An Approach to Academic Success: Improving Second Language Reading Performance in Higher Education through Explicit Reading Strategy Instruction

Abstract

When teaching reading in a second language (L2) to higher education students it is helpful to provide explicit instruction in why, how and when to use L2 reading strategies. Explicit instruction of reading strategies has been shown to improve reading comprehension performance in readers, but empirical studies investigating the effectiveness of L2 reading strategies within higher education settings have been lacking. In this dissertation the effects of L2 reading strategy instruction on the reading comprehension performance of first year higher education students are explored. A meta-analysis of 46 international reading strategy studies was conducted to gain insight into the most effective L2 reading strategies and pedagogical approaches. These were integrated into a seven week L2 reading strategy intervention. The chapters in this dissertation explore the development, implementation and evaluation of the effects of the L2 reading strategy intervention on student reading comprehension within a higher education setting.

Deborah Yapp is a language and education researcher at the University of Utrecht and teaches English at Leiden University of Applied Sciences.