Enhancing Reading Skills: SQ3R Method for Reading Comprehension

Abstract

Reading comprehension is a fundamental skill in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning because it enables students to understand, interpret, and critically evaluate academic texts. Despite its importance, many EFL learners still struggle to comprehend academic materials because they use few effective reading strategies. This study synthesizes empirical evidence on the effectiveness of the Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review (SQ3R) method in improving students’ reading comprehension. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines analyzed 20 empirical studies published between 2020 and 2025 using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The findings consistently indicate that SQ3R enhances students’ reading comprehension by improving their ability to identify main ideas, understand supporting details, retain textual information, and engage actively in the reading process. The reviewed studies also report positive effects on students’ motivation, classroom engagement, critical reading, and self-regulated learning. Furthermore, the review reveals that existing research is predominantly conducted in Indonesian EFL contexts and mainly employs quasi-experimental designs, indicating limited geographical and methodological diversity. This study contributes to the literature by synthesizing recent research trends, methodological characteristics, educational impacts, and remaining research gaps related to SQ3R implementation. Future research should examine SQ3R’s effectiveness across more diverse educational contexts, learner populations, and instructional settings to strengthen the generalizability of existing evidence