The role of peer tutoring integrated with KWL charts in the development of students’ inferential skills

Abstract

Peer Tutoring is a widely used method of teaching English. Peer tutoring, a pedagogical strategy that has the potential to assist Indonesian advanced students in developing inferential understanding by combining it with KWL charts, has, however, received little attention in the context of Indonesian EFL (English as a Foreign Language). The aims are first to know the implementation of peer tutoring and KWL Charts in reading. Second, to know whether or not there is a significant difference in students’ inferential understanding. Third, to know the factors affecting students’ inferential understanding. Fourth, to know the students’ attitudes toward the role of PT integrated with KWL charts in developing inference skills. For these purposes, 54 advanced students participated in the project. This research utilizes a mixed-method design, combining (a) one group pretest-posttest design, with (b) a qualitative study. The researcher uses various data collection methods, including pretest-posttests, interviews and questionnaires. The paired sample t-test was used to interpret the quantitative data. To analyze qualitative data, the researcher uses descriptive analysis. The study shows that peer tutoring integrated with KWL benefits students’ positive attitudes toward reading comprehension. Moreover, there is a significant difference in students’ inferential understanding when using peer tutoring integrated with KWL.

Keywords:

• Inferences
• KWL charts
• peer tutoring
• positive attitude
• teaching strategies

Reviewing Editor:

• Serafina Pastore, Education, Psychology, Communication, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Italy

Subjects:

• Classroom Practice
• Classroom Management & Organization
• Adult Education and Lifelong Learning

1. Introduction

The ability of students to interpret information that is not explicitly expressed or explained in a text they have read is referred to as inferential comprehension. Combining implicitly expressed ideas in the text is necessary for inferential comprehension. Inference questions frequently ask why or how. Students who struggle with inferential comprehension may take what is stated literally, misunderstand what is being said, or incorrectly perceive the meaning of the words.

Higher inferential skills have been associated with reading comprehension. According to research, students who struggle with understanding cannot frequently draw valid conclusions (K. Cain et al., 2001). Similarly, strong inferential skills are linked to effective reading comprehension (K. E. Cain & Oakhill, 1999). These skills call for readers to draw inferences using both information from the text and their past knowledge. Poor comprehension does not result from poor inference; it is the opposite.

The researchers address on this problem since students’ inference skills were extremely poor and poor. The students found it difficult to find the deep meaning and they could not locate the hints in the text to draw the inferences. Meanwhile, the students were not good enough at making inferences in the reading text. They could not answer inferences questions from the text. The lack of inference skills in Indonesian students has been globally debated in many studies (Feller et al., 2020). At the university level, students still have low and moderate inference skills, resulting in lower employability. A paper shows that inference is the most difficult element to achieve for students in reading comprehension (Hall et al., 2020). Among three indicators of inference, namely questioning facts, making alternative solutions and drawing conclusions, many students have successfully passed the aspect of questioning facts. While the aspect of making alternative solutions and drawing conclusions students still have difficulties (Fitriana, 2020).

Furthermore, many students do not always draw the most logical inferences. Many merely produce the data needed for the most fundamental knowledge. Students frequently show that they grasp a text on the surface but struggle with studying it deeply. The fact that students could read the words well but did not fully understand them may be explained by this imperfect use of inferences (McDonald et al., 2021). At this moment, students are able to grasp the main ideas of the text on the surface but find it difficult to grasp them on a deeper level (Morrison et al., 2020). Inference, then, is the process by which a student combines information within or across texts to create new understandings (Elleman, 2017; McNamara & Magliano, 2009).

Peer tutoring, a component of inquiry-based learning, has demonstrated its relationship to the improvement of inferences abilities in relation to the empowerment of inferences skills (Topping, 2005). Peer tutoring is reportedly a well-known educational strategy that is used all around the world (Falchikov, 2001). Competent learners typically participate in classroom activities as well as share knowledge with their classmates to advance the learning of their peers. Peer tutoring is an educational strategy in which students work together and independently on assignments and discuss them with the partners. Peer refers to a person who teaches alongside peers but is not a certified tutor and who occupies a similar or roughly identical role. Topping (2005) presents the view that using peer tutoring technique is a very effective strategy which helps students enhance their inference skills.

