The Effect of the Reciprocal Teaching Strategy on Improving the Reading Comprehension of Deaf Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of using the reciprocal teaching strategy on improving the reading comprehension of deaf students in Jordan. The reading comprehension was measured at the literal and inferential levels. The total number of deaf participants was 10 grade six students: 5 males and 5 females The students were selected from the Marka School for Hearing Challenges overseen by the Ministry of Education. The available study sample was divided into two groups: The experimental group consisting of 5 students 2 females and 3 males was taught using the Reciprocal Teaching Strategy and the control group consisting of 5 students 3 females and 2 males was taught using the conventional strategy. The results showed that there was a statistically significant difference at the alpha level of .05 on the location and form of performance of deaf students on the posttest due to the teaching strategy. The group that used the reciprocal teaching strategy with its two levels (literal and inferential) performed better than the group that used the conventional strategy. Also, the results showed no statistically significant difference due to gender at the alpha level of .05 on the location and form of performance on the posttest. Moreover, the results revealed a significant difference at the alpha level of .05 on the location and form on the posttest due to the interaction between the teaching strategies and gender. Males and females who received the reciprocal teaching strategy performed significantly better than the participants who received the conventional method.

Keywords