Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of text rhetorical organization instruction
on students‘ reading comprehension performance of expository texts. In addition to this, it aimed
at exploring the students‘ perceptions to text rhetorical organization instruction and its
usefulness. Quasi-experimental research design was used. The participants (n= 41 for
experimental group and n= 44 for the comparison group) were taken from two undergraduate
classes where the researcher was assigned to teach the course ‗Communicative English Language
Skills‘ in 2021 academic year. The instruction lasted for six weeks, two sessions each week and
three hours each session. The experimental group was taught to read texts through the
application of text rhetorical organization strategy and the comparison group received the lessons
through the conventional method of teaching reading where the lessons were taught as prescribed
in the syllabus. Data were collected through reading comprehension tests, written recall tasks,
process logs and interviews. The scores of tests were analyzed through MANOVA. The
MANOVA results showed a statistically significant difference existed between the experimental
and the comparison groups. That is, the experimental group students outperformed their
counterparts. The results have shown that the experimental group students outperformed the
comparison group students in comprehending and recalling texts with descriptive, problem and
solution, sequence and comparison and contrast rhetorical organization. The results to each
domain were found to be statistically significant indicating that the employment of text rhetorical
organization better helped students comprehend and recall reading texts and became aware of
text organization. The qualitative data gathered through students‘ process logs and interviews
revealed that the students considered the text rhetorical organization instruction was helpful in
enhancing their reading comprehension performance. They expressed positive perceptions about
the instruction. Accordingly, it is recommended that text rhetorical organization ought to be
considered as one of the effective instructional strategies in reading classes. Text rhetorical
organization could be taken an integral part of the reading pedagogy. This study cannot claim to
have presented an ultimate answer to the reading problems across various settings. Thus,
research should continue to explore the panacea to the multifaceted challenges students face in
reading.