The first critical issue that must be given serious attention while using peer tutoring are the teachers’ ability to do training sessions. When considering peer tutoring, only few studies have been reported as to the differential effects of engaging in training sessions in dyads for peer tutors and peer tutees, respectively. It is an important step in peer tutoring to do a training session before a peer tutoring session (Flores & Duran, 2016). If the teachers did poor training sessions for tutors, the tutors could not help the tutees to understand the material given. Hence, training tutors in specific strategies to give appropriate support is strongly recommended for the correct development of the training sessions (Duran et al., 2019). Regarding this, the paper appears to indicate that the impact is greater for tutors than tutees. gains are most likely to accrue for those acting in the role of tutors (Thurston et al., 2021). Few studies discuss the empowerment of training sessions before conducting peer tutoring. Therefore, to fill the gap, in this research, to provide better support training sessions, researchers will ensure that tutors watch the tutorial video before the sessions in order to strengthen confidence and improve understanding. Swan (2020) stated in his study that ineffective peer tutoring training sessions may cause unneeded misunderstandings. Due to the small number of students present during the training session, a serious threat to the training session was present. Although exercises and training materials were supplied, it is unclear if the shorter training sessions had any impact on the fidelity with which the intervention was implemented. Notably, a number of intervention days were missed by both the entire group owing to extracurricular activities, inclement weather, or illness among interventionists, as well as by specific students due to absenteeism. Alwi et al. (2019) argued in their investigations that the creative training sessions exhibit significant promise for kicking off the peer tutoring process successfully.

The second critical issue that must be given serious attention while using peer tutoring is the teachers’ ability to integrate peer tutoring with another strategy. A paper (Rahmasari, 2017) also reports similar findings which show the lack of combining Peer Tutoring with another strategy becomes the major hindrance to practicing peer tutoring in classrooms. This also includes the teachers’ inability to find the appropriate integrated reading strategy. No studies do research on peer tutoring integrated with KWL in developing inferences abilities Therefore, to fill the gap, it is suggested to combine Peer tutoring with KWL charts in this research.

KWL supports students in engaging with texts in deliberate and thoughtful ways. During the K (Know) stage, students engage with schemas. The following stage is for students to estimate what more information they might want. Stage W (Want to Know) involves creating a plan to address the evidence and stage L (Learned) involves reproducing the newly created knowledge or recovering the performed plan.

According to the findings of the current study, K-W-L gave pupils the ability to use their past knowledge and critical thinking skills. Activities to improve reading comprehension were included in KWL, one of the reading techniques. The reflective KWL table used for this technique lists what students already know, what they desire to learn and what they have already learned. By using this technique, teachers can assess their students’ comprehension of a material before they read it and before they finish it (Nicely, 2015). The KWL approach works well for improving reading ability. Numerous research had shown that using this method could help pupils improve their reading abilities and academic performance (Alsalhi, 2020; Lou et al., 2016). Applying and putting into practice the KWL chart and peer tutoring in the development of inferential understanding appears to be difficult.

In order for the use of peer tutoring integrated with KWL charts to fully benefit the various stakeholders involved in teaching students’ inferential understanding, the study’s findings will be significant in providing viewpoints on how to deal with implementation in the classroom. All in all, this paper will be highlighting and answering on the following questions: (i) What is the implementation of Peer Tutoring integrated with KWL in the classroom? (ii) Is there a significant difference in students’ inferential understanding before and after integrating Peer Tutoring with KWL charts? (iii) What are factors affecting students’ inferential understanding in L2 reading comprehension? (iv) What are students’ attitudes toward the role of Peer Tutoring integrated with KWL Charts in developing inferential understanding?

2. Research method

2.1. Research design

To address the research issue, a mixed method was used in this study. A mixed technique of research is one that combines quantitative and qualitative research, with the goal of improving understanding of a particular phenomenon through the use of each method’s findings. In a mixed method study, the researcher employs convergent mixed method since they help to provide the best knowledge of a research problem. According to Creswell et al. (2003), in convergent parallel design, qualitative and qualitative data are collected, analyzed and then compared or correlated with one another before being interpreted. Fifty-four advanced EFL students above 18 years old from an Indonesian university make up all of the participants. There were not many disparities between their academic competences. The mixed-methods research methodology used in this work combines a qualitative study with a one-group pretest-posttest design

2.2. Data collection strategies

In an attempt to answer the first research question, the first set of data was gathered from observation using field notes. Pretest and Posttest were used in order to answer the second research question. The pretest and posttest consist of four passages, two narrative and two informational. Each passage has eight test items of inference. Besides, close-ended questionnaire (10 questions) for all students was used to answer the third questions. The questionnaire was carried out using google form. Meanwhile semi structured interview with 10 participants is used to answer the fourth research question. The interview was carried out face to face. Semi structured interviews with 10 students who are chosen based on pretest scores. Three students are from low achieving scores, three from moderate and four from high achieving scores.

