Exploring Perspectives on Reading Comprehension Skills and Assessment in Undergraduate English Literature Classrooms

Abstract

Pakistani undergraduate students continue to struggle with reading comprehension skills: a prerequisite for academic success in higher education. The focus of this research study was to gauge student and teacher perspectives about reading comprehension and its assessment in undergraduate English Literature classrooms. It employed a mixed-methods design that included both a survey questionnaire and in-depth interviews. Convenience sampling was used to select 159 students of English Literature from five private universities for the survey. 18 English teachers from the same universities were interviewed using purposive sampling. Descriptive statistics were used for quantitative data analysis. Qualitative data analysis involved the derivation of relevant themes. A key finding was that students understood the importance of reading comprehension for both their academic and professional success. Students mostly reported using strategies such as the identification of specific details, answering questions, and visualizing. Teachers stated that they frequently used prior knowledge, classroom discussions, and homework assignments. However, their use of graphic organizers, video instruction, and visualization was minimal. Modes of assessment that were used included word-meaning recognition, tests of vocabulary and spelling, and identifying details. Teachers highlighted the significance of reading comprehension in their English Literature classrooms. They cited the use of interactive approaches such as skimming, close reading, reading aloud, translation, and prediction. However, major difficulties they encountered included varied student proficiency, limited time, inadequate resources, weak foundational skills, and low motivation. These findings can contribute to enhancing the reading comprehension skills of students by influencing curriculum design and pedagogical strategies.