An Empirical Study on Improving the English Reading Ability of Junior High School Students Using the Think-Aloud Method

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of the Think-Aloud Method on junior high school students' English reading proficiency and to empirically verify the effectiveness of this strategy in English learning. The Think-Aloud strategy encourages students to verbally articulate their internal thought processes during reading. This approach assists students in understanding the text and identifying difficulties they encounter while reading. The research focuses on eighth-grade students from a junior high school in New Taipei City. After an 18-week teaching and observation period, a case study was conducted using qualitative analysis to examine changes in students' English reading ability through pre- and post-tests.

The findings reveal that the Think-Aloud Method significantly enhances students' reading comprehension, helping them pinpoint reading challenges and facilitating the development of their learning strategies. Additionally, the students demonstrated increased motivation toward English reading and greater confidence in tackling reading challenges. The study also discovered that integrating the Think-Aloud Method with cooperative learning or pair-based exercises was particularly effective in improving students' learning outcomes.

Finally, based on the research findings, the study offers recommendations for implementing the Think-Aloud Method in English reading instruction and provides suggestions for future research, aiming to serve as a reference for educators and researchers alike.

In the face of globalization and internationalization, Taiwan has prioritized becoming a bilingual nation to improve national English proficiency and enhance international competitiveness. However, for students from non-English-speaking countries, the process of learning English-particularly in reading-presents significant challenges. As an English teacher, the researcher is keenly aware of the difficulties students face in English classes, such as struggling to memorize vocabulary, failing to comprehend words in context, or recognizing every word but missing the overall meaning of the text. For many students, reading English sentences and texts has become a persistent source of frustration.

In response, the researcher aims to integrate the Think-Aloud Method into English reading instruction, with the goal of improving students' reading abilities, identifying their learning errors, gaining insight into their cognitive attitudes and learning strategies, and better understanding how students process and comprehend English texts.

During the researcher’s experience teaching English at junior high schools, frequent discussions were held with Chinese language teachers regarding challenges in English reading instruction. These teachers observed that as students advanced through grade levels, they often felt overwhelmed and fatigued by learning English. Many students struggled to fully comprehend English texts, which prevented them from enjoying reading or gaining new knowledge or insights through it. In Taiwan, guiding students to verbalize the parts of a text they find difficult is a challenge for English teachers. Traditional paper-and-pencil assessments primarily measure students' achievement levels or evaluate their understanding of specific concepts, highlighting which questions they answered correctly or struggled with. However, these assessments fail to provide insight into how students arrived at their answers or the thought processes behind their mistakes.

Based on these observations, if teachers could "hear" students' cognitive processes and thoughts while reading English texts-gaining insight into their challenges and offering targeted support—this would significantly enhance the effectiveness of students’ learning.

Moreover, the majority of junior high school English teachers have not undergone formal training in teaching reading strategies. In recent years, the results of the English section of the National College Entrance Examination have shown that over one-third of students receive a grade of C each year. This statistic underscores a significant gap in students' English reading proficiency. Despite the fact that most students in Taiwan begin learning English in the first grade of elementary school, there is a stark contrast between the enjoyable learning experiences of elementary students and the overwhelming workload of homework and exams faced by junior high students. After nine years of English education, many students still feel powerless when confronted with the reading portion of the National College Entrance Examination.

Therefore, it is essential that English teachers emphasize the instruction of effective reading strategies in the classroom. By doing so, teachers can help students cultivate both interest and confidence in learning English, ultimately improving their reading abilities.

Motivation and purpose

The essence of reading lies in critical thinking. Reading ability goes beyond the surface-level understanding of a text; it is closely tied to independent thinking and judgment, forming a lifelong skill for self-directed learning [1]. The 21st century is a time of significant transformation, where knowledge serves as a vital resource for individuals and society. Much of this knowledge is acquired through independent reading. In everyday life, people rely on reading to equip themselves with the tools needed to solve problems. The book The Courage to Give Up: Only by Bravely Changing the Status Quo and Breaking through the Framework Can You Win More in Life, cites a statement by Robert Burchfield, former editor-in-chief of the Oxford English Dictionary: “Any educated person in the world who does not understand English is, in effect, deprived of certain rights” [2]. This highlights the necessity of acquiring proficient English reading skills in order to fully access opportunities and knowledge in the modern world.

