Exploration of Implementation of Questioning the Author in Teaching Reading Comprehension in EFL Saudi Secondary schools

Abstract

The current study aimed to explore implementing Questioning the Author (QtA) strategy in secondary EFL schools in Saudi Arabia and to identify the pedagogical and practical challenges faced by Saudi EFL teachers while applying the QtA in teaching reading comprehension. More specifically, it explored the teachers’ understanding of the concept of reading comprehension in their context and their perspectives on the main challenges facing them in teaching reading comprehension, before implementing the QtA. To achieve these aims, an exploratory study was adopted for data collection and analysis. Four data collection methods were used in this study with six volunteer Saudi EFL secondary teachers respectively, namely, preliminary intervention interviews, post-intervention interviews, classrooms observations and reflective essays. The data from this study were all transcribed and analysed inductively and deductively by using the MAXQDA 2020 software package, capable of handling the large amount of data gathered from the data collection tools. As a result of the analysis process, the findings revealed that Saudi EFL teachers’ understanding of the concept of reading comprehension is formed based on the Ministry of Education (MoE) agenda of teaching and learning reading comprehension in public schools. They also demonstrated flexibility and awareness of their role of EFL teachers in adopting English instruction strategies in their classrooms. Although EFL teachers received face to face training in applying the strategy in their actual classrooms before the COVID-19 pandemic, the key findings highlighted the challenges of the implementation of the QtA in EFL classrooms during the transition to remote learning in Saudi Arabia, due to coronavirus. Despite transferring the education system in Saudi Arabia to remote emergency learning, namely via the new Madrasati platform, and being successful in teaching students with QtA strategy, the findings indicated that the teachers faced several challenges which could affect students' comprehension, including linguistic, cultural and social aspects, as well as resistance to new ways of learning. This study was concluded with several recommendations for policymakers in teaching English, in the context of this study.