Developing Reading Comprehension Through the Read Aloud, Activate Prior Knowledge, Retell, and Summarize (RARS) Strategy

This study examined the effectiveness of the Read Aloud, Activate Prior Knowledge, Retell, and Summarize (RARS) Strategy in enhancing students’ reading comprehension skills. Utilizing a pretest and posttest design, the research involved 37 participants, assessing their reading levels before and after the implementation of RARS. Findings revealed that prior to the intervention, a significant number of students were at the Frustration Level, indicating difficulty in decoding and comprehending texts. After applying the RARS strategy, results showed a notable improvement, with a substantial increase in the number of Independent Level readers and a decrease in struggling readers. The paired t-test analysis confirmed a significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores, highlighting the positive impact of the strategy. Furthermore, student feedback indicated strong agreement on the effectiveness of RARS in improving comprehension, engagement, and recall. Based on these findings, the study recommends the continued integration of the RARS strategy in reading instruction, teacher training, and curriculum planning to further enhance literacy development. Future research is suggested to explore its long-term impact and applicability across different learning environments.