Using narrow reading to improve students' reading comprehension: a case study at Khuangnaipittayakarn school

The purpose of the study is two fold. Firstly, it was to find out whether the Narrow Reading
Technique helps improve students' reading comprehension. Also, it aimed to investigate
the extent to which the Narrow Reading Technique should be modified to suit the
teaching context at Khuengnaipittayakarn school.
The subjects were 40 Mattayomsuksa 3/8 who studied Fundamental English (E33101)
in the first semester of academic year 2007 at Khuengnaipittayakarn School.
The subjects were divided into three groups of their proficiency level: Above Average
(AA), Average (A) and Below Average (BA).
The research instruments comprised 5 texts, all of which concerned Thai Food,
pre-test and post-test, questionnaires and students' informal group discussion.
The results obtained from students' pre-test and post-test were calculated and
then compared and interpreted to shed light on the improvement of students' reading
comprehension. The recurring information and ideas in questionnaires and informal
discussion were identified and then, summarized.
The study found that the Narrow Reading Technique had impacts on most
students' comprehension particularly these from the Above Average and Average
groups as their post-test scores were higher than pre-test scores at the statistically
significant analysed level of .05. Almost of them were satisfied with the Narrow
Reading Technique as it helped improve their reading comprehension. However,
the Narrow Reading Technique would need to be modified considerably to suit
the teaching context at Khuengnaipittayakarn School.