TEACHING OF READING: HOW IT IMPACT PUPILS’

COMPREHENSION
Raihana A. Ebrahim
Settie Nasraida k. Darping
College of Education, Cotabato Foundation College of Science and Technology, Brgy. Doroluman, 9417,
Philippines
settienasraidad@gmail.com/raihanaebrahim99@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Questioning has been recognized as a fundamental and powerful tool in education. Traditionally, questioning has
been used to assess students’ knowledge and understanding for over the past decades. This study was conducted
employing Socratic method as an intervention among the English learners of Doroluman Central Elementary
School. It employed the mixed method design where it compared the pre and post intervention test results. Findings
revealed that the Socratic method have a positive effect in enhancing the comprehension skills of the pupils as
observed by an increase in test scores. Hence, this study aimed to explore the use of Socratic method as a teaching
tool in improving the reading comprehension of pupils under remediation. Thus, the results of this study offer
compelling evidence in favor of the theory that teaching students the Socratic technique significantly and favorably
improves their reading comprehension abilities. Furthermore, it is highly recommended that educators adopt the
Socratic method as their preferred teaching approach when it comes to reading instruction. By integrating this
method into their teaching practices, educators can effectively guide students towards deeper comprehension and
meaningful engagement with the text.

KEYWORDS: Socratic Method, Pupils’ Comprehension

INTRODUCTION
Since reading is essential to learning, improving reading comprehension—a critical component of reading that has a
big impact on students' academic performance—is one of the key goals of reading instruction (Nurie, 2017).
Pretorius and Klapwijk (2016) claim that teachers may not fully comprehend the best teaching practices for
enhancing reading comprehension, which is why students frequently struggle with reading.
Many students struggle with reading comprehension, which hinders their academic progress and limits their ability
to acquire knowledge. The difficulty in understanding and interpreting texts negatively impacts their performance in
various subjects. This issue needs to be addressed early on to ensure better academic achievement (Yaghmour &
Obaidat, 2022).

LITERATURE REVIEW

The results pertaining to the strategy selection for reading comprehension suggest that teachers might not have a
thorough grasp of these tactics. Their scant attention to teaching reading comprehension methods, either directly or
implicitly, is indicative of this. These results are consistent with a study by Nurie (2017) that looked at Ethiopian
reading comprehension instruction pedagogies. The results of the study showed that there was not enough observed
comprehension instruction in the courses.

In order for readers to understand a book, reading practices are essential. Studies have indicated that the proficient
utilization of reading techniques can significantly improve text comprehension (Hagaman et al., 2015). According to
Westbrook et al. (2019), proficient readers are able to recognize, utilize, and apply reading techniques more
skillfully, indicating a greater comprehension of these strategies. However, readers with weaker reading
comprehension skills might find it difficult to identify and use effective reading techniques on their own, which
could make it harder for them to comprehend the text because they wouldn't know about them (Daly et al., 2015).
Socratic questioning is a technique that involves using questions to evaluate one's thinking process as a whole.
These questions are specifically designed to assess the quality of an answer provided. The purpose of this type of
questioning is to examine the student's thinking for correctness, depth, clarity, relevance, and scope (Paul & Elder,
2007).

METHODOLOGY

This study utilized mixed-method design which involved a blend of quantitative and qualitative methods for
gathering and analyzing data. According to Creswell and Clark (2007), research using mixed methodologies
includes both quantitative and qualitative data approaches to comprehensively address a research problem in one
study or a group of related research. This approach enables the capture of essential data that supplements the
analysis and interpretation of findings
This study utilized mixed-method approach to gain thorough pupils’ comprehension level. The quantitative aspect of
the study involved analyzing numerical data, specifically the test results of the involved students, taken both before
and after the Socratic method was used as a reading instruction technique. The researcher set out to evaluate the
effect of the Socratic technique on the growth of the students' comprehension skills using a pre-test and post-test
approach.

