Utilizing effective reading comprehension strategies is a critically important aspect of the reading process in L2. This study explored the effect of short stories and explicit instruction of reading comprehension strategies on reading comprehension. As a quasi-experimental study, a mixed-method design was adopted, and the data were collected from…

For this dissertation, I had the opportunity to investigate a well-established university-based intensive English program in the northeastern United States as it transitioned from an integrated-skills to a paired-skills approach. My goal as a researcher was to investigate in what ways "listening," the second language (L2) skill…

One of the most important communicative skills is listening and, at the same time, the Achilles' heel of many L2 learners as it entails multi-level cognitive processes (Lynch, 2002). Besides, as various studies show, self-efficacy measures are closely tied to the effective use of learning strategies. Considering the key role that concept mapping,…