Learning Strategies to Develop Reading Comprehension Skills for Business Administration University Students

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of a program based on the FIVES reading strategy on developing Business Administration university students’ reading comprehension skills. The study adopted the mixed research one-group pre-posttest design. Participants comprised a voluntary group (N = 25) from second level, Business Administration Department, Faculty of Management, MTI University. The following instruments were used in the study: the FVIES reading comprehension skills checklist (Facts, Inference, Vocabulary, Experience and Summary) and the reading comprehension skills pre-posttest. A training program based on the FIVES strategy with a student’s book and a teacher’s guide. The program was taught to students in a twelve-week period (12 hours). Paired t-test was used to measure the effect of the training program on the ESP students’ reading comprehension skills and performance. Results revealed that the program was effective in developing ESP students’ reading comprehension skills as there were statistically significant differences between the pre and post administration of the test at the level of (0.05). Finally, a set of pedagogical implications and suggestions for further research were proposed.