A Study of the Reading Strategies of First Year Students At A University College in Ethiopia
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Date
2000-02
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study investigates the reading strategies of Ethiopian first year university
students who use English as a foreign language and who are at high and low levels of
English (the L2) language proficiency. Based on the think-aloud protocols of the
students, the study examines individual differences in the types and frequency of use
of the strategies, and considers the appropriateness and effectiveness of the strategies
for the reading task (reading a passage) and the assigned reading purpose
(summarising the passage and taking a short-answer reading comprehension test).
Data were elicited using a three-stage procedure: a pre-reading elicitation of the
students' awareness of their own strategies before reading using a metacognitive
questionnaire; a during-reading elicitation of strategies based on the think-aloud
protocols of the students; and a post-reading assessment of the students' strategies
based on the students' reflections about their strategies and reading performance.
The study also consists of a case study which was designed to inspect closely the
strategy use of a sample of successful subjects (subjects at high and low levels of
English language proficiency who achieved the highest reading comprehension
scores) and less successful subjects (subjects at high and low levels of proficiency
who achieved the lowest reading comprehension scores).
The results show that the subjects at the high and low language levels were not
markedly different in the number of strategy types they used and/or the frequency
with which they used them. The findings demonstrate that the key difference between
the students at the high and low levels of English language proficiency is the result of
a combination of three interrelated factors: the presence or absence of an awareness of
effective strategy use, language ability and processing difficulties.
The study concludes that the key to successful reading does not lie in the mere
possession of a repertoire of strategies nor in the frequent use of such strategies; nor
does it lie merely in having a high level of linguistic proficiency. Successful reading
results from knowing how appropriately and effectively the strategies are used in
reading.
The dissertation concludes by suggesting the pedagogical implications of the study.
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Foreign Languages and Literature