Improving Fifth-Grade Students’ Reading Comprehension of Literary Texts by Enhancing Their Academic Emotions

Teaching and learning English in Bhutan focuses on students' cognitive outcomes with minimal attention to their emotions and self-regulated learning abilities. Using an action research methodology, this study examined how fifth-grade students’ reading comprehension of literary texts can be enhanced by improving their academic emotions during reading. The study was conducted with 24 fifth-grade students at a primary school in central Bhutan. Students’ academic emotions during reading were measured using a modified version of the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire (AEQ). Pre-test and post-test questions for reading comprehension were administered, and eight observations were made simultaneously. The results of data analysis using t-test and descriptive statistics revealed a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the pre-test test (4.14; SD = 2.26) and post-test (M=6.19; SD=1.44) at p<0.05, indicating an improvement in students’ reading comprehension. This was further confirmed by analysing the observation notes recorded by a critical friend during the pre-test and post-test. The results showed that students’ positive academic emotions enhanced students’ reading comprehension abilities. Based on the findings, implications were discussed, and recommendations were proposed for English teachers and students.