A Correlation Analysis of Esl Learners’ Textual Comprehension Performance, Higher Order Thinking Skills and Type of Background Schooling

Abstract

It is a common perception among Pakistani people that the private schools in the country are more effective at teaching English language and critical thinking skills than the state-operated public schools. The consumer stakeholders generally prefer private schooling in Pakistan to public schooling. It is to lend young learners a solid English speaking and reading background that will assist these learners to assume in future an advantageous position as university students. Taking into account the aforementioned perception, this investigation aimed to analyze any significant correlation between the university level learners’ background public/private schooling type and their skills in English reading comprehension and higher order thinking. The research setting was a well-known Pakistani university in the city of Lahore. The data were collected from 300 female and male university undergraduates using an IELTS-adapted reading comprehension test and Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (Form A). To analyze the data, Pearson’s correlation analysis was performed on the participants’ performance while they were divided into two groups based on the background schooling type. The findings showed a moderate-high degree of correlation between the participants’ background schooling type and their (i)textual information processing ability and (ii) higher order thinking skills. A high degree of correlation loaded between reading comprehension performance and higher order thinking skills levels.