2.3. Data analysis procedures

The qualitative data are analyzed using descriptive analysis: data reduction, data display and drawing conclusion (Sugiyono, 2015). To find out the implementation of peer tutoring integrated with KWL, the data from observation were classified, summarized and interpreted according to the predefined themes. The researcher read, selected and categorized the words or phrases in the note into the actions of the lecturers which focus on the use of Peer tutoring integrated with KWL. To find out about the factors affecting students’ inferential understanding, the results of questionnaires were categorized into three aspects, they are: regular practice, background knowledge and teaching strategies. To find out about the students’ attitude toward the role of PT integrated with KWL charts, the results of interview were categorized into three aspects, they are: the students’ thoughts, feelings and behaviors toward the strategy. It was carried out face to face.

The quantitative approach was used to analyze the data gathered through the paired sample t-test. The researcher compares the score before and after the use of Peer tutoring integrated with KWL charts to know the significant differences between two scores. The researcher also calculates the effect size to know how important a difference (Cohen et al., 2017) data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 18).

3. Results and discussion

3.1. Research question 1: what are the procedures of peer tutoring integrated with KWL in teaching inferences skills in reading

The procedures of peer tutoring integrated with KWL in teaching inferences skills in reading are divided into three parts; pre reading activities, while reading activities and post reading activities. Pre reading activities are the activities when the teacher does a training session for the students. The teacher explains the role of tutors and tutees and also teaches them how to draw inferences from the text and how to fill the KWL charts. It is done before implementing peer tutoring along with KWL charts. While reading activities are the implementation of peer tutoring and KWL charts. In these activities, the students are well trained students and ready to tutor each other. Post reading activities are the activities after the implementation of peer tutoring integrated with KWL charts. Pre reading activities, while reading activities and post reading activities are described below:

3.1.1. Pre reading activities

1. The teacher conducts innovative training sessions for the tutors which can help students understand the roles of tutors and tutees and sharpen their inferential understandings. The training is conducted before the main reading so that tutors could understand well what their roles are and how they help tutees to make inferences and fil, KWL Charts. In the training, the teacher explains how to make inferences, how to fill KWL charts and give the tutorial videos about the ways to draw inferences from the text and fill KWL charts.

   This is the YouTube link for how to make inferences.

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkQx0O45LW8

   This is the YouTube link for how to fill KWL charts.

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvF0ON4olOc

2. The roles of tutors are making questions and providing feedback. Meanwhile, the tutees are finding the answers.

   Tutor is A. Tutee is B

A: Could you give reason Why did Mulan still commemorate Chinese New Year although Mulan not stay in China? (A makes the question)

B: Because Chinese New Year is Chinese Tradition, so Mulan still celebrate it.

A: Could you give reason Why did Mulan still commemorate Chinese New Year although Mulan not stay in China? (A repeated the question because B gave wrong answer, so A explain the correct answer to B)

A: The correct answer is because Mulan are Chinese people. She is proud of being Chinese people. so, she still celebrated it.

• c.  Teacher divides the students into pairs. One becomes tutor, another becomes tutees. It is better if the students are paired based on the achievements so that in one pair, they have different level from their partner.

• d.  The teachers can switch the dyads because both students have the same opportunities. It is called reciprocal peer tutoring. for example, the first meeting, they become tutors. Then, the second meeting, they become tutees.

3.1.2. While reading activities

1. Tutors and tutees firstly start by reading text together. After that, the tutors ask what tutees know already about the text, which refers to the column ‘K’ (what the students Know). The samples of text type are narrative text or report text.

2. In the column ‘W’ (what the students Want to know), Tutors should provide some questions that could involve tutees in critical answers. These are the generic question starters given to tutors to assist them raise their awareness of their inferential understanding:

Student A: What will happen if …?

Student B: What are the advantages and disadvantages of …?

Student A; How does … tie in with what you have learned before?

Students A; Could you give reason why …?

Student B: Could you explain how …?

Student B: Do you have ideas causes …

• c.  Tutors do not give closed questions to test tutees’ understanding of the text (eg ‘do you understand?’). Tutors should give questions about specific confirmation of text content;

• d.  Tutees write or fill out their answers in the ‘L’ column, making sure they focus specifically on the questions that have been generated by the tutors (Figure 1).

