A Study of the Reading Strategies of First Year Students At A University College in Ethiopia
| dc.contributor.advisor | Alderson, J Charles (Professor ) | |
| dc.contributor.author | Hailu, Solomon | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2019-11-04T07:55:24Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-12-05T13:47:47Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2019-11-04T07:55:24Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-12-05T13:47:47Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2000-02 | |
| dc.description.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. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/19773 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.publisher | Addis Ababa University | en_US |
| dc.subject | Foreign Languages and Literature | en_US |
| dc.title | A Study of the Reading Strategies of First Year Students At A University College in Ethiopia | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |