diseño preexperimental que in-
volucró un diseño de prueba previa y posterior de un grupo. A los estudiantes se les administró una prueba de lectura
Cambridge A2 como prueba previa y posterior. Se realizó una prueba previa antes de administrar la estrategia de lectu-
ra PQ4R y una prueba posterior después de la intervención para evaluar la eficacia de la estrategia y medir el progreso
de los alumnos. Los resultados se analizaron mediante estadística descriptiva e inferencial. Los resultados de la prueba
preliminar mostraron un bajo rendimiento de lectura en inglés entre los participantes, pero después de la intervención,
los resultados de la prueba posterior revelaron una mejora significativa en sus habilidades de lectura. La prueba t para
muestras pareadas mostró una diferencia significativa entre las puntuaciones medias del pretest y del postest. Además,
el valor del tamaño del efecto d de Cohen indicó un gran efecto de la estrategia PQ4R en la comprensión lectora de los
alumnos. Estos hallazgos demuestran los beneficios potenciales de incorporar métodos prácticos de enseñanza de idio-
mas, como la estrategia PQ4R, en las clases de EFL para mejorar la adquisición y comprensión del idioma en un con-
texto de idioma extranjero.
palabras clave Aprendizaje de inglés, estrategia de lectura PQ4R, comprensión lectora de los estudiantes.
The effect of the PQ4R strategy on EFL learners’ reading
comprehension at a middle high school in Cuenca, Ecuador
The Effect of the PQ4R Strategy on EFL Learners' Reading Comprehension at a Middle High School in Cuenca, Ecuador
10 REVISTA KRONOS 4(2), agosto 2023-enero 2024 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
INTRODUCTION
Learners must become proficient in reading comprehension to learn English as a foreign
language (efl) effectively. Several studies, including those by Saeedi et al. (2016), Brooks
et al. (2021), and Ruipérez (2022), have emphasized the importance of this skill. This
particular skill equips learners with the means to access and assimilate vital information
and knowledge, expand their lexicon and language skills, apply acquired abilities, attain ac-
ademic success, and foster a culture of continuous learning and self-improvement.
Learning a new language can be difficult, particularly for students learning English as
a foreign language. According to Mickan et al. (2023), learning a foreign language and a
new language can have different meanings depending on the context. However, based on
the search results, learning a «foreign language» refers to a language that is not native to
the speaker and is typically learned in a classroom setting. In contrast, learning a «new
language» refers to any language being learned for the first time, regardless of whether it
is native or foreign. Learning a new or foreign language involves acquiring new language
skills, such as vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and cultural understanding. This of-
ten requires formal instruction, practice, and exposure to the language through reading,
listening, speaking, and writing.
At the middle high school level, the efl Ecuadorian curriculum (2016) emphasizes the
importance of active strategies and collaborative group work to allow learners to construct
their learning rather than relying solely on direct instruction. The curriculum highlights the
need for efl teachers to apply active strategies in reading classes to enhance comprehen-
sion since students are expected to understand the main points in short, straightforward
texts on familiar topics and recognize shared vocabulary items between their first language
(l1) and English (l2). However, despite the support for using the most updated teaching
approaches and methodologies in the efl Ecuadorian curriculum, Ecuadorian efl teachers
mainly focus on using a structural approach (Burgin & Daniel, 2017; Álvarez & Ha, 2022).
Álvarez and Ha (2022) point out that Ecuadorian efl teachers still design their cur-
riculum by focusing more on teaching vocabulary words and grammar structures. The use
of this structural approach leaves apart the utilization of current and innovative teaching
methods, approaches, and strategies. This limited use of active and innovative strategies
when reading could explain why learners’ English reading comprehension remains mini-
mal. For this reason, the need to improve the current reading skill level by implementing
active and innovative learning strategies is increasingly widespread. In line with these
challenges, teachers require an effective strategy to allow students to comprehend what
they read and enjoy their learning process.
One effective strategy teachers can implement to improve the learning process is the
pq4r strategy. According to Dakhiel and Al sulami (2021), the pq4r strategy introduced
by Thomas E. L. and Robinson H. A. in their book «Improving Reading in Every Class: A
Sourcebook for Teachers» in 1972 is an effective method for enhancing reading abilities.
