Instructional Strategies for Improving Reading Comprehension in English in the United Arab Emirates

This report discusses instructional strategies for improving reading comprehension in English in the United Arab Emirates. It includes a literature review and explores different approaches like compare and contrast, note-taking, summarization, comprehension questions, visual representations, prediction, cooperative learning, and providing feedback.

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Instructional strategies
Student
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Table of Contents
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................2
Literature Review..................................................................................................................................2
Instructional strategies......................................................................................................................3
References...........................................................................................................................................11

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Introduction
Instructional strategies are methods teachers apply to assist students to become independent,
planned learners. This type of strategies turns into learning approaches when scholars
independently choose the suitable ones and use them efficiently to complete tasks or
encounter goals (Cummins, 2007). Instructional strategies can be helpful to inspire students
and assist them to focus attention, create information for remembering and understanding,
and display and evaluate learning (Cummins, 2007). Learning English in UAE is the big
concern that needs the attention of the government. The Scholars or students finish up
studying an overseas language specifically in classes, with no actual opportunities to exercise
their freshly acquired grammar and vocabulary (Elhoweris, Alsheikh, and Haq, 2011). Only a
minor percentage utilizes the start of actually talking in the foreign language they are
learning. Some of the instructional strategies can be implemented to increase the learning
experience includes: creating learning station, using task cards, using think pair strategies,
implementing reflection and goal setting exercises, giving different sets of reading
comprehension activities, assigning open projects, using technology (Elhoweris, Alsheikh,
and Haq, 2011). In this particular assessment report, the instructional approaches and the
impacts of these tactics on learners' achievement in reading comprehension in English in the
United Arab Emirates will be discussed. The journal articles on the topic mentioned above
will also be reviewed to understand the impacts.
Literature Review
The English comprehension learning related issues have been examined in various articles
and become a topic of debate among the academic experts of UAE. The emphasis has been
always given to learn the native language in UAE and very English learning has gained very
low focus from the students as well as the teachers and government. In the past few years the

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emphasis on this language has been raised. There are different strategies that have been used
in the United Arab Emirates to improve the reading of compressions in English language and
the achievement result s has been analyzed and mention in various research articles and
review articles (Shaalan, 2005).
The practice of instructional approaches aids educators in assisting the development of their
students (Almekhlafi, 2006). The aim for all interpretation training is for students to read for
accepting and development of vocabulary and awareness (Alsheikh, and Elhoweris, 2011).
Reading comprehension is the concluding point where students have grasped the idea where
they are no more learning to forty-four read, somewhat now interpretation to study.
Beginners used the abilities developed when receiving teaching to read to ease learning by
using comprehension (Jones and Mixon, 2015).
Additionally, reading comprehension drops under the canopy of vigorous processing and
needs intentional and considerate communication between the student and text (Jones and
Mixon, 2015). Some researchers have found that the students do not require to be fluent
readers for developing reading comprehension abilities. Though, ELL students are permitted
to grow reading fluency abilities within their L1 linguistic in for facilitating comprehension.
When teaching ELL students about reading comprehension, precaution should be in use to
expect and address verbatim and metaphorical language obstacles beforehand. ELL scholars
must instantaneously work headed for their English language aims while emerging
vocabulary and learning abilities, as well as functioning at score level (O’Sullivan, 2004).
Instructional strategies
There are different approaches that have been recognized as operational for usage with ELL
students. These approaches are:
 Compare and contrast

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 Taking notes
 Summarization
 Comprehension Questions/ Types of questions
 Visual representations of text/ Advance Organizers (KWL)
 Make inferences /Prediction.
 Cooperative Learning
 Providing feedback
 Setting objectives/main idea
Compare and contrast strategy
Compare and contrast strategy has been used in various educational institutes of UAE to
improve the reading comprehension in English. Various researches established improvements
in reading speed joint with comparable large and important improvements in reading
comprehension examination performance amongst different groups of students which had
experienced widespread reading programs using categorized readers paralleled with other
groups, had concentrated on rigorous reading. Various articles concluded that the results
postulate a powerful character for widespread reading in stimulating reading comprehension
development. It was also stressed how students need liberty to select their individual resource
of reading comprehension in line with their individual benefits. Researches also indicated that
through widespread reading can assist upsurge readers’ comprehension capability, this
upsurge is frequently quite minor. This can be better if there is ‘straight intervention
comprehension education along with the widespread reading. Comparing and contrasting
found to be an effective strategy in reading comprehension scores are founded on

