ESL/EFL Instructors’ Perceptions of the Efficacy of Online Reading Instruction

Abstract

New technologies offer significant potential for teaching and learning L2 reading skills. Accordingly, this study examined ESL/EFL instructors’ perceptions of the usefulness and effectiveness of online reading in L2 reading instruction. A convenience sample of seventy male and female ESL/EFL instructors was selected, and the respondents completed a 24-item, researcher-constructed questionnaire and responded to open-ended questions. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis, including means and standard deviations, as well as various statistical tests, such as paired t-tests and bootstrapped p-values, were used to assess the data. Results revealed that the participants held strong beliefs about the usefulness of online reading in improving the quality of L2 reading instruction and developing learners’ reading skills. A thorough discussion of these results is provided. These findings highlight significant practical, technical, and pedagogical implications for online L2 reading classrooms, particularly in terms of teacher training and practices of computer integration.