Cognitive Strategy Use and Gender in L2 Reading Comprehension: A Case of Iranian Pre-University Students

Abstract

This study aimed to find out the effect of cognitive reading strategies on male and female students' reading comprehension ability. 120 homogeneous pre-university male and female students (60 males and 60 females) were selected from a total population of 170 at the pre-intermediate level. Then, they were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. The experimental groups (A and B) received instructions regarding cognitive learning strategies (summarizing, elaborating, and re-reading) respectively, whereas the control groups (C and D) received Conventional Instruction (CI) method followed an individualistic instructional approach based on the exercises in their regular text books. A t-test and one-way ANOVA were conducted to compare the groups' means and to determine the effect of gender. The results depicted that summarizing, elaborating, and re-reading strategies had a significant effect on improving Iranian EFL students' reading comprehension with regard to gender.