IMPROVING STUDENTS’ READING SKILLS USING FLIPPED CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which the application of flipped classroom instruction would improve students’ reading skills. The participants of this study were second-year students of Haramaya University, English Language and Literature Department in 2021/22. The study employed a concurrent mixed research approach and classroom action research as a design. Data were collected through a pre-posttest, an interview, a researcher’s reflective diary, a questionnaire, and classroom observation. All fifteen students were involved in the pre-posttest and questionnaire. In addition, interviews were conducted with 7 students before the intervention and 10 students after the intervention. Furthermore, seven instructors were interviewed before the intervention. The obtained data from the interviews, diaries, and classroom observations were coded, categorized into themes, and analyzed qualitatively while quantitative data from the pre-posttest were analyzed using statistical software. Given the significant difference between the post-test and pre-test results, it can be concluded that the flipped classroom instruction has effectively enhanced the participants' reading skills. The accompanying findings of the study included an improvement in students’ reading motivation, a reduction in reading anxiety, effective use of prior knowledge, and the encouragement of active reading. Likewise, improvements were seen in students’ reading comprehension, word attack skills, and positive attitudes of students toward reading skills because of the implementation of flipped classroom instruction. The findings of this study suggest that teachers should modernize their pedagogical approaches by incorporating innovative strategies such as flipped classroom instruction to better prepare students for competitive job markets. This research also recommends that English language curriculum designers integrate advanced strategies like flipped classroom instruction into syllabi, textbooks, and teacher guides. Additionally, the study underscores the importance of enhancing teachers’ potential on current trends of language teaching and learning through effective training programs and other initiatives