The Effects of DR-TA Teaching Method on Reading Comprehension of Third-Grade Students

Abstract

Background and Aims: Reading comprehension is essential for third-grade elementary students because it enables them to understand words, texts, and sentences thoroughly. This skill allows students to summarize details, sequence events in stories using their own language, predict outcomes based on reading comprehension, and apply ideas from reading to everyday life. The DR-TA teaching method is a teaching approach that helps students develop reading and thinking abilities by setting reading objectives that enable them to analyze, comprehend, and synthesize information. It involves considering content based on reading objectives and making decisions using the gathered information and prior experiences. Therefore, the objective of this research is to compare the reading comprehension abilities of third-grade elementary students before and after being taught using the DR-TA teaching method.

Methodology: The participants are 15 of the third-grade students from Sirmsukwittaya School, Phetchaburi, who enroll in the second semester in 2024. The research instruments are 1) lesson plans and 2) reading comprehension tests. All the obtained data will be analyzed by percentile, average, standard deviation, and dependent sample t-test.

Results: The research found that using the DR-TA teaching method had an impact on the reading comprehension abilities of third-grade elementary students.The reading comprehension skills of the third-grade students are higher when using the DR-TA teaching method.  Statistically significant at .05. It resulted in an improvement in their ability to comprehend what they read. This indicates that the DR-TA teaching method can be utilized to enhance students' reading comprehension abilities. This is because it sets conditions for readers to practice critical thinking, provides systematic learning, and allows continuous self-assessment, leading to better understanding of the material read.

Conclusion: The results show statistically significant improvement in third-grade students' reading comprehension skills, demonstrating the efficacy of the DR-TA teaching method. This approach facilitates deeper comprehension of reading material by encouraging critical thinking, systematic learning, and self-assessment. As such, it may be valuable for educators who want to maximize their students' comprehension skills.