Comprehension strategy instruction was an essential requirement for developing reading comprehension at any language or literacy classroom. Despite its significance, considerable bodies of research documented a decline in comprehension strategy instruction, particularly in language learning classrooms. Part of this scarcity was due to the lack of appropriate materials that could support the initiation of explicit comprehension strategy instruction. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative exploratory study was to suggest some selected materials (i.e., children’s picture books) to lead comprehension strategy instruction in language learning classrooms. Participants were four English language teachers from the fourth and fifth grades. Teachers were trained and then started using picture books to explicitly teach reading comprehension strategies for about ten days. Finally, all participating teachers were interviewed. Findings from the teachers’ interviews indicated that picture books contributed to help teachers to increase the amount of comprehension strategy instruction in the fourth and fifth grade classrooms. In addition, findings showed that all the participating teachers affirmed the major criteria that were used for picture books selection in comprehension strategy instruction. These criteria included that picture books should be well-illustrated, high frequency words, easy, authentic, interesting, relevant to the students’ needs and the teachers’ objectives, relevant to the students’ culture, and short
Keywords: : Picture Books, Comprehension Strategy Instruction, Language Teachers, Selection Criteria