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standardized rules, meaningfully advanced post-test grades compared to pre-test grades
indicate that scholars in both clusters were continuing faster than probable based on the
standards (Al Alami, 2014).
Note taking
Alsheikh and Haq (2011) conducted a study on the instructional strategies used in reading
comprehension. The five approaches described used the best were: showing text earlier
reading, “by text topographies, trying to remain concentrated on reading”, fundamental info
in the text, and rephrasing for improved knowledge. On the other hand, the smallest five
stated used approaches were: by reference resources, taking notes, finding association
amongst text thoughts, noting text features and examining and assessing the text. This
reading exposed the five approaches described using the maximum and the reading
approaches that described using and truly used by UAE 6-10th standard scholars with learning
incapacities when they read. Both measurable and qualitative data proposed that UAE 6-10th
standard students with learning incapacities incline to use extra often the issue solving
approaches. So, educators may need to join the character of all of these approaches in their
training when they communicate 6-10th-grade learners with learning incapacities (Elhoweris,
Alsheikh, And Haq, 2011)
Al-Hilawani conducted a study on the summarization strategy in order to analyze its efficacy
in reading comprehension among UAE students. According to him asking learners to make a
set of queries printed on pieces of paper to provide to other scholars in a lecture to response
in the script and to précis the reading passage is efficacious (Al-Hilawani, 2003). The present
study put a highlight on the significance of the briefing strategy in linguistic classrooms.
Additionally, a current study supported the significance of students’ approach to learning. In
detail as Novak claims “the dominant purpose of teaching is to empower students to take

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control of their own sense-making" and learning approaches like summarizing approach are
influential tools to help in such necessities like reading comprehension. The essential opinion
which is value to reference is that delivery of feedback is the significant stage for the scholars
to harvest improved summaries (Khoshsima, and Rezaeian Tiyar, 2014). In overall, exercise
and clarification of the obligatory practices are not sufficient and scholars need to be
delivered with suitable feedback to ensure their knowledge. It can be determined that when
learners are uncovered to summarizing approach, they developed conscious of the procedures
that can be practical in improved accepting the reading comprehension and they can see the
passage as the complete unit in which information of the portions can be extended through
concerning the previous and following units of the passage (Khoshsima, and Rezaeian Tiyar,
2014).
Comprehension Questions/ Types of questions
Using comprehension questions is another strategy that is being investigated in this report.
According to Rogier (2012), Reading comprehension presenters had diverse inquiring
designs and fewer queries should be used when training in reading comprehension in English.
Questions inquired in English performances were largely oratorical in nature, although
queries asked throughout English speeches were for comprehension determinations.
Advance Organizers (KWL)
Hafiz (2008) conducted a study that intended at recognizing the efficiency of using obliging
and cooperative education and the KWL approach in improving reading comprehension
abilities between the sixth standard in the metropolis of Riyadh. The investigator applied the
quasi-empirical method. The study was used to 135 scholars who were separated into control

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and experimental clusters. The investigator used a survey to create a list of reading
comprehension abilities along with a comprehension test. The reading determined that the
two approaches evidenced efficacious in emerging reading comprehension services. They
also started that KWL can also be used to the higher grade student that are facing issues in
reading comprehension due to the weak English base (Hafiz, 2008).
Visualization
According to Noursi, (2014) Visualizing text is an established way to
progress reading comprehension in English. The investigator also stated that the capability to
read positively, professionally, and effortlessly in English is the key educational and
specialized enabler for students and graduates. Though, apprehension over deprived
principles in English in maximum Arabic speaking nations, as elsewhere, is continually
rising, particularly in case of reading comprehension (Noursi, 2014). There are numerous
English language students who find it difficult to totally understand what they are
comprehension reading. This might be difficult particularly on college scholars who want to
read and train on their own for lecture tests. The indication from investigation and bits of
intelligence specifies that performance of students in reading comprehension is not
acceptable (Noursi, 2014). It has been renowned that scholars' accomplishment in reading
comprehension on global examinations like IELTS, PET, and other country-wide
examinations in the UAE, specifically CEPA, has been recognized as low and disturbing. The
visualization must be trained by demonstrating the
method, it has the ability to allowing learners to exercise visualization and transfer their
pictures and graphic organizers have also established to be valuable in serving scholars in
reading comprehensions (Noursi, 2014).
Prediction strategy

