How Reading Aloud Technique (RAT) Impacts the First-Year Computer Engineering (CE)’s English-Speaking Learning Engagement

Abstract

Reading aloud technique (RAT) is pervasively known to influence English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ language skill acquisition. Only several studies, however, explored the approach’s significance on basic dimensions of learning engagement used to reflect students’ ability and progress in their learning goals. This qualitative research was conducted to comprehend how RAT, integrated with varied speaking tasks, impacted behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement dimensions of non-native English speaking first-year university students majoring Computer Engineering (CE). The main finding interpreted from a series of event-based observations revealed RAT impacted students’ learning engagement at a limited-to-average extent of dimension, with exception to one dimension, emotional engagement where RAT was found to relieve students’ foreign language anxiety (FLA). This limited extent tendency further led to students’ average progress in speaking the target language. The conclusion is RAT represents a challenge toward prior entries about optimistic effects of RAT on EFL learning. This alternative outcome on RAT’s impacts contributes to enrich EFL instructors’ understanding to suitably merge the technique with other speaking learning modalities.