THE KNOW–WANT–LEARNED STRATEGY FOR MEDICAL ENGLISH READING COMPREHENSION: IMPACTS ON VIETNAMESE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES

This action research investigated the effectiveness of an adapted KWL (Know–Want–Learned) strategy in enhancing English for Medical Purposes reading comprehension among Vietnamese military medical students. Conducted over six weeks, this study employed classroom observations, student questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews with both learners and instructors. The findings indicate that the KWL strategy not only improved students’ reading comprehension skills but also fostered greater engagement and confidence. Classroom observations confirm that active participation in discussions nearly doubled, with learners more willing to interpret terms and contribute to group tasks. The results further highlight students‘ positive attitudes towards collaborative learning, autonomy, and motivation, while instructors noted more focused discussions and improved classroom dynamics. This study shows that the adapted KWL strategy provides a valuable pedagogical approach in ESP contexts and demonstrates the adaptability of metacognitive strategies in specialized settings such as medical English education.