The example of KWL charts consists of ‘K’ column (what the students Know), column ‘W’ (what the students Want to know) and ‘L’ column (what the students Learn)

1. KWL charts completed by tutees are checked by tutors. The tutors say ‘You’re right’ if the tutee correctly answers in the L column. then move on to the following questions. Remember that the tutor DOES NOT remark ‘nope’ or ‘you’re wrong’ if the tutee answers wrongly in the L column. Instead, they repeat the question and give the right answer. He/she merely restates the question and offers the response that is required. The tutor poses the same questions once more. Continue the process until the tutee provides an accurate response and then go on to the following question. The teacher walks around the class and monitors the students when they tutor each other.

2. If the tutors have problems answering the questions of the tutees, they can raise their hands so that the teacher can help to clarify the answers.

Figure 1. The example of KWL charts.

3.1.3. Post reading activities

• c.  The dyads present the result of their discussion and show KWL charts and the teacher reviews it and provides the corrective feedback.

Based on the procedures above, it can be concluded that teaching learning process by using peer tutoring integrated with KWL Chart can be done clearly because when the teacher explains the material, the students can understand and they can do the tasks well. The students ask question when they do not understand about the material, it shows that they read all the material given by the teacher. Based on students’ interview after observation, it shows the student’s interest because when the teacher asks about their opinion, all students answer they like reading after using peer tutoring integrated with KWL Chart. The students can follow the teaching procedures easily. It is supported by student’s quotation, ‘Sangat mudah diterapkan (can be applied easily)’. Students can follow the procedures of peer tutoring integrated with KWL Chart.

Besides, based on the result of observation, by using peer tutoring integrated with KWL. There are some strengths and weaknesses. The strengths are First, students use deeper questions when speaking with friends and their tutors adopt a more looking tutoring approach, whereas students use shallower questions when speaking with strangers and their tutors provide more procedural instruction (Thurston et al., 2021). If a tutee gets stuck on an inference difficulty, they do not hesitate to approach their buddies to act as tutors. Peer tutoring maintains a positive atmosphere, which may help raise students’ academic performance. By sharing knowledge with one another, students are better equipped to collaborate as equals and comprehend the content (Rahmasari, 2021). In brief, Peer tutoring helps students increase their inference skills in reading, socialization skills and accelerate their confidence and motivation.

Second, there is an innovative training session for the tutors which can help students sharpen their inferential understandings. The innovative training session means that the students not only listen to the explanation of the teacher but also the students are given tutorial videos about how to make inferences from a text. Hence, they could learn it individually anytime and anywhere. It is relevant with theory from (Duran et al., 2020) training tutors in specific strategies to give appropriate support is strongly recommended for the correct development of the training sessions. Regarding this, it has the same finding with (Nor Azlan & Emirul Endut, 2020)

Third, peer tutoring can decrease the dominance of the teacher-centered. The student-centered classrooms are facilitated by peer tutoring. It can assist students in decreasing their reliance on teachers and developing confidence in their own capacity to produce information. The teacher transforms into a facilitator, co-learner and coach. The teacher no longer has all the knowledge; rather, they converse with students, share ideas, research techniques and provide assistance. Peer tutoring will alter both the learning environment and the roles of both students and teachers. When peer tutoring is implemented, the learning environment typically shifts from being teacher-directed to learner-directed, with the learners playing a larger role in the learning process. Fourth, assist the teacher in dividing the class into smaller groups so that students can learn in a more individualized setting and exercise more initiative. For instance, in tutorials, students frequently ask more questions than they do in lectures, where more than fifty students are occupied in the lecture hall (Arco-Tirado et al., 2019).

Meanwhile, based on the result of interview, the weaknesses and the solution are First, Students lacked the self-confidence to put up their hands when they ran out of questions. Because they could not get an answer to a question, they took their time moving on to the next one. To overcome this problem, the teacher could prepare red help cards. Red ‘help’ cards could be given to pairs to hold up when they need the teacher’s support. Make sure it is constant so that students will remember it, and that it is dependable in attracting the teacher’s attention. Keep in mind that students can move on to the next question more quickly if they receive assistance for a question or have a misunderstanding cleared up. Second, due to certain pairs’ longer support needs, the teacher is unable to help all of the students equally. The pair that sought out the teacher’s assistance in creating questions had her restrained as the teacher moved around the class. As a result, the other pairs lacked the proportion needed for the guidance. To solve this obstacle, the teacher could manage the time of the assistance. For example, every pair gets 5 min for assistance. Make sure, the teacher should monitor all pairs (Amumpuni & Rahmasari, 2019).