When researchers observe students' fear and helplessness in the face of English reading assessments-seeing them write answers without even attempting to engage with the text, and their constant desire to escape the pressures of these assessments-it sparks a strong desire to understand their inner thoughts. In summary, when students struggle to comprehend the texts they are reading, their interest in learning and sense of accomplishment diminish. Therefore, this study aims to help students identify the challenges they face during reading through the think-aloud reading strategy. This approach can assist English learners in better understanding the content of English texts and help them regain both their enthusiasm for learning and their confidence in confronting challenges.

Furthermore, in the context of increasing globalization and internationalization, strong English reading skills are fundamental to students' future learning and development. These skills provide a critical foundation for their growth into global citizens. In conclusion, the objective of this study is to apply the think-aloud method to teach reading strategies in English reading classes and to improve the reading abilities of eighth-grade students.

Research questions

This study aims to use a case study approach to analyze the characteristics of students during the English reading process and compare the reading comprehension strategies employed by high-achieving and low-achieving students. Additionally, the research seeks to gather valuable insights for improving teaching practices, helping students read more effectively, and increasing their interest in English reading. The research questions guiding this study are as follows:

1. What difficulties do students commonly encounter when reading English?
2. What are the benefits and methods of using the think-aloud strategy in reading?
3. Does the use of the think-aloud method improve students' ability to apply reading strategies in English?
4. After learning the think-aloud method for English reading, are students willing to use this strategy to understand texts?
5. Does students' comprehension of texts improve after adopting the think-aloud reading strategy?

Research objects and limitations

The participants of this study are eighth-grade students from a regular class in a junior high school in New Taipei City. The research limitations are as follows:

1. Due to constraints related to manpower, time, and other factors, the study is limited to eighth-grade students from a specific junior high school in New Taipei City. Additionally, because transcription and analysis of the original case are highly time-consuming, the sample size is restricted. Geographical factors further limit the generalizability of the study’s findings, so the results should not be overgeneralized.
2. The English reading materials used in this study were selected from certain units of English classics provided by the Boyo Social Welfare Foundation. As a result, the findings cannot be extended to other teaching materials with different themes or content.
3. The participants consist of 19 boys and 16 girls from an eighth-grade general class. Gender was not considered a variable in the sampling process; instead, "learning achievement" served as the selection criterion. Therefore, the study’s results are not representative in terms of gender and do not reflect gender differences in English reading comprehension.
4. The study focuses on analyzing the "English reading comprehension process." If students lack basic comprehension of the texts, they would be unable to engage in think-aloud activities. To avoid invalidating the research due to insufficient prior knowledge, the sample was biased toward students in the middle and upper academic ranges of the class. However, this also creates a bias toward students with relatively higher learning achievement, and the results may not be applicable to students with significantly lower academic performance.
5. During interviews, despite the researcher's efforts to minimize influence on students' think-aloud processes, but some degree of interference was unavoidable. Additionally, the mental processes involved in reading comprehension are highly complex, and the articulation of these processes through spoken language is subject to the limitations of students' verbal abilities, which may obscure their true cognitive processes. Therefore, this study can only faithfully document the events that occurred during the research and draw conclusions based on these observations. It cannot guarantee complete accuracy in representing the participants' internal monitoring mechanisms during reading comprehension.

Think-aloud method

The think-aloud method, originating from psychological research, is designed to make internal cognitive processes audible. As its name suggests, it involves verbalizing the thoughts occurring in the brain. The operational procedure is as follows: the researcher asks participants to perform specific tasks while verbalizing their thought processes as much as possible. These verbalizations are recorded, typically through audio or video, and later transcribed for further analysis.

Initially introduced in the first half of the 20th century to explore the brain’s cognitive functions, think-aloud was used by psychologists from the Würzburg School and Gestalt psychology to investigate problem-solving processes. It was also employed by psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud in clinical settings to analyze thought patterns, and by developmental psychologist Jean Piaget to study children's cognitive development. Over time, this method has been widely adopted in language research, including second language acquisition, language learning, cognitive processing, learner strategies for word inference, and research on foreign language test-takers.