RESULTS

Table 1. Level of the Pupils’ Reading Comprehension before the Use of Socratic Method
Subject Score Description Level
A 4
Low comprehension
B 1
Low comprehension
C 2
Low comprehension
D 4
Low comprehension
E 3
Low comprehension
F 4
Low comprehension
G 2
Low comprehension
H 3
Low comprehension
I 3
Low comprehension
J 3
Low comprehension
K 4
Low comprehension
Mean 3 Low comprehension

Legend: 0-4 Low comprehension

5-7 Average comprehension
8-10 High comprehension

After the pre-test, it was found that the among thirty-one pupils only eleven got a raw score that described as low
comprehension with mean score of 3.00. It suggests that in the identified low level of comprehension were subject to
Socratic method intervention to address their problem. This finding aligns with the research conducted by Daly et
al. (2015), which suggests that individuals with low reading comprehension skills may struggle to independently
identify and apply effective reading strategies or techniques. This lack of knowledge regarding reading strategies
can hinder their understanding of the text.
Table 2. Level of pupils’ reading comprehension after the use of Socratic Method
Subject Score Description Level
A 9 High comprehension
B 9 High comprehension
C 8 High comprehension
D 10 High comprehension
E 8 High comprehension
F 8 High comprehension
G 7 High comprehension
H 9 High comprehension
I 8 High comprehension
J 10 High comprehension
K 8 High comprehension
Mean 8.55 High comprehension
Legend: 0-4 Low comprehension
5-7 Average comprehension
8-10 High comprehension
The pupils' reading comprehension performance improved to a mean score of 8.55 with a descriptive level of high
comprehension. A score of 7, which is the lowest out of 10 item tests, indicates that the students' performance
developed after the intervention. The result is supported by the study of Brewer (2005) which explains how to
understand information from a text by having a conversation using the Socratic Questioning approach that is directly
related to the text.

Table 3. Significant Difference between Pre and Post Test on Reading Comprehension with Socratic Method
Tutorial Program
Socratic Method N mean sd Mean diff sd df T P Interpretation

before 11 3.00 1.00 .000 Significant

-5.55 1.04 10 -17.76
after 11 8.55 0.93

Table 3 shows a significant difference in pupils' reading comprehension skills. The mean performance difference
between the pre- and post-test for eleven participants was -5.55 (sd = 1.04), indicating a substantial improvement in
the post-test scores (t = -17.76, p =.000) after the intervention. It implies that enhancing pupils' reading
comprehension may benefit from Socratic method of teaching as an intervention. As a result, the null hypothesis—
which holds that there is no significant difference in the reading comprehension scores of the students before and
after the Socratic method tutorial—is rejected.
Table 4. Experiences of the Grade Six Pupils during the Tutorial Program

Theme Core Idea

Effective method used where pupils comprehended the
Effective learning
lesson and learned a lot.

Effective Learning
After the conduct of an interview, the researchers discovered that reading comprehension is an incredibly effective
strategy used by teachers to facilitate effective and efficient learning, enhancing the learners' skills. As the
researchers observed during the intervention, this strategy serves as an essential tool for participants to effectively
identify the main idea and significant details within a story. It aids grade six pupils in recalling important
information and comprehending the intended message of the book's author. Additionally, it contributes to the
improvement of their writing skills and academic performance. In fact, Manurung and Siregar (2018) have noted
that Socratic questioning not only enhances students' oral communication but also fosters critical thinking abilities.
DISCUSSION
This study explored the impact of Socratic method on the reading comprehension of the Grade 6 pupils of
Doroluman Central Elementary School. Specifically, this study assessed the respondents’ comprehension levels
before and after the intervention. Furthermore, this study described the pupil’s performance before and after the
intervention. This study utilized mixed method design, incorporating quantitative and qualitative approaches to
examine the effects of the Socratic method on the participants and their experiences before and after the
intervention.
CONCLUSION
The results of this study offer compelling evidence in favor of the theory that teaching students the Socratic
technique significantly and favorably improves their reading comprehension abilities. The findings unequivocally
show that the participants' reading comprehension skills significantly improved as a direct result of the intervention.
Socratic method, with its emphasis on critical thinking and active dialogue, shows to be a successful method for
promoting reading comprehension and facilitating meaningful learning experiences.
Furthermore, it is highly recommended that educators adopt the Socratic method as their preferred teaching
approach when it comes to reading instruction. By integrating this method into their teaching practices, educators
can effectively guide students towards deeper comprehension and meaningful engagement with the text. Students
are empowered to take charge of their education with this method, which also promotes active discussion and
critical thinking. In summary, this study strongly advocates for the widespread use of the Socratic method to
enhance learning, particularly in the context of reading comprehension. Embracing this method can lead to
improved student participation and a more conducive learning environment. Educators are urged to adopt the
Socratic method as their preferred approach to teaching reading with comprehension, as it has demonstrated its
effectiveness in facilitating meaningful learning experiences.

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