Developing students’ reading competence in an EFL context through annotated reading: A blended instructional design

Annotated reading is generally believed an effective way to improve learners’ reading competence. However, most existing studies focus on online annotated reading while neglecting to scaffold students throughout the entire learning process. To address the gap, this study proposed a four-stage annotated reading framework and employed a quasi-experimental design to evaluate its effectiveness in developing students’ reading competence. Concurrently, students’ perceptions and actualization of this pedagogy were also investigated. Results demonstrated that this framework had potential in cultivating students’ reading competence, it was perceived as offering substantially more benefits than difficulties, and students who yielded greater gains exhibited higher engagement levels. Furthermore, modes of learning were not the decisive factor in learning outcomes, and students’ engagement proved equally critical. The findings can facilitate the field’s re-examination of technology use and shifting more focus to students’ individual differences and the holistic teaching-learning process. Targeted pedagogical suggestions were presented based on the findings.