The Effects of Directed Reading Activities on English Reading Ability of Grade 12 Students in a Chinese Vocational School

Huan Zhao; Saowarot Ruangpaisan; Surachai Piyanukool

doi:10.14456/bej.2025.23

Authors

Zhao Huan M. Ed. (Candidate), Zhao Huan, English Language Teaching Program, Faculty of Education, Buriram Rajabhat University, Thailand
Saowarot Ruangpaisan Major Advisor, Dr.Saowarot Ruangpaisan, English Language Teaching Program, Faculty of Education, Buriram Rajabhat University, Thailand
Surachai Piyanukool Co-advisor, Assistant Professor Dr. Surachai Piyanukool, English Language Teaching Program, Faculty of Education, Buriram Rajabhat University, Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14456/bej.2025.23

Keywords:

Directed Reading Activity (DRA), reading comprehension, vocational education

Abstract

Directed Reading Activity (DRA) is a structured instructional approach designed to enhance students’ comprehension and engagement during reading. This study investigated the effects of DRA on the English reading ability and learning satisfaction of 12th-grade students at Tianfu Information Vocational College in Sichuan, China. A quasi-experimental design was employed with two intact classes. The experimental group (n = 50) received DRA-based instruction for eight weeks, while the control group (n = 50) received teacher-centered reading instruction focusing on vocabulary explanation, text translation, and comprehension questions, without explicit reading strategy instruction. Pretest and posttest scores were compared using paired-sample and independent-sample t-tests. A student satisfaction questionnaire was also administered and analyzed using mean and standard deviation. The results showed that the experimental group achieved significantly higher reading scores after DRA instruction. Students also reported a very high level of satisfaction, particularly regarding overall perception and the relevance of reading topics to their vocational fields. These findings suggest that DRA is an effective pedagogical approach for improving English reading proficiency and fostering positive learning attitudes among vocational school students in China.

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