The impact of combining laboratory experiments on scientific text reading comprehension and motivation in Arabic

Scientific texts often present challenges in comprehension for children. This investigation aimed to assess the effects of integrating learning facilities in the domain of science education by testing the impact of incorporating laboratory experiments on students' science achievement and their social-emotional development. The study involved 120 Arabic-speaking fifth-graders, 60 of whom exhibited reading difficulties. These participants were allocated to either an intervention group, which engaged in laboratory experiments, or a control group, which experienced traditional, lecture-based learning. ANOVA analysis was employed to examine the influence of time, group, and reading proficiency on outcomes in scientific text comprehension, motivation, and classroom climate. Findings indicated a significant main effect for each of these factors. A significant interaction effect was observed solely for scientific text reading comprehension. These outcomes are interpreted within the context of the specific challenges faced by Arabic-speaking children in science learning, underscoring the necessity of integrating diverse educational facilities.