Assessing English L2 reading comprehension in Thai EFL learners: The correlations between literal, interpretative and critical comprehension skills

Abstract

This paper examined the Thai EFL learners’ reading comprehension abilities focusing on their literal, interpretative, and critical
comprehension skills to investigate their reading achievement, the relationship between their English L2 proficiency and their
reading proficiency, and the relationships among their literal, interpretative and critical comprehension. The sample group
consisted of 46 fourth-year undergraduate students majoring in English in a Thai university, selected by the purposive sampling
technique. The instrument used was the PISA sample reading test and the data were analyzed descriptively by using
percentage, mean, and standard deviation, and Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients. The results revealed that
the participants’ overall reading proficiency was at the medium level. When examining their literal, interpretative, and critical
comprehension abilities separately, it was found that they had high literal comprehension, medium interpretative
comprehension, and low critical comprehension. The results also revealed that there was a significant positive correlation
between the participants’ GAP and their test score. The participants who had higher GPA appeared to have higher reading
proficiency. Moreover, the participants’ literal, interpretative, and critical comprehension abilities were also highly correlated.
The participants who had high literal comprehension ability were likely to have higher interpretative and critical
comprehension abilities. The results supported the general assumptions that successful reading requires adequate language
proficiency and that literal comprehension skill is the foundation of the interpretative and critical comprehension skills.

Keywords: L2 reading comprehension; Thai EFL learners; reading and language proficiency; literal, interpretative, and critical
comprehension.