Effects of Predictive Reading Strategies on Reading Speed and Comprehension: Evidence from Non-English Major EFL Learners

The skill of reading effectively can be viewed as an important academic requirement. The investigation aims to explore the impact of predictive reading strategy instruction on the reading speed and reading comprehension of Computer Engineering students learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL).This study employed a quasi-experimental research method to conduct the investigation among 120 undergraduate EFL students in Shandong Province, China. The participants were divided into two groups, including an experimental group that received predictive reading strategy instruction and a control group that received conventional reading instruction for eight weeks. This study gathered data using three assessment tools, including a reading speed test, a reading comprehension test, and a Predictive Strategy Use Questionnaire. The researchers used descriptive statistics and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) as the main statistical methods for the analysis. The results showed that predictive reading strategy instruction led to significant improvements in reading speed, reading comprehension, and predictive strategy use. This study provides pedagogical implications for integrating predictive reading strategies into technical EFL reading instruction.