Enhancing 12th Grade Students’ Reading Comprehension of The Play “The Merchant of Venice” by applying Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Abstract

This study explored the efficacy of integrating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to enhance the reading comprehension of Bhutanese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners studying William Shakespeare's play, “The Merchant of Venice.” Lesson activities were meticulously designed to align with UDL principles, empowering students with the autonomy to choose their tools, methods, and avenues for exploration and learning. Additionally, students were given the freedom to present their understanding in formats comfortable to them for assessment. The study employed a quantitative research design involving 12th-grade students from a high school in Bhutan for this intervention. While the experimental group received UDL intervention, three control groups did not. The findings suggest that implementing UDL strategies can significantly enhance students’ reading comprehension of the play, “The Merchant of Venice,” highlighting its potential as a pedagogical approach to enhance reading comprehension in EFL contexts, recommending educators in similar EFL contexts to adapt UDL in their classrooms.