Assessing Reading Comprehension Strategies under Three Learning Conditions

The purpose of this study was to measure reading comprehension strategies when Tell Me More and Sweet English software were utilized to enhance the traditional reading comprehension practice. The study focused on evaluation of four strategies (i.e., scanning, skimming, inferencing and headline guessing) in reading comprehension in three different classes at an English language Institute in Iran. In addition, the study reported the relationship between learner attitudes and learner perceptions toward the use of the software. To do so, one hundred and twenty students studying at Jam-e-Jam Institute in Tehran were selected. In the first step, CELT was administered and among 83 participants who were found to be homogeneous, sixty were selected and assigned randomly to three groups of 20, one as the two experimental groups and the other as the control group. In the second step, subjects in both experimental and control groups were tested on a researcher-prepared reading comprehension test as a pretest in the first session. In the following 12 sessions, the treatment was administered to the participants. At the end of the semester, the subjects in all three groups were given the same test of the pre-test as post test. The test result showed that CALL groups (the experimental groups) surpassed slightly the control group. The use of Tell Me More produced a significant difference in learners’ inferencing and scanning but not skimming and headline guessing as compared to Sweet English. The result of survey indicated an overall positive attitude toward Tell Me More. A significant correlation was reported between student attitudes and student perception.