The Effect of the Jigsaw Cooperative Learning Strategy on Reading Comprehension among Fifth-Grade EFL Learners: A Quasi-Experimental Study in an Arab Elementary Context in the Triangle Area

This study examined the effect of the Jigsaw cooperative learning strategy on reading comprehension among fifth-grade EFL learners in an Arab elementary school in the Triangle Area. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group design was employed with a sample of 57 fifth-grade students. Participants were assigned to an experimental group taught using the Jigsaw strategy and a control group taught through traditional instruction. A researcher-developed reading comprehension test was administered as both a pretest and a posttest. Data were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) to control for potential pretest differences between the groups. Descriptive findings indicated that the experimental group achieved higher posttest scores and greater mean improvement in reading comprehension compared with the control group. However, the ANCOVA results showed that the difference between the groups did not reach statistical significance, and the observed effect size was small. Despite the absence of statistical significance, the findings suggest that the Jigsaw strategy may contribute to reading comprehension development by enhancing learner engagement, peer interaction, and shared responsibility for learning. The study emphasizes the importance of interpreting instructional effectiveness beyond statistical significance alone and highlights the need for further research with longer intervention periods and mixed-methods designs.