The Role of Think–aloud Strategies on Improving Iranian EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension and Written Performance: The Reading –Writing Connection

The purpose of this study was twofold: its first aim was to determine the effect of think-aloud strategies on developing EFL learners’ reading comprehension; secondly, it attempted to determine the effect of think-aloud strategies on developing EFL learners’ written performance. Students were randomly assigned to an experimental and a control group by using a Preliminary English Test (PET) and a reading comprehension task and a writing task as a pre-test. In the experimental group, the teacher explained about think-aloud strategies. These students completed the reading tasks and used different think-aloud strategies and worked collaboratively with their teachers and peers while using flashcards to practice these strategies. The process and materials for the control group were the same as the experimental group. However, the teacher did not explain about think-aloud strategies. Furthermore, they did not have access to think aloud flashcards. The results of the study indicated that in the post test, the experimental group outperformed the control group on completing reading comprehension tasks and improving their written performance. The findings suggested that thinking-aloud strategies could be a good strategy for improving reading and writing.

کلیدواژه ها:

EFL ، reading comprehension ، think-aloud flashcards ، think–aloud strategies ، writing Skill