Reading comprehension consists of four components: decoding, literal comprehension, inferential comprehension, and comprehension monitoring [3]. When students engage in reading, their brain processes the input from words or pictures, but teachers cannot observe these internal operations directly. To bridge this gap, the think-aloud method allows students to articulate their cognitive processes while reading. This involves verbalizing the thoughts that arise and the actions they plan to take while answering questions. Teachers can record students' reading activities, transcribe the recordings into verbatim protocols, and analyze them alongside the students' problem-solving notes, teacher observations, and interview data.

The think-aloud method is a process in which the researcher presents a problem situation to the participants, prompting them to verbalize their detailed thought process while solving the problem. The participants must explain their cognitive processes aloud as they perform the tasks, which are then analyzed by the researcher [4]. The think-aloud method is frequently used in reading, writing, and cognitive problem-solving research to investigate how individuals comprehend texts or compose written work [5]. Whether in psychology or education, the think-aloud method serves to collect data on participants' thought processes, cognitive functions, and implicit knowledge.

Recent research has demonstrated that the think-aloud method is highly effective in identifying students’ comprehension challenges and learning strategies. This approach not only enables researchers to gain deeper insights into students' cognitive approaches to learning, but also serves as a tool for designing more effective learning environments [6-8]. By encouraging participants to verbalize their thoughts, researchers can obtain a clearer understanding of users' mental models and behavioral responses during interactions [9], while offering new cognitive perspectives in the assessment of language testing effectiveness [10]. A key strength of the think-aloud method lies in its capacity to capture both observable behavior and the accompanying cognitive or emotional processes, thereby providing a more holistic understanding of why certain behaviors occur and mitigating potential misinterpretations that may arise from analyzing behavior in isolation. Nevertheless, this method may encounter limitations if participants find it difficult to articulate their thoughts or are uncertain about how to express them. As such, it is crucial to select participants who are comfortable with verbalizing their thoughts and emotions. Additionally, prior to data collection, it is essential to thoroughly explain the method's purpose and importance to participants, ensuring that they feel secure and encouraged to openly share their experiences.

Scaffolding theory

Currently, most scholars trace the origins of scaffolding theory to the concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) introduced by Russian scholar Lev Vygotsky [11-14]. Therefore, when discussing scaffolding theory, it is essential to first consider Vygotsky’s ZPD before delving into the scaffolding theory itself [15].

Vygotsky (1978) posited that human learning is inextricably linked to social and cultural contexts, with language serving as the most critical tool. He argued that communication between individuals is key to fostering higher-order cognitive functions. Through his observation of children’s interactions, Vygotsky found that children with higher abilities often lead those with lower abilities, thus facilitating the intellectual growth of less capable children. According to Vygotsky, ZPD refers to the distance between the level of problem-solving a person can achieve independently and the level they can reach with the assistance of more capable adults or peers. This dynamic gap is what constitutes the ZPD. While many scholars reference Vygotsky’s ZPD when discussing scaffolding, it is important to note that Vygotsky himself did not explicitly introduce the scaffolding theory.

Scaffolding theory was first introduced by Wood, Bruner, and Ross in 1976 during their research on how adults assist children aged 3 to 5 in stacking blocks to build a pyramid. In this study, the scaffolding provided by adults included direct assistance, verbal reminders of errors, and explicit prompts to guide children in constructing the correct block arrangement. This research marked the first introduction of the concept of "scaffolding" in the field of education, with the terms "scaffolding" and "scaffold" referring to the support structures provided by adults [15].

Scaffolding can be understood both as a noun ("scaffold") and as a verb ("scaffolding"). As a noun, "scaffold" refers to a support structure that assists children in becoming fully independent. As a verb, "scaffolding" denotes the dynamic process of providing assistance until children can operate independently [14]. Recent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of scaffolding strategies employed by teachers to facilitate student learning during instruction [16]. In the context of fostering creative problem-solving, particular emphasis is placed on how students utilize scaffolding to enhance higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills when confronted with complex challenges [17]. Additionally, scaffolding not only aids students in regulating and overseeing their learning processes [18], but also supports the construction of knowledge and the development of problem-solving abilities, especially in open-ended problem scenarios [19].