Third, tutors’ incompetence is mentioned by Gordon (2005, p. 4) as one of the weaknesses of Peer Tutoring. There can also be cognitive problems. Tutees are unable to resolve problems and implement practical solutions. Students become disappointed because they believe they are inadequate tutors (Medway & Baron, 1997). To solve it, the teacher should make sure they have conducted training sessions for the students. Effective peer tutoring techniques require well-trained students who are aware of what is required of them before they act. Showcase what peer tutoring will entail. Practice a lesson with a student or another teacher acting as your tutee. Be sure to ‘model’ proper behavior for both the tutor and the tutee. In training sessions, the teacher can use tutorial videos so that the students can learn it by themselves everywhere and every time. Fourth, Peer tutoring reduces practice time and active participation, increases the probability that inaccurate feedback will be given and received and creates more opportunities for argument or small talk. To anticipate, the teacher can use a timer. Half of the entire time should be set for the timer. After the timer sounds, have students switch places as tutor and tutee and carry on until the tutoring session is over. As the pairs guide one another, the teacher circulates the room keeping an eye on them. During this period, teachers can reward partners who are cooperating and according to the protocol, respond to questions and offer helpful feedback.

3.2. Research question 2: is there a significant difference in students’ inferential scores before and after using peer tutoring integrated with KWL charts?

A Paired sample t-test was conducted to determine the effect of Peer Tutoring strategy integrated with KWL Chart on students’ inferential score. Based on the data in Tables 1 and 2, results showed that there was significant difference in students’ inferences score after the use of PT integrated with KWL chart (M = 85.02, SD = 4.69) than before (M = 63.65, SD = 8.59) conditions t (53) = −16.76, p = .000 at a significance level of 0.05. The eta squared statistic (0.8) indicated a large effect size. These results suggest that Peer Tutoring strategy integrated with KWL Chart really does have an effect on students’ inferential understanding. Specifically, the results suggest that working with a partner as a tutor and a tutee through this strategy may contribute to increased reading improvements for individual students.

Table 1. Paired samples statistics.

		Mean	N	Std. deviation	Std. error mean
Pair 1	Pretest	63.65	54	8.598	1.170
	Posttest	85.02	54	4.692	.639

Table 2. Paired samples test.

		Paired differences					t	df	Sig. (two-tailed)
		Mean	Std. deviation	Std. error mean	95% Confidence interval of the difference
					Lower	Upper
Pair 1	Pretest–posttest	−21.370	9.369	1.275	−23.928	−18.813	−16.761	53	.000

The findings indicated that there is a significant difference in students’ inferential score before and after treatment. It is because of some reasons. First, among friends, tutees tend toward more verbalization of their problem-solving, with their tutors adopting a more questioning tutoring style, while among strangers, tutees use more shallow questions, with more procedural instruction from their tutor (Thurston et al., 2021). Tutees are not afraid to ask to their friends as tutors if they stuck on the inference’s questions. Based on the result, it concluded that peer tutoring manages to have a good environment, so it could increase in elevating the academic performance of students. Students are able to work together as equals and gain a better understanding of the materials by learning from each other (Rahmasari, 2022). In brief, Peer tutoring helps students increase their academic performance, socialization skills and accelerate their confidence and motivation.

Second, there is innovative training session for the tutors which can help students sharpen their inferential understandings. The innovative training session means that the students not only listen to the explanation of the teacher but also the students are given tutorial video about how to make inferences. Hence, they could learn it individually anytime and anywhere. Based on the result of questionnaires and interview, some students said that ‘I am very helpful with the training session using tutorial video. It makes me enthusiastic and well ready when conducting peer tutoring. I can play it many times. And the content of video is so clear enough for me’. It is relevant with theory from (Duran et al., 2020) training tutors in specific strategies to give appropriate support is strongly recommended for the correct development of the training sessions.

Regarding this, the researcher has the same finding with (Nor Azlan & Emirul Endut, 2020) and wants to add the findings from (Nor Azlan & Emirul Endut, 2020). They indicated that academic & cognitive gains, environment and social & behavioral support are three factors to the students’ effectiveness of peer tutoring program.

In this research, researcher gets four factors to the students’ effectiveness of peer tutoring with KWL, namely, academic performance, environment, social support and innovative training sessions for tutors. In this case, the researcher uses tutorial video about how to draw inferences using peer tutoring integrated with KWL charts in the training sessions.