The acronym pq4r stands for Preview, Question, Read, Reflect, Recite, and Review. This
strategy improves learners’ understanding, enhances their reading skills, helps them un-
derstand and remember what they read, and stimulates their prior knowledge. By applying
the pq4r strategy, students can understand and retain information more effectively.
Furthermore, according to Fitriani and Suhardi (2019), the pq4r strategy combines
previewing, questioning, reading, reciting, reflecting, and revising the reading material. The
preview step involves previewing the text to activate prior knowledge and establish an
overview of the content through scanning headings, subheadings, and visual aids. Learners
generate their own questions during the question step, which enhances their comprehension
and focus. In the reading step, learners read the text aiming to answer their questions and
comprehend the material in-depth while taking notes. The reflecting step involves attempt-
ing to understand the reading material by making connections to already familiar concepts.
William Chuquiguanga.
11REVISTA KRONOS 4(2), agosto 2023-enero 2024 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
The reciting step involves learners summarizing the text’s main points in their own words,
reinforcing their understanding and retention. The reviewing step implicates revisiting the
material to consolidate learning and transfer the knowledge to long-term memory.
PREVIOUS STUDIES
Many studies have explored how effective the pq4r strategy is in enhancing reading com-
prehension. For instance, Al-Qawabeh et al. (2018) conducted a study to determine the
effectiveness of the pq4r strategy in teaching reading comprehension to ninth-grade Ara-
bic students in Jordan. A survey and an achievement test for reading comprehension were
used with 104 male and female students randomly selected into two experimental and
two control groups. The study found that using the pq4r strategy led to notable improve-
ments in the experimental group, especially for female students. Therefore, the study rec-
ommended incorporating the pq4r strategy into efl classes as it is valuable to enhance
reading comprehension.
Similarly, a classroom action research study by Zuriah (2020) aimed at improving the
reading comprehension achievement of 11th-grade students at sman 19 Palembang using
the pq4r strategy. The study was conducted in three cycles of classroom action research
to assess both effectiveness and student perception toward the pq4r strategy. Based on
the results, it was found that utilizing the pq4r reading strategy resulted in a significant
improvement in the students’ reading comprehension ability. In addition, it was inferred
that learners had positive perceptions toward the implemented strategy.
Likewise, another study was carried out by Dakhiel and Al sulami (2021) to assess
the efficacy of the pq4r strategy in enhancing the reading comprehension abilities of stu-
dents in the second-intermediate grade. The study employed a quasi-experimental design
and divided students into an experimental (using pq4r) and a control (using the tradition-
al method) group. The findings indicated that implementing the pq4r strategy can posi-
tively impact students’ reading comprehension. As a result, the researcher recommended
using this strategy to improve efl students’ reading comprehension skills.
Previous studies show that using the pq4r strategy can significantly enhance reading
comprehension. The literature indicates that by previewing, questioning, reading, reflecting,
reciting, and reviewing texts, learners can enhance their comprehension and vocabulary
acquisition, leading to remarkable success in their language learning journey.
JUSTIFICATION
Students often struggle with understanding and retaining the vast amount of information
presented in class due to their limited vocabulary, lack of background knowledge, and
inadequate reading strategies, as reported by Burgin & Daniel (2017), Nanda & Azmy
(2020), and Hezam et al. (2022). To overcome these obstacles, teachers and students
must adopt effective study strategies that facilitate information processing and retention.
However, according to Alvarez and Ha (2022), Ecuadorian efl teachers prioritize teach-
ing vocabulary words and grammar structures when designing their curriculum. Teach-
ers must implement an effective strategy for students to comprehend what they read and
enjoy the learning process. One effective strategy teachers can implement to improve the
learning process is the pq4r strategy.
Despite the proven effectiveness of the pq4r strategy in various efl contexts, further
research is needed in Ecuador to determine its impact on the English reading compre-
hension of Ecuadorian learners. In order to fill the knowledge gap and contribute to the
The Effect of the PQ4R Strategy on EFL Learners' Reading Comprehension at a Middle High School in Cuenca, Ecuador
12 REVISTA KRONOS 4(2), agosto 2023-enero 2024 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
existing literature, the present pre-experimental research study was conducted using the
pq4r strategy as an intervention in reading classes. Therefore, this research paper aims to
answer the following research question: What is the effect of applying the pq4r strategy
on the tenth-grade efl learners’ reading comprehension at a middle high school in Cuenca,
Ecuador? In addition, the study proposed the null and alternative hypotheses as follows:
HN = the pq4r strategy does not affect tenth-grade learners’ reading comprehension skills.
