Enhancing Grade 8 Students’ Thai Reading Comprehension through SQ4R-Based Active Learning and Reading Skill Exercises

Abstract

This study examined changes in Thai reading comprehension among Grade 8 students following SQ4R-based active learning with reading exercises. The objectives were to evaluate instructional efficiency against a 75/75 criterion, compare pretest and posttest scores, calculate an effectiveness index, and assess student satisfaction. A one-group pretest–posttest design involved 40 students from one intact classroom selected through cluster random sampling at a public secondary school in northeastern Thailand. The intervention comprised six lesson plans delivered over 12 hours and followed six stages: Survey, Question, Read, Record, Recite, and Reflect. Reading exercises addressed main-idea identification and comprehension of informational, persuasive, and literary texts. Data were collected using formative assessment records, a 30-item multiple-choice reading comprehension test, and a 15-item satisfaction questionnaire. Analyses included descriptive statistics, process and outcome efficiency percentages, an effectiveness index, and a paired-samples t test. Process and outcome efficiency values were 86.17% and 78.33%, respectively, exceeding the specified criterion. Mean reading comprehension scores increased from 13.63 (SD = 5.16) to 23.50 (SD = 2.40), t(39) = 11.53, p < .001. The mean increase was 9.88 points, with a 95% confidence interval of [8.14, 11.61]. The effectiveness index was .6031, representing 60.31% of the maximum possible gain from the pretest baseline. Overall satisfaction averaged 4.71 out of 5. The findings provide preliminary evidence of improved reading performance and favorable learner perceptions following the intervention. However, the absence of a comparison group and the reuse of test items limit causal interpretation.