Cogent Education (Dec 2025)

Trends in research on reciprocal teaching: a systematic review

  • Tuyet Linh Vuong,
  • János Steklács

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2491963
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 1

Abstract

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With the rapid development of society, choosing an effective reading comprehension teaching method for the classroom has become a crucial factor in the professional growth of teachers and educational institutions. One of the most extensively discussed methods is reciprocal teaching (RT). However, there are few studies that thoroughly examine the theory and effect of RT on students. The current study examines the RT literature with the aim of identifying key aspects of RT and the types of tools used to measure teachers’ and students’ comprehension as well as the limitations and future directions. The findings demonstrate that scholars have concentrated on definitions of RT and the four strategies of prediction, questioning, clarifying, and summarising. Researchers show that RT works well for teaching physics, algebra, reading comprehension, and other disciplines to students of all skill levels, including those who perform poorly academically. Furthermore, current research incorporates tools like assessments, surveys, interviews, and observations to provide a thorough understanding of how teachers and students utilize RT. Based on these findings, the study offers recommendations for future RT studies aimed at researchers, educators, and teachers seeking to implement this method in classroom environment.

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