THE DEVELOPMENT OF MAIN IDEA READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS IN THE THAI LANGUAGE SUBJECT BY APPLYING THE SQ4R READING PROCESS IN CONJUNCTION WITH PRACTICE EXERCISES FOR FIFTH-YEAR PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

This research aimed to: 1) Compare Thai language reading comprehension skills after learning through the application of the SQ4R reading process combined with skill exercises against the 80 percent criterion; 2) compare students’ Thai language reading comprehension skills before and after learning through the application of the SQ4R reading process combined with skill exercises; and 3) Investigate students’ satisfaction toward the SQ4R reading process combined with skill exercises. The study employed a one-group pretest–posttest experimental design. The population consisted of 329 Grade 5 students from seven schools in the Thachamuang Samakkhi School Network under the Songkhla Primary Educational Service Area Office 2. The sample group comprised 38 Grade 5 students from Ban Noen Nimit School during the second semester of the 2025 academic year. Cluster random sampling was employed, with classrooms used as the sampling units. The research instruments included: 1) Lesson plans, 2) A reading comprehension skills test, and 3) A satisfaction questionnaire. The statistics used for data analysis were mean, percentage, and standard deviation. The hypothesis testing was conducted using the dependent samples t-test. The research findings revealed that: 1) Students’ reading comprehension skills were higher than the 80 percent criterion; 2) Students’ post-learning reading comprehension skills were significantly higher than their pre-learning skills (t = 19.06*, df = 37); and 3) The overall student satisfaction toward the SQ4R reading process combined with skill exercises was at the highest level ( = 4.52, S.D. = 0.25). These findings indicate that the SQ4R reading process combined with skill exercises effectively enhanced students’ reading comprehension skills.