HA = the pq4r strategy does affect tenth-grade learners’ reading comprehension skills.
METHOD
This study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the pq4r strategy in enhancing the read-
ing comprehension skills of middle-high school efl learners. The researcher employed a
quantitative experimental method and utilized a pre-experimental design to determine the
impact of the pq4r strategy on efl students’ reading comprehension achievement. Thyer
(2012) states that pre-experimental designs concentrate on analyzing a single group of
individuals who have undergone a particular social work intervention, which is the main
focus of the study and are identified as the treatment group.
As only one tenth-grade classroom was available during the morning session at the
high school where the study was conducted, the researcher designated this class as the
treatment group. Therefore, a one-group pretest-posttest design was employed to gather
and analyze data since no control group was available for comparison. According to Thy-
er (2012), Fernández and Baptista (2013), and Creswell (2013), this design involves
assessing participants on two separate occasions, the initial assessment (pretest) and the
subsequent evaluation conducted after undergoing treatment (post-test). Ultimately, the
post-test results were compared to the pretest outcomes to identify any changes.
PARTICIPANTS
This research was conducted at a public high school in Cuenca, Ecuador, in the academic
year 2022-2023. Thirty-two tenth-grade students aged 15-16 participated in the present
pre-experimental research study. A contextualization journal determined that all partici-
pants were homogeneous in terms of ethnicity, native language, exposure to English, and
educational and cultural background.
INSTRUMENTS
The primary research tool used in the study was a reading test administered before and
after the intervention to measure students’ reading comprehension. Specifically, a Cam-
bridge a2 reading test (Ket reading test), consisting of parts one to five, was used as both
the pretest and post-test. The researcher chose the Ket reading test since this standardized
exam reflects real-life language skills and the understanding of specific information, such
as getting the main message and idea from text and correctly using vocabulary words. Fi-
nally, students were evaluated using the same criteria as the international exam.
William Chuquiguanga.
13REVISTA KRONOS 4(2), agosto 2023-enero 2024 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
PROCEDURE
Before the pre-experimental study began, a pre-reading test was applied to the participants.
This first test aimed to measure the initial ability of students. Then, during eight weeks
and three hours of English instruction each week, the efl instructor utilized lesson plans
guided by the pq4r strategy. These lesson plans incorporated pre-, while, and post-reading
discussions and exercises focusing on enhancing reading comprehension abilities, such as
predicting text content, skimming and scanning for answers, reading for detail, summa-
rizing main points, identifying the meaning of the text, and making inferences. Lastly, at
the end of the study, another reading test was administered to the control and experimen-
tal group. This test served as a means of measuring the students’ progress and provided
valuable data for further analysis and interpretation.
DATA ANALYSIS
The researcher analyzed and interpreted the pre- and post-reading comprehension test
data using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (spss) and Minitab software. First, de-
scriptive statistics such as mean scores, minimum and maximum scores, and standard de-
viations of the pre and post-test were used to determine the effects of the pq4r strategy on
reading comprehension. Second, the researcher conducted an inferential analysis that in-
cluded a t-student test for paired samples to determine any significant differences between
the pretest and post-test mean scores. The decisions were made with a significance of 5%
(p < 0.05). Lastly, to quantify the effectiveness of using the pq4r strategy, the effect size
of the difference between the pre and post-test scores was calculated and reported using
the effect size «d» suggested by Cohen (1992). The effect size was then interpreted based
on the guidelines by Fernández and Baptista (2013), where a 0.20 value indicates a small
effect, 0.50 shows a medium effect size, and 0.80 represents a large effect.
RESULTS
This study aimed to investigate the effect of using the pq4r strategy on reading compre-
hension among efl students. In addition, the study aimed to test the alternative hypothesis,
which states that the use of the pq4r strategy does affect reading comprehension. Con-
versely, the null hypothesis was proposed to test if the pq4r strategy does not affect learn-
ers’ reading comprehension skills.
PRETEST AND POSTTEST RESULTS
Before implementing the pq4r strategy, the pretest was administered to determine and mea-
sure the initial learners’ reading performance. As shown in Figure 1, all participants’ pre-
test results showed a mean score of 5.25 (out of 10) with a standard deviation of 0.92.
In addition, the pretest results indicated that the minimum score was 3.50 and the max-
imum score was 7.0. All this indicated that the group was in similar reading conditions;
in other words, they had low English reading performance before implementing the pq4r
strategy (see Figure 1).
The Effect of the PQ4R Strategy on EFL Learners' Reading Comprehension at a Middle High School in Cuenca, Ecuador
14 REVISTA KRONOS 4(2), agosto 2023-enero 2024 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
On the other hand, the post-test was taken a week after the end of applying the pq4r strate-
gy, and it was taken to measure to what extent learners improved their reading comprehen-
sion ability. The post-test results showed that the experimental group’s mean was 7.25 (out
of 10), with a standard deviation of 1.00. Moreover, the results showed a minimum score
of 5.50 and a maximum score equal to 9.0, as shown in figure following (see Figure 2).
Before conducting inferential statistical analysis, it is important to assess the normal-
ity and homogeneity of the data. The data must meet specific criteria, such as autonomy
of subjects, paired measurements from the same individual, and adherence to a normal
distribution. These criteria are especially important for smaller sample sizes. Parametric
tests can only be used when the data fulfills these prerequisites.
For these previous reasons, two tests were conducted before analyzing the data to
compare the initial situation to the final situation. The first test was the Anderson-Darling
normality test, which determined whether the data was normally distributed. The second
test, Levene’s test, was used to determine if the data was homogenous.
NORMALITY TEST
Table 1 displays the Anderson-Darling normality test results, which aimed to determine if
the scores were normally distributed. All p-values (p > 0.05) were above the level of sig-
nificance (p = 0.05), indicating that the pretest and post-test scores are normally distrib-
uted. Therefore, it would be appropriate to perform any parametric test to determine if
there is a significant difference between the mean scores (see Table 1).
HOMOGENEITY TEST
In Levene’s test, the p-value (p > 0.05) is greater than the selected level of significance
(p = 0.05), as shown in Table 2. Thus, it demonstrates that the data variances are statis-
tically equal, and any parametric test can be performed (see Table 2).
7,06,56,05,55,04,54,03,5
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Mean 5,25
S.D 0,9246
N 32
PRE-TEST
Fr
eq
ue
nc
y
Normal
Distribution Plot "PRE-TEST"
Figure 1. Overall results of the pretest
Note. Mean, Standard Deviation, Minimum, and Maximum scores for the pretest.
William Chuquiguanga.
15REVISTA KRONOS 4(2), agosto 2023-enero 2024 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
After knowing that the data is normally distributed and homogenous, the researcher ana-
lyzed the data by using parametric tests. Since a t-test determines whether or not the dif-
ference between the means of samples is significant (Creswell, 2013; Fernández & Baptista,
2013), one t-test for paired samples was performed. The t-test for paired samples was
conducted to determine how far each group performed from the pretest and post-test and
to state whether there was any significant difference between them.
PAIRED SAMPLE T-TEST
The effectiveness of the pq4r strategy in improving English reading comprehension among
efl learners was evaluated using a paired sample t-test. On the one hand, the pretest results
demonstrated that the group had a mean of 5.25 (out of 10) with a standard deviation of
98765
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Mean 7,25
S.D 1
N 32
POST-TEST
Fr
eq
ue
nc
y
Normal
Distribution Plot "POST-TEST"
Table 1. Normality test of Anderson-Darling
group variable n mean sd test statistic p-value
Tenth-grade
Pretest
32
5.25 0.92 0.51 0.186
Post-test 7.25 1.00 0.47 0.232
Note. All p-values (p > 0.05) demonstrate that the data were normally distributed.
Table 2. Levene test for equality
group variable n s.d. variance levene
statistic
df 1 df 2 p-value
Tenth-grade
Pretest
32
0.92 0.85
0.19 1 64 0.664
Posttest 1.00 1.0
Note. P-value (p > 0.05) demonstrated that the data are statistically equal.
Figure 2. Overall results of post-test
Note. Mean, Standard Deviation, Minimum, and Maximum scores for the pretest.
The Effect of the PQ4R Strategy on EFL Learners' Reading Comprehension at a Middle High School in Cuenca, Ecuador
16 REVISTA KRONOS 4(2), agosto 2023-enero 2024 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
0.92. On the other hand, the post-test results showed a mean of 7.25 (out of 10) with a
standard deviation of 1.00, as seen in Figure 3. The difference between the means of the
pretest and post-test was 2 points, which means that learners of this group had an im-
provement of 20% in their English reading comprehension (see Figure 3).
The data in Table 3 displays a noticeable difference in the mean scores between the
pretest and post-test. Specifically, the mean score of the post-test (7.25) is higher than the
mean score of the pretest (5.25). Additionally, the t-test value is -23.81, and the p-value
is 0.000, with a level of significance (α) of 0.05. These results indicate that the p-value
is smaller than the level of significance (α). These results indicate a noteworthy contrast
in the mean scores before and after the pq4r strategy was implemented by the researcher
(see Table 3).
COHEN’S D VALUE
The previous results provide evidence of an improvement in scores in all participants.
There was an increase of 2 points between the pretest and post-test scores. Therefore, to
determine the effect size of using the pq4r strategy on learners’ reading comprehension,
Cohen’s d was calculated. The effect size was calculated through the equations below.
m1 and m2 stand for the mean of groups 1 (pretest) and 2 (post-test). sd pooled stands
for pooled standard deviation. The sd pooled was calculated using the equation below.
n1 and n2 stand for the size of groups 1 (pretest) and 2 (post-test), while sd1 and sd2
stand for the standard deviation of groups 1 (pretest) and 2 (post-test), respectively. Fi-
nally, the criteria for interpreting Cohen’s «d» effect size was as follows: 0.20 is consid-
ered a small effect, 0.50 is a medium effect size, and 0.80 is considered a large effect size
(Creswell, 2013; Fernández & Baptista, 2013). Thus, the results revealed an effect size
of 2.08, interpreted as a considerable effect size of the pq4r strategy on learners’ reading
comprehension (see Table 4).
In addition, Figure 4 shows the strength of using the pq4r strategy on the total score
of the reading test, where the value of Cohen’s d was greater than 0.80, which means that
the use of the pq4r strategy in improving students’ reading comprehension has a consid-
erable effect size. It was responsible for 20% of the improvement of the learners’ reading
comprehension skills (see Figure 4).
DISCUSSION
The present study revealed positive outcomes regarding middle-high school students’ read-
ing comprehension skills. Implementing the pq4r strategy led to a noteworthy enhancement
in the English reading abilities of the efl students. This fact was evident from the variation
in the mean scores before and after the application of the strategy, which was statistically
significant at a 0.05 significance level. The results were analyzed and discussed in light of
William Chuquiguanga.
17REVISTA KRONOS 4(2), agosto 2023-enero 2024 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
Table 4. Cohen’s d value
vari-
able
value sd co-
hen’s d
interpre-
tation
N1 32
2.08 Large
effect
M1 5.25
SD1 0.92
N2 32
M2 7.25
SD2 1.0
9
0,0
1,0
2,0
3,0
4,0
5,0
6,0
7,0
6,3 8,4 0,6 2,7 4,8 6,
5,25 0,9246 32
7,25 1 32
Mean S.D N
D
ytisneD
ata
P
elbairaV
TSET-TSOP
TSET-ER
N
"tseT-tsoP dna tseT-erP" tolP noitubirtsiD
lamro
Figure 3. Difference between the means of the pretest and post-test
Figure 4. The effect size of the PQ4R strategy
Note. The difference between the means of the pretest and post-test was 2 points.
Note. Two points of difference between the mean scores indicate a large effect size of the PQ4R strategy
111098765432
0,4
0,3
0,2
0,1
0,0
X
D
en
si
ty
5,25 7,25
5,25 0,92
7,25 1
Media Desv.Est.
Distribution plot- Experimental group
Cohen's d: 2,08
Post-test
Pre-test
Difference: 2
The Effect of the PQ4R Strategy on EFL Learners' Reading Comprehension at a Middle High School in Cuenca, Ecuador
18 REVISTA KRONOS 4(2), agosto 2023-enero 2024 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
the main research question. The main research question aimed to determine whether the
pq4r strategy improves Ecuadorian middle-high school learners’ English reading compre-
hension skills in the academic year 2022/2023.