3.3. Research question 3: what are factors affecting students’ inferential understanding in L2 reading comprehension?

‘Poor inferential skill was more likely a cause of comprehension failure than a result of it’ (K. Cain et al., 2001). It meant that the problem to make inference could be result to problem with comprehension. For this poor ability to make inference in reading comprehension, it is necessary to look at the factors that influence their difficulty in making inference. Findings indicated that lack of regular practice, lack of background knowledge and lack of teaching strategies are the problems for extracting inferential meanings in reading comprehension.

3.3.1. Lack of regular practice in the class

Based on the findings of the questionnaire and interview, the students lacked any reading practice for reading for inferential understanding – reading for implied meanings or hidden meanings. The majority of teachers were not prepared to provide reading materials that would give their students practice inferential reading. They did, however, bring brief passages that are intended for reading for stated meaning to the class. Therefore, during reading comprehension exercises, student-teachers were not always reading for inferential understanding, and as a result, they did not establish a culture for such practice.

These are some results of the students’ semi structured interview:

(BA): Jarang diberi Latihan cara mengerjakan soal inferences

(Seldom given the inferences questions before)

(TC): Biasanya Cuma disuru cari ide pokok dan arti kata. Jarang ada soal inferences

(The teacher only asked to find main idea and vocabularies. Seldom having asked to do inferences questions)

The results proved lack of regular of inferences were the hindering factors that made problems on students’ failures in reading for inferential understanding, This showed that the students were not always trained for inferential meanings (Basizew, 2017) by their teacher. They have poor reading experience in drawing inferential meanings; this is due to mainly lack of regular practice and lack of attention toward implied meanings (Leidig et al., 2018).

3.3.2. Lack of background knowledge

Interview and questionnaire findings indicated that students lacked appropriate background knowledge or were unable to use it. Drawing inferences based on data and prior knowledge rather than direct observation is called inference. When the solution is never explicitly provided, students must deduce conclusions. By tying the text to their existing knowledge, they give it a personal meaning. To choose the optimal answer, students must use hints or cues in the text or data. Some results of open-ended questionnaire could be narrated as follow, which would be expected to strengthen the findings:

Why do you think inference skill is the most difficult reading skill?

DD: We cannot find the answer from text

AT: It makes me confused

What do you think what should you do when you cannot find the answer from the text?

AV: To find the answer, we should read the text repeatedly

FS: I think we can find the clues then relate with our experiences.

The research revealed that their major difficulty to draw conclusions was due to their failure to comprehend the original speaker’s customs or culture. Culture and language could not be separated. Because of this, students who lacked background information were unlikely to comprehend the forms of thinking that were being represented through language. They might misunderstand if they don’t know this information. As a solution to this issue, Weinstein and Underwood (1985) note that ‘students who are unfamiliar with the cultural context may have considerable difficulty in interpreting the words’. In conclusion, cultural knowledge may have contributed to the pupils’ inability to draw conclusions. Prior knowledge is crucial since it consists of the information, expertise and skills that students bring to the learning process.

Students who read effectively for inferential understanding must combine new knowledge with their prior life experience and the books they have read. Literacy depends on the ability to perform these tasks (Ediger et al., 1989). Students who lacked the necessary background information or were unable to use it would find it difficult to access material where reading is a requirement for success. Their ability to actively read is aided by background knowledge, which includes expectations and predictions of the major points of the reading content based on prior knowledge and experience (Hamouda, 2021).

3.3.3. Lack of teaching strategies

The third factor affecting students’ inferential understanding in reading comprehension were lack of teaching strategy. Then, it was hardly possible that students could be active participants in reading for inferential understanding; but the evidences lead to predict that students were not often practicing teaching strategy for inferential meanings. This showed that students were seldom trained the teaching strategy for inferential meanings. This is the result of the interview:

Waktu ada soal inferences, saya kadang jawab ngawur. Karena tidak tahu cara jawabnya (AV)

(when answering the inferences questions, I answer it without thinking because I don’t know how to find the answer)

Sepertinya tidak pernah diajarin cara mengerjakan soal inferences (OH)

(I think I never was taught how to answer inferences questions)

These are the result of questionnaire:

Have you ever been taught teaching strategy for inferences?

I think No (FS)

Never (PH)

I don’t know (RE)

No (KM)

Another main factor affecting the inferential understanding is lack of teaching strategies. The finding revealed that the students are confused how to answer inferences questions because they are seldom trained by some teaching strategies. Kendeou (2015) said drawing inferences should be the ‘cornerstone of reading comprehension’ but as these findings, that won’t be the case if inferences continue to be taught as they currently are. Although common core instructional materials provide with some inferencing questions, the students are given minimal support in what teaching strategies should they use to make an inference. As teachers use established teaching strategies to explicitly teach inferences, then inferencing will take its place as the cornerstone of reading comprehension (McDonald et al., 2021). Therefore, the appropriate teaching strategies can support the students’ inferential understanding.

