Effect of Cooperative Instructional Strategy on Reading Comprehension Performance of Public Secondary School Students in Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of cooperative instructional strategy on reading comprehension performance of public secondary school students in Abuja, Nigeria. The study determined the difference in the reading performance of students taught using cooperative instruction and the regular classroom teaching strategy of chalk and board at the literal, inferential and critical levels of the reading comprehension. A pre-test, post-test, non-randomised quasi-experimental design was adopted for the study involving intact experimental and control groups. Four research questions were raised. Through simple random sampling technique (Lottery method), 66 Senior Secondary School students in penultimate class were involved from two co-educational schools in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Data were collected using test items adopted from the reading comprehension sections of the West African Examinations Council. Mean statistics was used to answer the research questions. Analysis of collated data indicated presence of significant difference in the reading performance of secondary school students exposed to cooperative and conventional instructional strategies at literal and inferential comprehension. However, significant difference does not exist between the two groups at the critical comprehension level. The study, therefore, recommends increased teachers’ commitment and use of combined strategies for teaching reading comprehension; and adoption of metacognitive cues like schema, organiser to enable students take charge of their comprehension.