This study evaluates a reading intervention to bridge the gap between Dutch secondary school and university reading. The lesson series addresses prereading- (activating preknowledge, interpreting graphs), while-reading (text monitoring, critical reading) and post-reading strategies (graphic organizers, summarising) and centres around linguistics topics.
In this paper we will report on an intervention study that focusses on teaching English academic reading strategies in a Dutch pre-university high-school context. Despite the relatively high proficiency in their second language (L2) English, many Dutch university students struggle with reading academic texts. The specific features of scientific texts such as nominalization, intertextuality, writer’s stance and modal verbs are often new to students and limits their understanding (Charles & Pecorari, 2016). In addition, many pre-academic high-schools do not provide instruction on how to read critically, a crucial strategy at university that allows students to evaluate an authors’ message. Without the knowledge and skills to apply successful reading strategies, students might not obtain optimal study results, which potentially affects students’ self-efficacy and may trigger demotivation (McNamara, 2007). It is therefore important for students to learn how to read academic texts before entering university. The focus of our study is to evaluate the outcomes of a lesson series targeting academic reading (e.g. reading progress, meta-cognitive reading strategies, motivation, self-efficacy, motivation) by means of quantitative data-analysis methods (questionnaires and reading tests). The academic course was implemented at pre-university level in the final year of Dutch secondary schools. Twelve classes (N= ca. 25 each) at eight schools participated in the study. They received ten lessons of reading instruction specifically targeting understanding through means of reading strategies and annotating academic texts that centre around linguistic topics (e.g. language acquisition, language processing in the brain). The pre-post test design will allow us to measure the effectiveness of the reading intervention in light of results from a comparison group of students. The discussion will highlight how the specific training material of the intervention may have supported students' academic reading skills development in their L2 English.
