Jul 2026· Tabasa Jurnal Bahasa Sastra Indonesia dan Pengajarannya· Vol 7, pp. 424-440· 0 citations
Abstract
Although previous studies have examined critical reading primarily through tests, self-reports, and instructional interventions, limited research has explored how critical reading is manifested in undergraduate research proposals. Furthermore, little is known about the reading behaviors that underpin students' critical engagement with scholarly sources. Drawing on Wang and Gierl's (2011) conceptualisation of critical reading as a higher-order cognitive process, complemented by Paul and Elder's (2007) critical thinking framework, this study investigates critical reading skills and associated reading behaviors reflected in undergraduate research proposals. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on 30 undergraduate research proposals submitted by final-year psychology students at a public university in Malang, Indonesia. Participants were purposively selected from students who had completed their thesis proposal examinations during the 2021–2022 academic year. To enhance methodological triangulation, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants whose proposals were included in the analysis. The findings revealed two major patterns. First, students demonstrated relatively strong interpretive skills, particularly in identifying relevant sources and understanding explicit textual meaning. However, higher-order critical reading skills, including argument analysis, evaluation of conflicting evidence, inference, and synthesis, remained underdeveloped. Second, students seldom employed strategic reading behaviors such as note-taking, re-reading, cross-textual comparison, thematic organization, or visual mapping to support critical engagement with scholarly literature. These findings challenge the assumption that effective source use necessarily reflects well-developed critical reading competence. By linking textual evidence with students' reported reading behaviors, this study offers a more comprehensive understanding of critical reading in academic writing and highlights the need for explicit instruction, structured scaffolding, and targeted supervisory feedback to foster higher-order academic literacy.
Meskipun berbagai penelitian sebelumnya telah mengkaji membaca kritis melalui tes, laporan, dan intervensi pembelajaran, masih sedikit penelitian yang mengeksplorasi bagaimana kemampuan tersebut tercermin dalam proposal skripsi. Selain itu, perilaku membaca yang mendasari keterlibatan kritis mahasiswa terhadap sumber-sumber ilmiah juga belum banyak dipahami. Berlandaskan konseptualisasi membaca kritis sebagai proses kognitif tingkat tinggi yang dikemukakan oleh Wang dan Gierl (2011), serta didukung oleh kerangka berpikir kritis dari Paul dan Elder (2007), penelitian ini bertujuan mengidentifikasi keterampilan membaca kritis dan perilaku membaca yang tercermin dalam proposal penelitian mahasiswa. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode analisis isi terhadap 30 proposal penelitian skripsi mahasiswa Psikologi semester akhir di sebuah perguruan tinggi negeri di Malang, Indonesia. Partisipan dipilih secara purposif, yaitu mahasiswa yang telah menyelesaikan ujian proposal skripsi pada tahun akademik 2021–2022. Untuk memperkuat triangulasi data, dilakukan wawancara semi-terstruktur terhadap 10 mahasiswa yang proposalnya dianalisis. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan dua temuan utama. Pertama, mahasiswa menunjukkan kemampuan yang relatif baik dalam menginterpretasikan informasi, terutama dalam mengidentifikasi sumber yang relevan dan memahami makna eksplisit dari bacaan. Namun, keterampilan membaca kritis tingkat tinggi, seperti menganalisis argumen, mengevaluasi bukti yang saling bertentangan, menarik inferensi, dan menyintesis informasi, masih belum berkembang secara optimal. Kedua, mahasiswa jarang menerapkan strategi membaca yang mendukung keterlibatan kritis terhadap literatur ilmiah, seperti membuat catatan, membaca ulang, membandingkan informasi antar sumber, mengorganisasi tema, dan memvisualisasikan hubungan antarkajian. Temuan ini menunjukkan bahwa kemampuan menggunakan sumber rujukan secara efektif belum tentu mencerminkan kemampuan membaca kritis yang matang. Dengan menghubungkan bukti tekstual dalam proposal penelitian dengan perilaku membaca yang dilaporkan mahasiswa, penelitian ini memberikan pemahaman yang lebih komprehensif mengenai praktik membaca kritis dalam penulisan akademik serta menegaskan pentingnya pembelajaran membaca kritis yang eksplisit, scaffolding yang terstruktur, dan umpan balik pembimbing yang terarah untuk mengembangkan literasi akademik tingkat tinggi.
This study examines changes in advanced Chinese as a foreign language students’ reading attitudes and perceptions during a semester-long implementation of extensive reading (ER) with literature circle (LC) activities. The research was conducted in a Chinese Short Stories course at an American university with 12 learners. Quantitative data collected through pre- and post-course surveys of reading attitudes were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, with paired-samples t-tests as a robustness check. Qualitative data from a final reflection survey were analyzed thematically. Quantitative results showed significant increases in participants’ confidence, enjoyment, devotion, perceived practical value, and interest in reading Chinese. Qualitative findings indicated greater engagement with Chinese literature and culture, increased enjoyment of reading, discussion, and interpretation, strengthened confidence and perceived language gains, and the value of scaffolding for participation. Overall, the results suggest that incorporating ER with LC activities may be associated with positive developments in learners’ reading attitudes and engagement.
Xiaoshi Li, Wenying Zhou· Reading in a Foreign Languag...· 0 citations
This paper investigates how a Structured Academic Controversy (SAC) approach can support English learners (ELs) with below-grade-level English proficiency in meeting rigorous national social studies standards. In a case study, three high school ELs in a U.S. History class wrote protest letters to President Franklin D. Roosevelt about the World War II Japanese American internment (Executive Order 9066). Prior to writing, students analyzed primary sources using guiding questions to consider multiple perspectives. Analysis of the letters revealed evidence of four National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) thematic standards (Themes 1, 2, 5, and 10), while focus group interviews showed student awareness of two of the same themes (Themes 2 and 5) and one additional theme (Theme 6). These findings suggest that SAC enabled ELs to access rigorous content while addressing NCSS standards. A key benefit of SAC was the development of critical thinking and communication skills essential for democratic participation. The SAC process also afforded ELs meaningful opportunities to produce authentic writing that demonstrated engagement with high-level social studies concepts and civic reasoning.
