Implementing virtual literature circles for developing English learners’ vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension

Reading comprehension requires language learners to be active and independent. A literature circle is a reading strategy that asserts different roles for students and promotes independence and active learning. The literature circle strategy was invented mainly for face-to-face learning. The spread of online teaching and learning necessitated the development of new teaching methods and learning strategies. In response, the present study adapted and developed the regular face-to-face literature circles into a virtual form to be known as Virtual Literature Circle (VLC) and maintained online. A sample of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners at Qassim University followed the VLCs in reading II during the second semester of the academic year 2022. Strong gains in vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension have been documented in the present study. Comparisons of the experimental and the control groups in the pre-test study revealed no significant differences before intervention. After a four-month intervention, the two groups conducted the post-test study. Large significant differences appeared in post-testing suggesting the effectiveness of the VLC strategy followed in developing vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension among EFL learners. The VLCs prove to be effective and suitable for synchronous and asynchronous face-to-screen learning.