VietTESOL International Convention 2026

The Impact of Scaffolding Techniques on EFL Reading Comprehension: Evidence from Vietnamese High School Classrooms
Abstract
This study investigates the impact of scaffolding techniques on Grade 12 students’ reading comprehension, reading strategy use, and learning motivation in an EFL classroom setting. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design was employed involving 94 students from two intact classes at Pleiku High School, Vietnam. Over a ten-week intervention, the experimental group received reading instruction integrating scaffolding techniques, pre-reading vocabulary support, guiding questions, think-aloud modeling, graphic organizers, and gradual release of responsibility, whereas the control group followed conventional instruction. These techniques guided students in applying key reading strategies like skimming, scanning, and inferencing. Data were collected through targeted reading passages adapted from the National High School Graduation Examination 2025 format (assessing main idea, detail, and inference skills), a questionnaire examining reading challenges, strategy application, and motivation, and semi-structured interviews using purposive sampling. Quantitative data was analyzed using t-tests, while qualitative responses were examined through thematic analysis. Findings revealed that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in reading comprehension, demonstrating marked improvements, particularly in inference and main idea identification. Furthermore, data indicated a substantial shift from passive translation habits to the autonomous use of reading strategies, alongside increased motivation and text engagement. Pedagogically, the study suggests that integrating structured scaffolding into textbook-based instruction effectively enhances strategy-based reading, fostering greater learner autonomy in examination-oriented EFL contexts.
Keywords: scaffolding; EFL reading comprehension; reading strategies; motivation toward reading tasks; Vietnamese high school students