Developing Task-Based Reading Materials Using Short Stories to Promote Critical Thinking in EFL Students’ Extensive Reading Classes

Terasne Terasne; Ahmad Hanan; Bq. Zuhrotun Nafisah

doi:10.36312/panthera.v5i4.682

Authors

Terasne Terasne Department of English Education, Faculty of Culture, Management, and Business, Mandalika University of Education, Pemuda Street Number 59A, Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara 83125, Indonesia
Ahmad Hanan Department of English Education, Faculty of Culture, Management, and Business, Mandalika University of Education, Pemuda Street Number 59A, Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara 83125, Indonesia
Bq. Zuhrotun Nafisah Department of English Education, Faculty of Culture, Management, and Business, Mandalika University of Education, Pemuda Street Number 59A, Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara 83125, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36312/panthera.v5i4.682

Keywords:

Critical Thinking, Extensive Reading, Inference and Evaluation, Short Stories, Task-Based Materials

Abstract

This study developed task-based reading materials using short stories to enhance EFL students’ critical thinking, particularly inference and evaluation, in the Extensive Reading course. Employing a Research and Development (R&D) design, 60 fifth-semester students of the English Education Study Program at Universitas Pendidikan Mandalika were assigned to an experimental group (n = 30) and a control group (n = 30). Data were obtained through validation checklists, pre- and post-tests, and questionnaires. The results showed that the materials were valid (77,5%), practical (81% of students achieved the minimum passing grade), and effective, with the experimental group significantly outperforming the control group (t (58) = 3,99, p < ,001, d = 1,03). The implementation fostered active participation, critical discussion, and substantial improvement in inference and evaluation skills. These findings highlight the importance of integrating Task-Based Learning with short stories as an effective approach to promote critical literacy in university-level extensive reading instruction.

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