Investigating The Impact Of Interactive Reading Aloud On Efl Learners’ Language Processing And Interpretive Skills

Abstract

In English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning contexts, vocabulary development and reading comprehension are fundamental skills that contribute significantly to students' linguistic competence and critical thinking. This quasi-experimental study explores the effect of interactive reading-aloud strategies on enhancing these skills among first-year students at the Teachers’ Higher College of Laghouat (ENSL), “Taleb Abderrahmane.” A total of 30 students from the PEP, PEM, and PES programs were randomly assigned to two groups: a control group that engaged in silent reading and an experimental group that participated in interactive reading-aloud sessions. Data were collected through pre- and post-tests as well as four instructional treatments designed to measure comprehension and vocabulary retention. Statistical results revealed a notable improvement in the vocabulary capacity of the experimental group (p = 0.001), whereas reading comprehension scores showed no statistically significant difference between groups (p = 0.188). Nonetheless, students in the experimental group displayed a more positive attitude toward reading-aloud activities during the treatments. These outcomes underline the pedagogical value of interactive reading aloud as a means to strengthen vocabulary acquisition in EFL learners. The study encourages its integration into EFL classrooms and recommends further research to evaluate its long-term effects in varying educational contexts.