a meta-analysis of reading research around the world : towards a set of guiding principles for efl reading instruction
This study attempted to shed light on the reading research conducted over the last twenty years for the purpose of reflecting on the most and least addressed aspects of reading in the research. This study is also hoped to constitute a resource for scholars about the latest initiatives in the reading research in general and in EFL reading in particular. In order to answer the research aims, a meta-analysis of 45 articles was conducted. Despite the fact that the methodology adopted for this study was thematic and qualitative, frequency counts were made. A corpus of 45 international articles titles, which met the selection criteria within the overall database of five leading journals, was collected. A seven-step procedure was followed to sort and analyze the data. The findings showed that there were six major themes, which were ranked in terms of their frequency of distribution into reading comprehension, reading strategies, reading ability, reading literacy, reading speed, and reading skills. In light of the findings, the researchers attempted to highlight the areas of focus and to put forth guiding principles for reading instruction (e.g., strategy-based instruction is essential in teaching reading; technology-based instruction is more a must than an alternative). (Published abstract)