The Effect of Reading Medium on EFL Students’ Reading Comprehension Reading on Paper versus Reading on Screen: A Case of Master Two Students at Mascara University

Abstract

Due the increased prevalence of screen reading over paper reading, it is of primary importance to examine the effect of the medium on reading comprehension. Therefore, the current study aims to examine the effect of the reading medium on Algerian EFL graduate students’ reading comprehension at Mascara University when reading academic texts. It also aims to explore students’ preferences for reading mediums. To meet this endeavour, the quantitative approach is adopted. A true experiment is conducted, where thirty Master Two students are randomly assigned to two groups. The control group reads two informational texts and one narrative text on paper, and the experimental group reads the same texts on a computer screen. Then, they are required to answer reading comprehension tests in both mediums. In addition, a questionnaire is administered to the same participants to examine their preferences for paper or screen medium. Furthermore, a semi-structured interview is conducted with four EFL teachers at Mascara University to solicit insightful data about their perspectives on students’ reading patterns in the digital age. Results have revealed that students who read informational texts on paper scored better than those who read on the computer screen. However, no significant difference has been noticed when reading the narrative text in both formats. Data from the questionnaire have shown that EFL graduate students’ preference for the paper medium is superior to achieve better learning outcomes. Findings from the interview indicated that the reading purpose is the major factor that influences the choice of the reading medium. This study suggests that, despite the dominance of screen reading, paper reading is still advantageous to achieve concentrated and effective reading. Implications of these findings for subsequent research, teachers, and policymakers are considered.