This study primarily employs qualitative analysis, as the processes of comprehension and problem-solving in English reading are inherently cognitive activities. While paper-and-pencil tests can indicate how many points a student scores in a particular unit, they fail to reveal the cognitive processes and challenges that the student encounters during reading. The think-aloud technique, a form of introspective method, enables students to verbalize the language they process mentally, allowing them to become aware of the issues they face while reading. Additionally, this method provides teachers with a means to swiftly identify students' difficulties and offer timely assistance. In this study, the think-aloud method was utilized to transcribe students' verbal recordings into written transcripts, while the corrected English reading worksheets provided further documentation of the students' problem-solving processes. The researchers categorized students into high-achieving and low-achieving groups based on their worksheet performance, analyzing the similarities and differences in reading strategies and errors between the two groups. Furthermore, four students from each group were selected for follow-up interviews to gain deeper insights into their cognitive processes during reading and the rationale behind their use of specific comprehension strategies.

Research participants

The participants in this study were 35 eighth-grade students from a junior high school in New Taipei City, consisting of 19 boys and 16 girls. This particular class was chosen from the five classes taught by the researcher due to the students' demonstrated willingness to articulate their thoughts orally during class discussions and their openness to experimenting with various English reading strategies for learning. The basic demographic information of the participants is shown in table 1.

Interviewed participants

Following eighteen weeks of instructional activities, the researcher selected participants for interviews based on their performance on English reading worksheets and field observation records. From both the high and low reading ability groups, four students were chosen, who voluntarily agreed to participate in the interviews. The details of the interviewers are shown in table 2.

Research materials

English reading materials: The selection of English reading materials was based on the students' performance in the basic English proficiency achievement test administered at school and the pre-test results collected prior to the implementation of the instructional activities. The researcher utilized English classics provided by the Boyu Social Welfare Foundation as practice materials for the think-aloud exercises.

Voice recorder and observation log: A voice recorder was used in this study to capture the oral content produced by participants during the think-aloud sessions. Additionally, the researcher documented students' reactions and behaviors during the instructional activities in a teacher's observation log. This recorded data was then organized for subsequent coding and analysis.

English reading worksheets: Two English reading worksheets were developed for this study. Worksheet (1) was designed based on the reading materials used in the think-aloud exercises, aiming to assess whether students improved their problem-solving skills through this practice. Worksheet (2) was compiled from the texts in the school’s textbooks and served to evaluate whether students had enhanced their comprehension abilities after learning the think-aloud reading strategy.

Interview records: Although the think-aloud method helps make implicit cognitive processes explicit, given that the participants were eighth-grade junior high school students, their verbal descriptions during the activity may not fully capture their thinking structure. To gain a deeper understanding of the challenges students faced while reading in English and the strategies they employed, the researcher conducted interviews with three high-ability and three low-ability readers after the instructional activities. These interviews were recorded to provide further insights into the students' reading processes.

This chapter presents an analysis and discussion of the participants' reading and problem-solving processes. By examining data from the participants' English reading problem-solving worksheets, original case analyses, and individual interviews, this chapter aims to elucidate the participants' comprehension of the "English Classics" texts, their strategic approaches to problem-solving, and the effect of the think-aloud method on enhancing their English learning abilities.

Research results

The English Reading Process of the Participants: The purpose of the instructional activities in this study is to investigate the impact of the think-aloud method on English reading. Therefore, the dynamic processes observed during each activity are critical for analysis. Below is a detailed explanation of the English reading process for the participants, organized by group.

