journal of the college of basic education

The present study aims to identify **the effectiveness of an educational program based on Nelson and Narens’ theory in developing reading comprehension skills among fifth-grade female secondary students**. The researchers adopted the procedures of the experimental method and employed a non-randomized control group design with a post-test only. The research population consisted of daytime intermediate, secondary, and basic schools for girls affiliated with the General Directorate of Education of Baghdad / Al-Karkh Third. The researchers randomly selected Ruqayyah bint Al-Hussein Secondary School for Girls as the research sample. The sample comprised (73) fifth-grade female secondary students selected randomly; Section (C) represented the experimental group with (38) students, while Section (B) represented the control group with (35) students. One of the researchers taught the experimental group using the educational program based on Nelson and Narens’ theory, whereas the control group was taught using the traditional method. The two groups were equated in the variables of linguistic ability, intelligence, and pre-reading comprehension. The researchers taught (8) reading topics from the prescribed Arabic language textbook for fifth-grade secondary students over a full academic semester (2025–2026). The experiment began on Sunday, 5/10/2025, and ended on Sunday, 21/12/2025, covering a complete academic semester, namely the first semester of the academic year (2024–2025). The experimental group was taught according to the proposed educational program, while the control group was taught according to the traditional method. The researchers prepared a reading comprehension skills test consisting of one reading passage followed by (20) multiple-choice items, (5) items for correcting misconceptions, and (5) essay questions with restricted responses, in order to measure the level of reading comprehension of the students in both research groups. By using the t-test for two independent samples, the following result was reached: The performance of the students in the experimental group who studied reading according to the proposed educational program was superior to that of the students in the control group who studied according to the traditional method in the post-reading comprehension test.

The importance of studying figures who reflect the impact of historical events in a historical period is highlighted for a deeper understanding of events, drawing lessons based on the stances embodied by the event, as well as enhancing critical thinking and national identity. These figures are human models who influenced the course of events, and studying their biographies contributes to anticipating the future with insightful vision and deepening our understanding of the cultural, political, and social contexts that contributed to studying our current reality. They represent stances of great importance, and they took shrines and tombs as an eternal veil embodying their immortal heroism throughout the years.

The French Indochina front (Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam) was one of the most important battlefronts in the Far East during the years of World War II, as it served as a corridor for Japanese troops and equipment to Malaya and the Philippines. After the United States entered the war on December 9, 1941, the conflict took on a different form, distinct from the other European fronts. The United States took it upon itself to end the Japanese presence in that region. Moreover, the Allied countries relied on American aid and equipment to stand up to the Axis powers, especially the French resistance forces in Indochina . France tried to maintain control over its Indochina colonies and play both sides, avoiding provoking either the Axis or Allied powers, but the opposite of its ambitions occurred . When Japan occupied its Indochina colonies, the United States refused to allow the return of French influence to those regions. However, the British government supported the provisional French government and attempted to integrate French forces into the Allied forces, ultimately leading to the return of French influence to the region.
In light of this, the research was divided into an introduction, three topics, and a conclusion. The first topic presented the conditions of French Indochina before December 9, 1941, before the entry of the United States of America. The second topic reviewed the entry of the United States of America into the war and its impact on French Indochina. The third topic dealt with the development of military operations in French Indochina.