The Think-aloud Method in EFL Reading Comprehension

Abstract

Think-aloud is a research method in which readers report their thoughts while reading, thereby researchers will be able to achieve a better view of the mental processes in which readers are engaged. Reading in a foreign language needs considerable efforts on the readers' part due to understanding of a text. Think-aloud is a method which helps the teachers to collect unseen processes such as inference or the use of prior knowledge by learner. In the present paper, the researchers have considered a type of verbal report and the way it can be used in foreign language reading comprehension along with strategy training. To this end, 32 subjects were selected randomly from among upper intermediate Iranian EFL male learners in Parsian English Institute in Tonekabon, Iran and divided randomly into two groups. The TOEFL test administered to the students. Finally, the data gathered by the experiment was analyzed through SPSS software, using Samples Independent t-test. The results revealed that there is significant increases in mean score of treatment group, confirming the positive effect of think-aloud method on improving learners' reading comprehension.