Using Reading Circles Strategy for Developing Preparatory Students' Critical Reading Skills and Social Skills

Abstract

The present study aimed at developing the necessary critical reading skills and social skills of the Egyptian EFL second year preparatory school students, through a proposed program based on using reading circles strategy. The study participants were 44 students from Sohag Experimental Preparatory School in Sohag Governorate. Instruments of the study included: A social skills questionnaire (SSQ), a pre-/post critical reading skills test (CRST), reading circles role sheets, and reflection sheets. The study results revealed that there was statistically significant difference at 0.01 level between the mean scores of the study group in the critical reading skills in the pre and post test in favor of the post administration. There was also statistically significant difference at 0.01 level between the mean scores of the study group in the pre and post-administrations of the social skills questionnaire in favor of the post-administration. The data showed that the use of reading circles strategy increased students’ critical reading skills and social skills. Students mentioned that they learned how to summarize topics in few sentences. They acquired the following skills: (1) looking up words in a dictionary, (2) differentiating between a fact and an opinion, (3) expecting, the topic of a passage or a story, (4) making connections between the stories they read and similar incidents they knew about; and (5) working in groups. Moreover, they enjoyed drawing pictures of the lessons and stories.