Integrating WebQuests into ESL Classrooms to Reinforce Students’ Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension

This study examines the impact of WebQuests on the vocabulary and reading skills of ESL students in Saudi Arabia’s technical colleges. The primary objectives of the study are to determine whether WebQuests can improve the vocabulary and reading skills of ESL learners and to explore their perceptions regarding the use and impact of WebQuests on their academic performances. An experimental method was used to explore WebQuests’ impact by exposing the experimental group to 3 WebQuests over 3 weeks. The participants included 78 students from the Technical College of Girls in Buraydah (39 in each group). The experimental group received the traditional teaching method along with WebQuests as an additional tool, while the control group only received the traditional teaching method. A post-test was conducted to compare the performance of both groups and determine if there were significant differences resulting from the treatment. After the treatment, the data, elicited using a questionnaire completed by the experimental group, was analyzed to reveal their perceptions regarding WebQuests’ implantations. The results of the experiment underscore that no significant differences were observed between the experimental group and the control group concerning their post-tests. This demonstrates that WebQuests have a limited influence on students’ vocabulary and reading skills. On the other hand, the questionnaire indicated that learners expressed a favorable opinion towards WebQuests, considering them easy and effective for improving vocabulary and reading skills.