Using Podcasts to Enhance English Reading Skills for Undergraduate Students
Keywords:
Podcasts, English reading skills, Undergraduate studentsAbstract
This research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of podcasts in improving English reading skills among undergraduate students. By focusing on three objectives: 1) enhancing students’ English reading skills through podcasts, 2) comparing their English reading achievement before and after using podcasts, and 3) assessing their satisfaction with this learning approach. The sample consisted of 30 first-year students enrolled in the English for Life Skills course during the second semester of the 2022 academic year at Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna, Chiang Rai. Participants were selected through cluster random sampling. The research instruments included lesson plans incorporating podcast-based reading activities (reading while listening), pretests and posttests, and a questionnaire to evaluate student satisfaction. Data were analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation, and paired sample t-test. The results revealed that podcast-based reading activities significantly enhanced the students’ English reading skills. Students achieved an average score of 7.70 (S.D. = 0.296) out of 10 points across all learning units. Posttest scores ( = 6.33, S.D. = 0.296) were notably higher than pretest scores ( = 4.57, S.D. = 0.448), demonstrating a significant improvement in reading achievement. Furthermore, students expressed high satisfaction with the podcast-based learning approach, with a mean satisfaction score of 3.60 out of 4. These findings suggest that integrating podcasts into English reading instruction is an effective and engaging strategy for enhancing language skills among undergraduate students.
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