First-Year EFL Students' Perspectives on Using the PQRST Strategy in English Reading Comprehension
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| Title: | First-Year EFL Students' Perspectives on Using the PQRST Strategy in English Reading Comprehension |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Van Do Thi Thuy, Tuan Van Vu, Thuy Thi Truong |
| Source: | International Journal of Language Education. 2026 10(1):1-20. |
| Availability: | International Journal of Language Education. Faculty of Languages and Literature UNM Jl Daeng Tata Raya Makassar, South Sulawesi 90224 Indonesia. e-mail: ijole@unm.ac.id; Web site: https://ojs.unm.ac.id/ijole/index |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 20 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | English (Second Language), College Freshmen, Reading Comprehension, Knowledge Level, Value Judgment, Student Motivation, Learner Engagement, Barriers, Student Attitudes, Reading Strategies, Foreign Countries |
| Geographic Terms: | Vietnam |
| ISSN: | 2548-8457 2548-8465 |
| Abstract: | Reading comprehension remains a persistent challenge for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, particularly first-year university students in Vietnam who must quickly adapt to academic texts. Structured strategies such as PQRST (Preview, Question, Read, Summarize, Test) have been shown to enhance comprehension and self-regulation, yet limited research has examined learners' perspectives in the Vietnamese context. This study aimed to investigate first-year students' awareness, perceived usefulness, motivation, cognitive and metacognitive engagement, perceived comprehension improvements, challenges, and overall attitudes toward PQRST. An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, which was based on Creswell and Creswell (2022), was employed. Quantitative data were collected from 195 English-major students from two universities using a researcher-designed questionnaire with 50 Likert-scale items across seven domains. Qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with 35 students. Quantitative results were analyzed using SPSS v.27, and thematic analysis of interviews followed Braun and Clarke's (2006) six-step framework. Findings revealed moderate to high agreement on PQRST's usefulness for organizing reading, improving comprehension accuracy, and supporting exam preparation. Students particularly valued questioning and self-testing for concentration and retention but reported challenges in generating questions, summarizing, and applying the strategy independently. Motivation-related responses were more neutral, indicating limited influence on long-term reading habits. The study concludes that PQRST is a promising scaffold for Vietnamese freshmen's reading comprehension, but its sustained effectiveness requires explicit modeling, reflective practice, and institutional support for consistent implementation. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1505952 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Reading comprehension remains a persistent challenge for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, particularly first-year university students in Vietnam who must quickly adapt to academic texts. Structured strategies such as PQRST (Preview, Question, Read, Summarize, Test) have been shown to enhance comprehension and self-regulation, yet limited research has examined learners' perspectives in the Vietnamese context. This study aimed to investigate first-year students' awareness, perceived usefulness, motivation, cognitive and metacognitive engagement, perceived comprehension improvements, challenges, and overall attitudes toward PQRST. An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, which was based on Creswell and Creswell (2022), was employed. Quantitative data were collected from 195 English-major students from two universities using a researcher-designed questionnaire with 50 Likert-scale items across seven domains. Qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with 35 students. Quantitative results were analyzed using SPSS v.27, and thematic analysis of interviews followed Braun and Clarke's (2006) six-step framework. Findings revealed moderate to high agreement on PQRST's usefulness for organizing reading, improving comprehension accuracy, and supporting exam preparation. Students particularly valued questioning and self-testing for concentration and retention but reported challenges in generating questions, summarizing, and applying the strategy independently. Motivation-related responses were more neutral, indicating limited influence on long-term reading habits. The study concludes that PQRST is a promising scaffold for Vietnamese freshmen's reading comprehension, but its sustained effectiveness requires explicit modeling, reflective practice, and institutional support for consistent implementation. |
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| ISSN: | 2548-8457 2548-8465 |