The results showed that students in the tenth grade who were taught using the pq4r
strategy enhanced their English reading comprehension abilities. After the pq4r strategy
was introduced as a teaching-learning strategy in reading classes, there was a significant
positive score difference between the pretest and post-test results. This finding is consistent
with the results of Rahmadia and Fatimah (2020), which showed that the pq4r learning
model had more influence on reading comprehension than the conventional learning
model (lecture method). Alike/Similarly, Khusniyah (2018) found that the pq4r strategy
significantly improved efl learners’ reading ability since this strategy fosters a range of
skills, including active participation, critical thinking, higher-order thinking, motivation,
reading comprehension, and vocabulary acquisition.
Using the pq4r strategy was beneficial for Ecuadorian efl students to improve their
reading comprehension. This teaching-learning strategy promoted higher-order thinking
skills and critical thinking abilities, encouraging students to reflect on the content they
read and express it in their own words. Additionally, the strategy prompted students to
actively participate in the reading process by previewing, questioning, and reflecting on
the text. Previewing the text allowed students to acquire new vocabulary before reading,
while the strategy’s structured approach helped students read and learn more effectively.
In addition, the present study showed that utilizing the pq4r technique led to positive
outcomes in English reading comprehension. In this regard, studies by Agustiani (2019)
and Amaya and Salinas (2021) demonstrated that learners can enhance their English
reading proficiency through the pq4r strategy. This enhancement is due to increased stu-
dent engagement and a better understanding of the material, resulting in improved scores.
Using the pq4r method as a teaching strategy, students’ English reading comprehension
and proficiency can be promoted. The present study’s findings indicate that introducing
the pq4r strategy in efl classes will benefit Ecuadorian middle-high school students by
improving their reading abilities.
CONCLUSIONS
The present study conducted during the academic year 2022/2023 sought to demonstrate
the effectiveness of implementing the pq4r strategy in improving the reading comprehen-
sion skills of middle-high school students. The descriptive results revealed a significant
improvement in the mean score of students, from 5.25 (out of 10) in the pretest to 7.25
(out of 10) in the post-test. These results signify the positive impact of the pq4r strategy
on middle-high school students’ reading ability.
Furthermore, the inferential results support the effectiveness of the pq4r strategy in
enhancing reading comprehension skills. Cohen’s d value of 2.08 indicated a large effect
size, and the paired sample t-test yielded a p-value of 0.00, which is less than the level of
significance of α = 0.05. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that teaching students
using the pq4r strategy successfully improves their English reading comprehension abilities.
The pq4r reading strategy is not commonly used in Ecuador, where recent studies
have shown that other metacognitive strategies such as sq3r, Question-Generation, Col-
laborative Strategic Reading (csr), Look, Think and Predict, Guided Retelling, Response
Journal, and Thinking Along with Strategy are effective in enhancing reading comprehen-
sion for efl learners at both high school and university levels. Thus, the findings in the
present research study demonstrated that by previewing, questioning, reading, reflecting,
William Chuquiguanga.
19REVISTA KRONOS 4(2), agosto 2023-enero 2024 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
reciting, and reviewing texts, middle high school efl learners can also enhance their reading
comprehension abilities.
In summary, the findings in the present pre-experimental research study demonstrat-
ed that the pq4r strategy can enhance the reading comprehension skills of efl learners in
Ecuador. Teachers can provide a better learning experience to students by using the pq4r
strategy since it helps students improve their reading comprehension, vocabulary, critical
thinking skills, and ability to learn independently. Using this strategy, students can achieve
greater success in their personal and professional lives by better understanding, analyzing,
and engaging with English texts.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The pq4r reading strategy yielded positive outcomes, but it is important to consider cer-
tain recommendations to improve the technique’s effectiveness for future research studies.
One limitation of the study was the lack of a control group, as there was no other tenth-
grade classroom available for comparison during the morning session at the high school.
Therefore, it is highly recommended that future researchers include a control group with
similar characteristics to ensure the replication of the study and comparison of outcomes.
Additionally, it is recommended that researchers pilot their instruments, such as the reading
test, with participants before implementing them to improve the accuracy of future stud-
ies. Adapting and editing study material to fit the specific context of each study can also
lead to more reliable results. Lastly, due to dropouts and schedule changes, the study had
a smaller sample size than intended (32 instead of 40). Therefore, it is recommended that
future studies have a larger sample size to increase the accuracy and reliability of results.
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