Enhancing intermediate level Afghan EFL learners’ reading comprehension through the use of jigsaw strategy

Cooperative Learning as a student-centered approach to learning has powerfully influenced language learning since 1970s. The Jigsaw strategy which is one of the widely used cooperative-based instructional methods has been highly effective in improving students’ academic performance, particularly in reading comprehension. This study was conducted to find the effect of jigsaw on Afghan EFL learners’ reading comprehension and explore their perceptions towards it. The study used one-group pre/post-test experimental design. Participants (N = 20), selected non-randomly, were intermediate EFL learners from a Private Language Learning Institute in Ghazni, Afghanistan. Prior to the study, a pre comprehension test was administered. Students then were engaged in jigsaw activity for eight weeks, and finally sat for a post comprehension test. Comparing the means of two tests, it was found that the jigsaw intervention significantly improved the participants’ reading comprehension by the mean difference of 2.20. A paired sample t-test was further conducted, results of which indicated statistically significant difference in participants’ performance after engaging in jigsaw as the t-value was quite large (6.18) and the p-value was low (<0.001). In addition, a Cohen’s d effect size was calculated to understand the practical significance of the findings. The effect size was very large (1.38), indicating that the improvement was also practically meaningful.