• A: The name of the text is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Participants used the think-aloud reading strategy to infer the content and meaning of the text, but were unable to directly read the following words: unfortunately, unexpected, and personalities.
• Group B: The name of the text is Christmas Carol. At the beginning, participants thought aloud individually and marked the words that they could not read directly: suffer, selfishness, childhood, generous, donates, miser, etc., and then discussed together to deduce the meaning of the text.
• Group C: The students in Group C were particularly familiar with the reading material The Little Match Girl and, as a result, approached the reading with confidence. Despite encountering some uncertainties regarding certain prompts in the text, they successfully translated the main ideas of the article.
• Group D: After engaging in group discussions utilizing the think-aloud method, the five students in Group D were able to articulate the main idea of Moby Dick. However, they still struggled to comprehend specific words in the text, such as "ferocious," "encounters," and "imaginary enemy."
• Group E: During the think-aloud sessions, the participants in Group E spoke at a relatively low volume. However, through group discussions and collaborative efforts, they were able to translate the English text into Chinese, sentence by sentence. Although their translations were grammatically imperfect, they demonstrated a clear understanding of the overall meaning of the text.
• Group F: The title of the text is The War of the worlds. At first, the participants were unable to understand the two parts: the invasion of creatures from space and the invading Martians are killed by a kind of bacteria. Through thinking aloud and explaining to each other, the participants learned to understand the meaning of the text and the context of the article content were finally successfully translated into Chinese.
• Group G: The text Frankenstain contains many new words. At first, participants could not understand the words literature and essays, monster created by science, the invasion of creatures from space and the invading Martians were killed scientific research, philosopher poet, escapes and atomic bomb. Through thinking aloud and collaborative learning, participants successfully translated the text.

Participants' application of reading strategies

Following their training in the think-aloud method, participants exhibited a marked improvement in the application of reading strategies compared to their previous performance. Despite this progress, they continued to face significant challenges when confronted with particularly complex English texts, particularly in relation to vocabulary acquisition and the comprehension of intricate sentence structures. The think-aloud strategy, supplemented by cooperative learning, allowed participants to externalize their thought processes, making their cognitive approach to reading audible. The results revealed clear differences in participant performance before and after the implementation of the think-aloud instructional activities (Table 3). To further elucidate these findings, researchers conducted a 20-question English reading test prior to the intervention, considering unanswered questions as omissions. After the think-aloud strategy was applied, participants were re-evaluated with the same test, allowing for a direct comparison of their progress.

Common Challenges in Reading English Texts: Even students with high reading proficiency frequently encounter challenges when faced with unfamiliar vocabulary that has not been explicitly taught, often causing them to pause and disrupting the flow of reading. This observation underscores that, while strategies such as reading aloud and the think-aloud method can facilitate learners in effectively monitoring their comprehension, students with weaker literacy skills still face substantial linguistic obstacles when engaging with English texts.

Following the instructional activities, participants A2, B1, F3, and G5 expressed that after learning the think-aloud strategy, they were more inclined to apply it to comprehend texts and believed it could be beneficial across other subjects as well. Conversely, participants B3, E2, and F3 indicated a preference for receiving support from teachers and peers when reading English. They found it valuable to discuss ambiguous sentences with classmates, and, based on their experiences, they felt they were not yet capable of completing English reading tasks independently using the think-aloud strategy alone. The researcher recommends that when incorporating think-aloud strategies into English reading instruction, it is crucial to select reading materials that align more closely with students' current proficiency levels. Gradually progressing from simpler to more complex texts can more effectively guide students toward greater competence in English reading.

By utilizing the think-aloud method to guide students in reading activities, teachers gain deeper insights into the specific challenges students encounter, while students engage in metacognitive reflection, enabling them to identify where their comprehension falters. Since the cognitive processes involved in reading are not externally observable, a student's understanding of specific words or the overall meaning of a text cannot be accurately measured through multiple-choice questions alone. Effective instructional methods, particularly those that enhance reading strategies, can substantially improve students’ learning abilities.

This classroom-based study demonstrated that the think-aloud method clearly highlights the difficulties students face when reading English, allowing teachers to provide targeted interventions to enhance reading skills. However, if students lack adequate preparatory skills, this gap may significantly hinder the effective application of such teaching strategies.

Teaching is an art that requires the use of creative and effective methods to engage learners in meaningful ways. This process allows individuals to pursue truth, goodness, and beauty, ultimately realizing the highest educational value. Yet, do teaching and learning always occur simultaneously in classroom settings? When a teacher teaches, are the students truly learning?

In Taiwan, students commonly face challenges in learning English. From letter recognition and pronunciation, to literacy, writing, and finally reading comprehension, understanding the meaning of English texts is a time-consuming endeavor. The think-aloud reading strategy, complemented by cooperative learning and scaffolded support, provides timely assistance, helping learners to identify their reading difficulties. Through peer collaboration, students can overcome reading barriers and improve their overall English learning capabilities.

