The role of spaced and massed instruction on Iranian EFL learners' reading comprehension and reading motivation

Subject Areas : Curriculum Design and Development

Zainab Rezaei Gashti ¹ , Ali Asghar Yousefi Azarfam ² , Fatemeh Mirzapour ³

1 - Ph.D. candidate, Department of English, Sarab Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sarab, Iran.
2 - Department of English, Sofiyan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sofiyan, Iran,
3 - Department of English, Sofiyan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sofiyan, Iran.

Received: 2024-03-12 Accepted : 2024-06-28 Published : 2024-06-30

Keywords: EFL Reading Comprehension, Massed Instruction, Reading Motivation, Spaced Instruction,

Abstract :

Strong reading comprehension skills and reading motivation are essential for personal growth, academic success, and overall well-being. Developing these skills can positively impact individuals' lives in various ways. Thus, this investigation aimed to examine the influence of massed and spaced instructions on the reading comprehension and reading motivation of Iranian EFL students. The researchers selected 150 Iranian participants from 300 based on their Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT) performance. The selected intermediate participants were randomly assigned into two experimental groups (massed and spaced) and one control group. The participants were given a reading comprehension pretest and post-test and a reading motivation questionnaire before and after the treatment. Three groups were provided with instruction on reading skills by English texts and new words from American English File 3. The massed group received a 90-minute session for each text, whereas the spaced group received three 30-minute sessions; the first session lasted 30 minutes, followed by two more sessions, each lasting 30 minutes, scheduled two days apart. The results of data analysis utilizing one-way ANOVA showed a considerable difference between the post-tests of the spaced and massed groups compared to the control group. The findings demonstrated that the spaced group outperformed the massed and control groups (p < .05) in terms of reading comprehension and reading motivation. The results have some pedagogical implications for English instructors, learners, and curriculum developers.

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