Development of an Instructional Model to Enhance the Critical Reading Ability in English of Upper Secondary School Students

Abstract

This research aimed to develop an instructional model to enhance the critical reading ability of upper secondary school students based on the research and development practice.  There were three research steps.  Step 1 dealt with a survey on conditions and needs in obtaining enhancement in critical reading ability.  Step 2 referred to instructional model development.  Step 3 was relevant to a study on the results gained through utilizing the instructional model to enhance the critical reading ability of upper secondary school students via the developed model.  The sample groups used as experimental groups for trying out the instructional model were three English teachers and 115 Grade-11 students in three high schools under the Office of the Private Education Commission in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai regions in Academic Year 2019 (B.E. 2562).  They were obtained via a cluster sampling method.  The research tools consisted of (1) a questionnaire for surveying teachers’ conditions and needs, (2) an instructional model to enhance the critical reading ability, (3) a critical reading ability test, and (4) questionnaires on teachers’ and students’ satisfaction toward the operation of the instructional model enhancing the critical reading ability.  The statistics used to analyze the data were mean scores, percentage, standard deviation, and t-test values.  The research findings were as follows:

1. The overall mean score of current conditions of students’ critical reading was at a moderate level while that of the needs in enhancing students’ critical reading was at the highest level.
2. The developed instructional model consisted of five components that were (1) principles, (2) objectives, (3) learning processes consisting of five steps, i.e. preparation, presentation, reading ability processes, personal knowledge construction, and provision of feedback and learning assessment, (4) social systems, and (5) measurement and evaluation. The quality of the instructional model evaluated by the connoisseurs was at a high level.

The scores of the students taught via the instructional model enhancing the critical reading ability before and after utilizing the model were found different at a statistical significance level of 0.01.  Both teachers and students were satisfied with the instructional management via the model at a high level.

Keywords- instructional model, critical reading ability, upper secondary school students