The effect of Dialogic reading on Iranian young EFL learners’ reading comprehension

Most Iranian EFL young learners are often unable to comprehend a written text effectively. Dialogic reading (DR) is stipulated in Iranian English language syllabus, however, research has not been conducted on how this technique is implemented in the classroom. Dialogic reading has been shown to have positive effects on young children’s reading comprehension. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of implementing dialogic reading techniques on Iranian young EFL learners’ reading comprehension, in a formal institute setting via teacher .28 Iranian EFL young learners participated in the study aged 8-9 years. 14 students were randomly assigned to the experimental group (DR) and 14 students were assigned to the control group (Traditional reading). Teachers in the experimental group read a story each week from the family and friends3 book. A reading comprehension pre - test was conducted across the groups. Then the DR was implemented. After the treatment, the posttest was conducted across the groups. The results of the study demonstrated a significant improvement in the reading comprehension mean scores for the students whose teachers used DR strategies. Comparing posttest reading comprehension mean score for two groups, the results revealed a statistically significant difference. The findings of this study showed that reading comprehension of Iranian EFL learners were positively affected by the teachers’ inclusion of DR. Its outcomes accentuated the need for teachers to provide assistance to EFL learners as they develop reading comprehension skills.