Reading Lesson Design in Junior and Senior High School Reading Textbooks in Saudi Arabia

A checklist consisting of criteria for reading lesson design was used to analyze, describe and evaluate reading lesson components, layout and aesthetic aspects. Findings indicated that reading lessons lack many essential components such as advance organizers, interspersed questions, instructions and explanations in the margins. Comprehension questions that follow the reading text within each grade level and across the grade levels did not differ in number nor comprehension level measured. Reading lesson design within each grade level and across the different grade levels was found to be identical. At any grade level, reading lessons seemed to be designed independently of previous and following grade levels. Pictorial illustrations were not systematically placed in relation to the text. In some cases, illustrations were not clear and were not related to the text topic. Pictorial illustrations were not found to be helpful for the students in comprehending and recalling the text. Therefore, this study recommends that reading lessons be re-designed to help the students read and comprehend reading materials more effectively.

Prof. Reima Al-jarf
King Saud University
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
http://faculty.ksu.edu.sa/aljarf