INVESTIGATING EFL UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS’ READING DIFFICULTIES AND STRATEGIES FOR OVERCOMING THEM: AN ANALYTICAL CASE STUDY
Keywords:
Academic Texts, EFL Students, Reading Difficulties, Reading Stratergies, SPSS Analysis, Vocabulary ComprehensionAbstract
This research explores the challenges that undergraduate students face while reading and how they approach them to alleviate the challenge. The study used mixed-methods design and collected data from 60 participants who responded to a survey questionnaire that captured the reading challenges and strategies for overcoming the challenges. Subsequently, the collected data were analysed using SPSS software. The findings suggest that common issues include understanding complex vocabulary, recalling word meanings, and efficiently handling the time required to read academic texts. In addition, students reported struggling to understand long passages, identify key ideas, and infer meaning from contextual cues. In terms of strategies, students most frequently rely on reviewing texts, focusing on unknown vocabulary, and using note-taking strategies. Other common practices include visualising textual information, summarising the main ideas before reading, and group discussions on texts. The study’s findings indicate that the students of the Department of English and Applied Linguistics, University of Lakki Marwat, face grave reading problems; however, they use various strategies to cope with the problems. The analysis suggests the necessity for improving the students’ reading comprehension and vocabulary retention through focused instructional strategies and appropriate support.
Downloads
References
Ali, S. S., Khan, M. A., & Khalid, S. (2022). Teachers’ perspective on tackling the problem of poor reading skills in students of English at secondary schools of Kohat, Pakistan. Liberal Arts and Social Sciences International Journal (LASSIJ), 6(1), 267-285.
Almalki, M. M. (2014). Teacher Perception of a New English as a Foreign Language (EFL) curriculum in Saudi Arabia (Doctoral dissertation).
Alqahtani, M. (2015). The importance of vocabulary in language learning and how to be taught. International Journal of Teaching and Education, 3(3), 21–34. https://doi.org/10.20472/TE.2015.3.3.002
Anderson, N. J. (1991). Individual differences in strategy use in second language reading and testing. The Modern Language Journal, 75(4), 460–472. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.1991.tb05384.x
Anderson, N. J.(1991). Individual differences in strategy use in Second language reading and testing. The Modern Language Journal,75, 460-472.
Catts, H., Hogan, T., & Adolf, S. (2005). Developmental changes in reading and reading disabilities. In H. Catts & A. Kamhi (Eds.), Connections between language and reading disabilities (pp. 25–40). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Ehri, L. (1991). Development of the ability to read words. In R. Barr, M. Kamil, P. Mosenthal, & P. Pearson (Eds.), Handbook of reading research Volume II (pp. 383-417). New York: Longman
Garrison, D. R., & Anderson, T. (2003). E-learning in the 21st century: A framework for research and practice. Routledge.
Grabe, W. (2009). Reading in a second language: Moving from theory to practice. Cambridge University Press.
Hartney, R. N. (2011). Investigating reading difficulties in English Second Language of Grade 3 learners in one primary school in the Khomas Education Region of Namibia (Doctoral dissertation).
Hoover, W. & Gough, P.B. (1990). The simple view of reading. Reading and Writing, 2, 127-160.
Ismail, A. &Yusof, N. (2016). Readability of ESL picture books in Malaysia. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 1(1), 60-70.
Iwai, Y. (2011). The effects of metacognitive reading strategies: Pedagogical implications for EFL/ESL teachers. The Reading Matrix, 11(2).
Koda, K. and Zehler, A. M. (2008). Introduction: Conceptualising reading universals, cross-linguistic variations, and second language literacy development. In K. Koda& A. M. Zehler (Eds.), Learning to read to across languages: Cross-linguistic relationships in first- and second-language literacy development(pp. 1- 9). New York: Routledge.
Kymes, A. D. (2007). Investigation and Analysis of Online Reading Strategies (Doctoral dissertation, Oklahoma State University). Retrieved June 17, 2019, from http://proquest.umi.com.www.ezplib.ukm.my/pqdweb?index=0&did=1313918911&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=6&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VNam e=PQD&TS=1238874949&clientId=39290
Leu, D. J., Kinzer, C. K., Coiro, J. L., &Cammack, D. W. (2004). Toward a theory of new literacies emerging from the Internet and other information and communication technologies. In R. B. Ruddell & N. Unrau (Eds.), Theoretical models and processes of reading, (pp. 1570-1613). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Lyon, G.R., Shaywitz, S.E., &Shaywitz, B.A. (2003). Defining Dyslexia, comorbidity, teachers’ knowledge of language and reading: A definition of Dyslexia. Annals of Dyslexia, 53, 1-14
Nation, I. S. P. (2006). Learning vocabulary in another language. Cambridge University Press.
Nation, K., & Snowling, M. J. (2004). Beyond phonological skills: Broader language skills contribute to the development of reading. Journal of research in reading, 27(4), 342-356.
Navarro, Zoila Isabel Tamayo. 2021. “Metacognitive Strategies for Reading Comprehension in Basic Education Students”. Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies 14 (4):34-46. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajess/2021/v14i430362.
Nezami, S. R. A. (2012). A critical study of comprehension strategies and general problems in reading skills faced by Arab EFL learners with special reference to Najran University in Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Social Sciences & Education, 2(3).
Oshima, A & Hogue, A. (1991). Writing Academic English (5th ed.). New York: Longman.
Purvis, C. J. (2014). Determining and supporting the reading comprehension and metalinguistic abilities of undergraduate pre-service teachers.
Qrqez, M., & Ab Rashid, R. (2017). Reading comprehension difficulties among EFL learners: The case of first and second year students at Yarmouk University in Jordan. Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume, 8.
Rajab, H., & Al-Sadi, A. (2015). An empirical study of reading habits and interests of Saudi university EFL learners. International Journal of Linguistics, 7(2), 1-17.
Rashid, R.A. (2012). Vocabulary learning among less proficient young adults using children’s stories. Mextesol Journal, 35(1), 15-28.
Rivers, W. (1981). Teaching foreign language skills. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Vellutino, F.R., Fletcher, J.M., Snowling, M., & Scanlon, D. (2004). Specific reading disability(Dyslexia): What have we learned in the past four decades? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45, 2-40.
Westby, C.C. (2012). Assessing and remediating text comprehension problems. In A. G. Kahmi& H. W. Catts (Eds.), Language and Reading Disabilities (3rd ed.) (pp. 163-225). Boston: Pearson.
Wolf, M. & Bowers, P. (1999). The double-deficit hypothesis for the developmental dyslexias.Journal of Educational Psychology, 91, 415-438.
Yunus, K., Mohamad, M., &Waelateh, B. (2016). The breadth of receptive vocabulary knowledge among English major university students. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 1(1), 7-17.
Zwiers, J. (2008). Building academic language: Essential practices for content classrooms, grades 5-12. San Francisco, Calif.: Jossey-Bass.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Mr. Tariq Amin, Prof. Dr. Wasima Shehzad, Mr. Mudassir Inam (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
