Speaker
Description
Reading comprehension plays a critical role in language proficiency and high-stakes assessments in Vietnam. Under the 2018 General Education Curriculum, reading accounts for 100% of the English test in the 2025 National High School Graduation Examination. Despite its importance, many students struggle with complex texts requiring inference, cohesion recognition, main idea identification, summarization, and analysis of cause-effect and problem-solution structures. This study explores the use of linear thinking as a pedagogical strategy to improve reading comprehension among Grade 12 English-major students at Hung Vuong High School for the Gifted, Gia Lai province, in the 2024-2025 academic year. Grounded in text structure theory (Meyer & Rayner, 2011), linear thinking involves a logical, sequential approach using strategies such as outlining, chronological ordering, cause-effect mapping, and guided questioning. A mixed-methods intervention was conducted over 15 weeks with 70 students. Data from reading assessments, classroom observations, and student feedback revealed that linear thinking strategies significantly enhanced students’ reading performance and confidence. While results were promising, the study was limited to a single group of gifted learners. Further research is needed to assess the broader applicability of these strategies. The findings support incorporating explicit text structure instruction into EFL reading pedagogy.
Key words: Reading comprehension, linear thinking, text structure instruction, EFL education, Vietnam 2018 curriculum reform
Biography
Dao Nguyen Tieu Quyen is a teacher of English at Hung Vuong High School for the Gifted. She is an active member of the professional community, having presented at the VietTESOL Convention six times and served as a volunteer abstract reviewer for the VietTESOL International Convention in 2021.
