IMPACT OF STRATEGY-BASED READING INSTRUCTIONS ON READING ANXIETY OF UNIVERSITY-LEVEL ESL STUDENTS OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

There is a scarcity of research on the effects of strategy-based reading instructions on reading anxiety in Pakistan. This action research study fills this gap in the literature by examining the impact of strategy-based reading instructions on the reading anxiety of ESL students at the university level in Pakistan. Employing quantitative analysis, this research explored the effects of strategy-based reading instructions on reading anxiety. With a total of 60 participants—30 students in each cycle—the study was carried out in two action research cycles. Over the course of four months, the participants in both cycles received strategy-based reading instructions. The data was gathered by means of a survey of reading strategies (SORS) and the Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (FLRAS) which was administered during the pre-intervention and post-intervention phases of both cycles. The results of this study demonstrate that implementing strategy-based reading instructions effectively reduces reading anxiety in students. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for educators and curriculum developers, emphasizing the significance of integrating reading strategies into instructional practices as they can help reduce reading anxiety.