This study investigated the effects of Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC) technique on English reading achievement of pratomsuksa 5 Students and examined the students' opinions on CIRC technique. This study was a quasi-experimental research with one group pretest-posttest design. Selected by purposive sampling technique,the sample group was composed of 24 students who were studying in Pratomsuksa 5 in the first semester of the academic year 2013 at Watsrakeaw school. The research instruments were 1) 12 lesson plans based on CIRC technique, 2) 6 story packets 3) pre-post and post-test, and 4) a student interview. The quantitative data were analyzed with t-test for dependent samples, percentage, means, and standard deviation. Then, the qualitative data were analyzed with the grounded theory.
The findings indicated that there was a relationship between the students' English reading ability and CIRC technique at a statistical significance level of .01. The students had positive opinions towards CIRC technique. The students also indicated three advantages of CIRC technique in terms of the teaching instruments, the learning and teaching activities, and the opinions of cooperative learning.