3.4. What are students’ attitudes toward the role of peer tutoring dan KWL charts in developing inferential understanding?

3.4.1. The students tend to have positive thoughts toward reading after treatment

These are some students’ statements related to their thoughts toward inferences after they use Peer Tutoring integrated with KWL

TB: For now, reading inferences is an enjoyable activity and I can infer the meaning easily using peer tutoring and KWL

(Sekarang reading inferences itu kegiatan yang menyenangkan dan saya bisa mengerjakan dengan mudah berkat PT dan KWL)

FS: Peer Tutoring integrated with KWL is a need for me. Moreover, it can help me to draw inferences.

(Peer Tutoring dengan KWL suatu kebutuhan, ini dapat membantuku membuat inference).

PH: Before using PT and KWL, I was taught making inferences is difficult. For me, PT and KWL can help me a lot. Because of that my mindset about inferences was changed and I realized that making inference is not difficult skill.

(Sebelum menggunakan PT dan KWL, saya berpikir membuat inferences itu sulit. Bagiku, strategi ini membantuku banyak. Mindset Saya jadi berubah sendiri dan Saya seperti sadar sendiri bahwa membuat inferences itu tidaklah sulit).

Based on those statements, the students have positive thoughts toward the role of Peer Tutoring dan KWL Charts in developing inferential understanding. Related to the thoughts toward it, the students could give positive thinking about peer tutoring integrated with KWL. Some of the students’ statements also indicate that the participants experienced the positive change of their thoughts toward reading, in which after they used PT integrated with KWL chart, they think of inferences more positively. It is in line with Radulović et al. (2023) which showed a positive impact of a teaching approach with peer tutoring on students’ achievement.

3.4.2. The students tend to have positive feelings toward reading after treatment

These are some participants’ statements related to their feelings toward reading after they use Peer Tutoring integrated with KWL:

AV: I enjoyed taking part in this; I impress myself with what they already know in colomn K of KWL charts! (saya menikmati berpartisipasi di kelas ini. Saya terkesan dengan diri saya sendiri saat megisi kolom K di KWL charts)

BA: Before using this strategy, for me, reading text was something boring that made me sleepy. Even when I saw a book, I felt bored and sleepy. When I used it, I was lazy at first. However, I was helped by my friend as a tutor so that I could enjoy reading more than before. Now, there is a progress. I won’t be sleepy anymore and it is more enjoyable than before.

(Sebelum menggunakan strategi ini, membaca itu sesuatu yang ngebosenin dan bikin ngantuk. Kalau liat buku ya bawaannya ngantuk, bosen Ketika saya menggunakan strategi ini pertama kali, saya merasa malas. Tapi saya dibantu oleh teman saya sebagai tutor sehingga saya enjoy. Sekarang saya tidak mengantuk lagi dikelas).

TC; I am very helpful with the training session using tutorial video. It makes me enthusiastic and well ready when conducting peer tutoring. I can play it many times. And the content of video is so clear enough for me (saya sangat tertolong dengan training session menggunakan tutorial video. Ini membuat saya antusias mengikuti peer tutoring. saya dapat memutarnya beberapa kali. Penjelasan di video juga jelas).

When using this strategy, students’ feeling toward reading began to change to be more positive. During the time, they began to enjoy reading. One of the students said that before using peer tutoring with KWL, he felt bored, sleepy. After using it, the students said that there was a progress, in which he was very enthusiastic and enjoy when using it. It was like something new and more enjoyable than before for him. This is the result of using this strategy, in which the students found some interesting things during that class. In other words, the students’ feeling toward reading was changed from negative to positive. It is supported by Suciati and Hastini (2023) who said that KWL chart could increase the students’ reading motivation.

3.4.3. The students tend to change their behaviors toward reading to be more positive after treatment

These are some participants’ statements related to their behaviors toward reading after they use Peer Tutoring integrated with KWL:

OH: I create a KWL chart at the beginning of every topic. I am free to fill what I wanted to know about topic in the colomn ‘K’. Before, I do not like reading class because the topic is bored. Now, I like reading class.

(saya membuat KWL chart pada awal membaca teks dan saya bebas menuliskan apa yang saya ketahui tentang topik tersebut di kolom K. sebelumnya, saya tidak suka reading class karena topiknya bosenin, sekarang sy senang reading).

