Enhancement of Critical Reading and Critical Thinking Skills of Sixth Grade Students with Reading Difficulties by Using a Mindtool-Based Scaffolded Reading Instruction System with Evidence-Based Intervention

Abstract

Abstract

          This research were to 1) study and develop a mindtool-based scaffolded reading instruction system with evidence-based intervention, 2) study the results of implementing a mindtool-based scaffolded reading instruction system and 3) propose a mindtool-based scaffolded reading instruction system. There were three phases in the study; Phase 1: Development of research framework, Phase 2: Development of a mindtool-based scaffolded reading instruction system and Phase 3: Proposing a mindtool-based scaffolded reading instruction system. The research instruments were content analysis form, an opinion questionnaire, participation recording form, scaffolded reading instruction system on LMS, four basic reading skill tests, reading comprehension test, critical reading test, Cornell Critical Thinking Test Level Z, and the approval form for approving the developed scaffolded reading instruction system. The research subjects were 60 sixth grade students with reading difficulties. The subjects participated in the system for 10 weeks.

          Research findings were as follows: 1) The components of a mindtool-based scaffolded reading instruction system consisted of 4 components that were Input, Process, Output, and Feedback. 2) The level of scaffolding in a mindtool-based scaffolded reading instruction system tended to be decreased one level of difficulty level, high reading difficulty level was decreased to middle reading difficulty level, middle reading difficulty level was decreased to low reading difficulty level, and low reading difficulty level was decreased to classroom level. 3) The sixth grade students with reading difficulties who participated in a mindtool-based scaffolded reading instruction system had higher achievement in basic reading skills that was difficulty. The correlations between difficulty basic reading skill and other basic reading skills were found at .01 significance. 4) The sixth grade students with reading difficulties who participated in a mindtool-based scaffolded reading instruction system had higher achievement in reading comprehension, critical reading and critical thinking skills at .05 significance.