The Impact of the Rereading Method on Reading Speed and Comprehension of Normal and Scrambled Texts among Arabic EFL Learners

Abstract

The rereading method benefits automatic word recognition, which impacts the development of L2 learners' reading speed and text comprehension. This study aimed to compare the effect of the rereading method on reading speed and reading comprehension of normal and scrambled texts in Arabic EFL learners. It was developed through quantitative research of analytical design to analyze the behavior of reading speed and text comprehension. The study focused on 50 Arab first-year EFL learners, divided into two groups, low and high level, according to their reading ability. They were given to read scrambled (S) and normal (N) passages with the conditions NN, SS, SN, and NS. The results show that when students are confronted with reading of the second passage preceded by normal texts, they read faster, presenting the same behavior for the general sample as for the low- and high-level groups. On the other hand, the rereading method favors reading speed when the second passage is scrambled. High-level students were shown to read faster, regardless of the condition of the passage. Regarding text comprehension, when the second passages are scrambled (SS, NS), students present better text comprehension. These results suggest that despite the difficulty of the text, a transfer from the first passage to the second readings may occur. The results indicate that the rereading method improves text comprehension and reading speed.