An Assessment of Reading Comprehension Practice in Jordan

Abstract

This study aimed at assessing the level of reading comprehension proficiency of EFL Jordanian readers with regard to the relationship between identifying the main idea in a paragraph and language proficiency in expository texts. Additionally, this study investigated comprehension instruction process by EFL teachers. This research, in other words, demonstrated an intensified focus on the significance of the main idea while reading comprehension instruction takes place. The focus of the current mixed-methods study was on the descriptive data from a reading comprehension test, as well as, the classroom observation data. The sample of the study consisted of (649) 10^th graders distributed randomly on Irbid directorate of education schools in the scholastic year (2011/2012) who undertook a reading comprehension test as developed for the purposes of this study. Also, the sample of the study included (15) teachers who were observed three lessons for each single teacher. The results of the study revealed a moderate reading comprehension proficiency level among 10^th graders along with negligible instruction of comprehension skill by EFL teachers. The study strongly recommends textbooks writers to consider text structure when selecting reading comprehension texts, as well as, the study recommends EFL teachers to instruct comprehension strategies rather than assess and evaluate comprehension.