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The pilot study presented by Sartawi, Al-Hilawani, and Easterbrooks, (1998), herein
designates that the prediction Strategy has the potential for refining reading comprehension
among scholars who are deafened/hard of hearing. Future investigators should commence
more comprehensive inquiries to conclude with whom and beneath what circumstances the
prediction Strategy is most effective (Sartawi, Al-Hilawani, and Easterbrooks, 1998).
Cooperative learning
According to Zuheer, (2008), cooperative learning can be distinguished as a variety of
thoughts and procedures for improving the worth of learner-learner communication.
Cooperative knowledge in the schoolroom is the operational way to endorse reading
comprehension of all students. The schoolrooms are planned for minimum portion of the
instructional period so that the aims are most probable to be reached when students cooperate
and work together (Zuheer, 2008). It can also be said that there are various advantages of
cooperative learning such as communication as a technique for cultivating comprehension
and improving communicative capability on behalf of scholars. The student might be capable
to change lexical errors by noticing alterations among his/her practice and the practice of
peers with advanced language capability (Zuheer, 2008).
Providing feedback
Providing truthful and expressive feedback appeared to be one of the greatest vital doings the
educators deliver to their Emirati scholars and, scholars obtain feedback and mistake
correction directly and more regularly (Rondonuwu, Wantalangi, and Samola, 2018). In a
large cluster or teacher-directed situations, it is unbearable to deliver feedback and mistake
alteration to every scholar for every answer. With peer teaching, students obtain feedback and

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alteration proximately for every reply. This strategy is found to be effective in reading
comprehension in the English language. Third, scholars are capable to work together as
classmates and improvement an improved understanding of the reading comprehension by
learning from one another (Rondonuwu, Wantalangi, and Samola, 2018). For positive
knowledge of reading comprehension, scholars are suggested to: work a lot in interpretation
using noble teaching, observe their comprehension by making queries and providing
feedback, get feedback and mistake correction instantly for every reply from teachers,
progress their reading abilities through starting reading practice in their lifetime, they should
not be nervous to ask an educator when they get problems in comprehending the script
(Rondonuwu, Wantalangi, and Samola, 2018). For the development of scholars' reading
comprehension, English educators are recommended to: relate peer teaching in training
reading comprehension, inspire the scholars to apply peer teaching as their individual reading
approach, be a organizer or instigator not as an teacher, so she or should not control the class
(Rondonuwu, Wantalangi, and Samola, 2018).
Main Idea
The Main Idea Approach is a strategy planned progresses the presentation of scholars with
learning inabilities and other scholars who do poorly on reading comprehension jobs
requiring them to understand the main thoughts (Azizifar, Roshani, Gowhary, and
Jamalinesari, 2015). The Main Idea Approach contains five steps concentrated on classifying
the parts of a passage, defining how they are connected, and concluding the main idea or
concept. The steps are effortlessly recalled with the first-letter reminder expedient “MAIN-I.”
Educators teach the approach to scholars using an instructional order divided into four
sections. This Student Exercise lesson comprises reading passages and related comprehension
examinations as well as response keys; this strategy is also found to be effective and valuable

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in reading comprehension for the UAE students (Azizifar, Roshani, Gowhary, and
Jamalinesari, 2015).
Conclusion
Instructional strategies are the techniques that are applied by the educators to help the
scholars to become independent and planned learners. These types of approaches have
emerged into a learning method in order to assist the students with reading comprehension
related difficulties. Learning English is the main issues among the UAE student who are
learning the English language as it is not their first language. These strategies can be helpful
to motivate the students to learn, use and became a good learner in reading comprehensions.
Various articles stated that the students can be benefited by using the instructional strategies.
The strategies like compare and contrast, taking notes, summarization, comprehension
questions, visual representations of text/ advance organizers (KWL), making
interferences/prediction, cooperative learning, providing feedback, and setting an objective.
All the strategies are being used in various institutes of UAE and helping the student to grow
their understating in reading compressions. The strategy like visualization encourages the
students to recall or remember the important vocabulary. The instructional strategies are
proven to be effecting in gaining achievement in learning reading comprehension in the
English language.

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