C. Brown, S. Waters, W. Russell· Research in Social Sciences...· 0 citations
This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined the challenges encountered by students and teachers in reading fluency and reading comprehension at Tandubanak National High School in Sibutu, Tawi-Tawi, as a basis for a contextualized intervention program. The quantitative phase involved 60 Grade 7 to Grade 10 students identified as struggling readers and all six English teachers engaged in reading instruction. The qualitative phase included 14 students in two focus group discussions and three English teachers in semistructured interviews. Data were generated through reading-related assessments, structured questionnaires, interviews, and focus group discussions. Means, standard deviations, Pearson product-moment correlations, and analysis of variance were used for the quantitative data, while thematic analysis was used for the qualitative accounts. Students reported high challenges in reading fluency (M = 3.1733), with reading rate as the most difficult indicator, and very high challenges in literal (M = 3.4333), inferential (M = 3.4900), and critical comprehension (M = 3.4967). Teachers reported very high instructional challenges (M = 3.9333), particularly in monitoring progress under workload constraints. Reading fluency challenges were significantly and positively related to comprehension challenges (overall r = .665, p < .001). Students’ reading challenges were not significantly related to teachers’ instructional challenges, and comprehension challenges did not significantly differ by reading level. Qualitative findings identified foundational reading deficits, higher-order comprehension difficulties, emotional barriers, structural constraints, environmental and linguistic factors, and emerging support mechanisms. These results informed Project READ-UP, an eight-week school-based program combining fluency practice, phonics, vocabulary work, explicit comprehension instruction, peer-assisted learning, teacher support, contextualized materials, and systematic progress monitoring.
Mushrifa Ullang· QualiSearch Journal of Educa...· 0 citations
Literacy is a fundamental skill that, when acquired during the critical early years, enables individuals to succeed across multiple domains throughout life. However, students who fail to acquire literacy skills during primary school often face significant challenges in their subsequent academic and social lives. This study investigates the underlying causes of literacy and reading comprehension difficulties among students who failed to acquire literacy skills in first grade—a critical period for literacy development—and who were later identified as struggling with reading and writing in subsequent grades, based on the perspectives of teachers and school administrators. The study employed a qualitative case study design. Participants consisted of 15 teachers and 8 school administrators working at primary and lower secondary school levels, selected through maximum variation sampling. Data were collected throughout the 2023–2024 academic year using semi-structured interviews, monthly progress reports, and systematic classroom observations, and were analyzed using content analysis. Data were transcribed, followed by open coding to identify meaningful units; the resulting codes were grouped into categories and organized under overarching themes, with the constant comparative method applied throughout. The analysis revealed four main themes contributing to students' literacy acquisition difficulties: (1) personal factors, encompassing cognitive and emotional characteristics; (2) environmental factors, including family, school, and socio-economic context; (3) contextual factors, related to curricula and instructional materials; and (4) unforeseen factors, such as teacher changes and family crises. These four thematic domains highlight the multidimensional and interconnected nature of literacy difficulties, indicating that effective intervention strategies should simultaneously address individual, environmental, and contextual factors. The findings underscore the importance of early identification and support mechanisms and offer implications for teacher education programs.
Cebrail Öztürk· Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversite...· 0 citations
The qualitative study explores the lived experiences of ten Grade 10 English teachers in selected public junior high schools in Mandaue City, Philippines, as they implement innovative strategies to enhance reading comprehension. Recognizing the critical role of reading comprehension in academic success and lifelong learning, the research addresses persistent challenges associated with traditional instructional methods. Using a phenomenological approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with ten purposively selected teachers, each with at least two years of experience and prior engagement in innovative practices. Thematic analysis revealed five key themes: culturally responsive and localized teaching, student-centered and participatory approaches, resourcefulness amid constraints, positive learner transformation, and the need for institutional support. These findings highlight the importance of teacher agency, creativity, and systemic backing in promoting effective literacy instruction. Recommendations are offered for educators, school leaders, and policymakers to strengthen reading comprehension outcomes in public secondary education.
Kenneth Alister S. Roxas, Gino G. Sumalinog, EdD· International journal of res...· 0 citations
This study investigated the use of story-based tasks through reading aloud to enhance elementary school students’ speaking and critical thinking skills. The study employed a one-group pretest–posttest design involving 26 elementary school students at a private primary school in Yogyakarta. Students’ speaking performance was assessed in terms of pronunciation, fluency, and intonation, while critical thinking was assessed through understanding, reasoning, and connecting. Quantitative data were obtained from speaking and critical thinking assessments administered before and after the intervention, while students’ responses, worksheets, and classroom observations provided supporting qualitative data. The findings indicated substantial improvement in students’ reading-aloud performance, with the mean score increasing from 4.6 in the pre-test to 9.4 in the post-test on a 12-point scale. Students’ critical thinking scores also increased from 4.6 to 6.8. Qualitative evidence further indicated that students became more willing to participate, demonstrated better comprehension of story content, expressed simple opinions, and reused story dialogues creatively in new contexts. These findings suggest that story-based tasks integrated with reading aloud can support the development of young learners’ oral English proficiency and provide meaningful opportunities for emerging critical thinking
Iin Inawati, Ratri Nur Hidayati, Rahmi Munfangati· Global Synthesis in Educatio...· 0 citations