TC: Before using the strategy, I didn’t have any interest. At that time, I usually skipped the questions about inferences. Now, If there is inferences question, I will answer it.

(sebelum menggunakan strategi ini, saya tidak tertarik. Saya biasanya meloncati soal inferences. Sekarang kalau ada soal inferences, saya akan menjawabnya).

RE: During the class, the tutors help me to draw inferences. For me, it means a lot because usually I am shy to ask questions if I did not understand. Now. I dont hesitated to ask to my friend if I am stuck on the inferences questions.

(saat dikelas, tutor membantu saya untuk membuat inferences. Bagi saya, ini sangat berarti karena biasanya saya malu bertanya jika ada kesulitan. Sekarang saya tidak ragu bertanya jika saya tidak bisa menjawab pertanyaan inferences).

Based on those statements, the students gave some positive behaviors after using the strategies. The students experienced some changes about their behaviors toward reading. This can be seen from the comparison of the students’ behaviors toward the role of peer tutoring with KWL. Before the treatment, they did not like reading class, they were not interested to answer inferences question, they felt shy to ask difficult questions. After treatment, they experienced the positive changes about their behaviors toward reading. They like reading class, they had willingness to answer inferences questions and they did not hesitate to ask if they stuck on the questions.

In this research, the students’ attitude become positive because of some reasons. First, because the KWL reading method involves activities linked to figuring out what the students already know about the text to be read, what they want to know and what they already know, the students are able to connect what they already know with the new knowledge (Greenwood, 2019). A learner can organize, integrate and synthesize information if they can link the knowledge, they had prior to reading to the information they learned after reading (Usta & Yılmaz, 2020).

Second, The KWL also aids students in organizing their knowledge, drawing on prior knowledge and summarizing the subject matter. While the teacher supports learning by asking the students some questions, the students brainstorm and share a variety of ideas (Al-wazzan, 2020). Additionally, by writing down what they already know and learn, the students organize, analyze and interpret their information. These characteristics of the KWL method make it a useful teaching tool for the inference-making process.

4. Conclusion

The paper shows the clear procedures, the benefits and students’ attitudes tend to be positive, in which they have positive thoughts, feelings and behaviors toward the role of PT integrated with KWL Chart in developing inference skills. The pedagogical implications related to this paper reveal the positive result of the students’ attitudes toward the strategies, it is possible for every university in Indonesia to use peer tutoring integrated with KWL to develop students’ inferences skills. For a number of reasons, peer tutoring integrated with KWL Charts in reading comprehension is highly advised. First off, peer tutoring is an excellent technique to engage students in their education and prevent them from simply being recipients of information. Second, feedback and error correction are given to students more frequently and instantly. Peer tutoring allows for instant feedback and correction for each response from the student. Thirdly, through learning from one another, students are able to collaborate as equals and deepen their comprehension of the subject matter. This study also adds to the body of literature by outlining the advantages of incorporating peer tutoring into KWL Charts, such as encouraging introspection, recognizing students’ unique interpretations of the text and internalizing some language input from the text itself. Additionally, this study validates the necessity of training sessions in the area of peer tutoring, which is consistent with findings from prior studies.

However, it has to be noted that this research also has some limitations. First, this research’s data collection process is limited by open-ended questionnaire and semi structured interview. The future research will be better to use close-ended questionnaire and classroom observation. Second, the study conducted is limited only to paired sample t-test. This analysis will guide independent t-test or ANOVA for future studies as it has the evidence required to monitor the variables. Third, the small size of participants become the limitation because the subjects are only from one university. The next research is better to use more than one university.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The research received funding from (Balai Pembiayaan Pendidikan Tinggi) BPPT and Lembaga Pengelolaan Dana Pendidikan (LPDP) Indonesia.

Notes on contributors

Brigitta Septarini Rahmasari

Brigitta Septarini Rahmasari is a Doctoral Student at the Language and Literature Education Department, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia. She obtained her Master’s degree in English Education from the Sebelas Maret University, Indonesia. Her research interests include Learner Autonomy, Critical Reading and Teaching English for Young Learners.

Ahmad Munir

Ahmad Munir is an Associate professor at Doctoral program of Language and Literature Education, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia. His research interest is in the areas of language learning, curriculum and material development, teacher education and teacher professional development.

Him’mawan Adi Nugroho

Him’mawan Adi Nugroho is an Associate professor at Doctoral program of Language and Literature Education, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia. His research interest is in the areas of language learning, curriculum and material development and teacher professional development.