An Experimental Study of the Think–Pair–Share Strategy and its Influence on Reading Performance of Undergraduate ESL Students in Pakistan

Authors

Mumtaz Ali Govt. Islamia Arts & Commerce College & Post Graduate Studies Center, Sukkur, Sindh, Pakistan Author
Muhammad Zaman Lecturer, Department of English, Federal Urdu University of Arts Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan Author
Naresh Kumar Lecturer-in-English, Department of English, Govt Islamia Arts & College & Post Graduate Studies Center, Sukkur, Sindh, Pakistan, Author
Saqib Abbas Assistant Professor, Department of English, Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University Lyari (BBSUL), Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, Corresponding Author’s Author

Comprehension, Learning, Think–Pair–Share Strategy, Undergraduate ESL Learners

This experimental study investigated the effectiveness of the Think–Pair–Share (TPS)

instructional strategy in enhancing the reading comprehension performance of undergraduate ESL

students in Pakistan. The target population consisted of undergraduate students enrolled in public

sector universities. Using a quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test control group design, two intact

classes were selected through simple random sampling, comprising a total of 90 undergraduate

students. The experimental group (n = 46) was taught reading comprehension through the Think–

Pair–Share strategy, while the control group (n = 44) received instruction through conventional

lecture-based methods. Data were collected using a standardized reading comprehension

achievement test. The reliability of the instrument was established through the test–retest method,

yielding a reliability coefficient of 0.83. Data were analyzed using mean scores and standard

deviations to address the research question, while an independent samples t-test was employed to

test the research hypothesis at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed a statistically

significant improvement in the performance of students exposed to the Think–Pair–Share strategy

compared to those in the control group. The experimental group demonstrated a higher mean gain

score, indicating that collaborative interaction through structured peer discussion positively

influenced reading comprehension outcomes. The study concludes that the Think–Pair–Share

strategy significantly enhances reading performance among undergraduate ESL learners in

Pakistan. It is recommended that university-level English language instructors integrate TPS and

other cooperative learning strategies to promote active engagement, critical thinking, and deeper

textual understanding in reading classrooms.