The primary aim of this study is to investigate the application of the think-aloud reading strategy in English reading instruction and to document students' learning styles and responses to this approach. After 18 weeks of instructional activities, supported by observations, records, and interviews, the following conclusions were drawn:

• Insufficient prior knowledge impacts learning progress: A lack of prior knowledge among students significantly impedes their learning progress. Even with the introduction of new reading strategies, students with lower English proficiency continue to face substantial difficulties. It is, therefore, essential for teachers to conduct a thorough assessment of students' foundational abilities before introducing new content. The design of differentiated worksheets, customized to varying proficiency levels, is recommended to support learning.
• The think-aloud method enhances learning: The think-aloud strategy has been shown to facilitate learning by making the sources of comprehension difficulties more transparent. It also captures the subtle emotional reactions of students during the learning process, offering valuable insights into their cognitive engagement.
• Think-aloud improves problem identification: The think-aloud method allows students to vocalize their questions during the reading process, enabling both teachers and students to identify specific challenges encountered in English reading with greater clarity.
• Combining think-aloud with cooperative learning: Integrating the think-aloud method with cooperative learning or paired exercises not only strengthens interpersonal relationships but also enhances students' ability to effectively apply reading strategies after the reading activity. This approach promotes collaborative learning, fostering mutual support among peers.
• Positive student feedback on think-aloud: Most students expressed a willingness to continue using the think-aloud strategy to understand texts, with some reporting improvements in their reading comprehension after adopting the approach.

Learning a foreign language, akin to mastering one’s native language, is a gradual process requiring sustained practice and the integration of key skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing. As outlined in UNESCO's Delors Report: Learning: The Treasure Within, which emphasizes lifelong learning, education should cultivate four essential dimensions: learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together, and learning to be. Learning to live together is to create equitable educational opportunities [20].

This study aimed to apply the think-aloud method in English reading classes for eighth-grade students, with the goal of enhancing their reading skills. Throughout the process, cooperative learning and peer interaction were emphasized, encouraging students not only to acquire knowledge but also to develop personal growth and interpersonal skills. Most importantly, the objective was for students to independently apply reading strategies and continue their learning once the scaffolding is removed. The study also aims to provide practical insights for English teachers, offering recommendations on how to improve instructional approaches to better support student learning outcomes.

Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are proposed:

• Assess prior knowledge before instruction: Teachers should assess students' prior knowledge before introducing new content, as foundational understanding is essential for success in English learning. Administering simple assessments prior to instruction can provide insight into students’ capabilities, allowing for the selection of appropriate teaching materials and methods to enhance learning outcomes.
• Encourage high-achieving students to support peers: Teachers should motivate higher-performing students to assist their peers. The think-aloud method requires students to articulate their cognitive processes, and scaffolding should be introduced when challenges arise. Classroom observations indicated that students often require significant time to verbalize sentences. In these cases, more capable students within the group can offer valuable support to those struggling.
• Facilitate peer learning through think-aloud: In student-centered English reading instruction, the think-aloud method should be actively incorporated to promote peer dialogue, enabling students to learn from each other. When students encounter particularly challenging problems, teachers should intervene with appropriate guidance to facilitate understanding.
• Understand students’ cognitive processes and challenges: Teachers must make concerted efforts to comprehend the difficulties and obstacles students face in English reading. This understanding is critical for providing meaningful support. It is also important to highlight that the essence of the think-aloud strategy lies in making students' thoughts audible, allowing them to receive timely feedback and assistance from both teachers and peers.
• Create a supportive learning environment: Teachers should work towards cultivating a collaborative and supportive classroom atmosphere. Fostering an environment that is warm and open encourages students to actively use English, recognize their own difficulties, and seek help without fear of judgment or criticism.
• Expand the sample size and scope of future research: This study involved a limited sample size of 35 eighth-grade students. Future research could broaden the scope to include participants from different educational stages, such as elementary, junior high, high school, or university, and apply the think-aloud method to reading materials of varying difficulty levels to further explore its impact on English reading comprehension.
• Extend the duration of research: Due to time and resource constraints, this study only implemented eighteen teaching sessions. Extending the research duration in future studies would allow for a more comprehensive evaluation of the long-term effectiveness of the think-aloud method in improving students’ reading skills.

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