Exploring the Relation between Reading Strategy use and Reading Comprehension among first year Wollo University Students.
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Date
2024-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to gain insights into exploring the relationship between high and low achievers' reading test scores and their use of reading strategies. In addition, the study was to probe the frequency, type and range of reading strategies used by EFL first year university students during academic reading.
The study employed mixed method. And it is descriptive correlational in design. The participants of the study were first year Wollo University Social Science Students. Using random sampling technique 135 students enrolled in the Communicative Skills course were selected.
Data were collected using questionnaire, reading test and interview. A questionnaire known as Survey of Reading Strategies by Mokhtari and Sheorey (2002) was used to gauge Participants‘ use of reading strategies. Additionally, reading Comprehension Test was utilized to assess students‘ overall reading proficiency. Thus, the survey with thirty items and the test with fifty reading comprehension questions were administered to all selected students. On the other hand, interviews with 12 students—six high achievers and six low achievers—were conducted to find out how they actually use and perceive reading strategies when reading academic materials.
The numerical data were computed and statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency counting, mean, and standard deviation), Independent sample t-test, Pearson Product Moment correlation and regression. Nonetheless, the qualitative data were thematically analyzed.
The findings of the study revealed that Wollo University first year social science students are categorized as medium strategy users. The frequency at which participants adopted reading strategies in academic texts was highest for problem-solving strategies, medium for support and for global reading strategies. On the other hand, in all of the use of three strategy categories, high achievers adopted higher frequency compared to low achieving students. The difference was significant.
The result also showed that there was a relationship between reading strategies use and reading achievement among students. High achieving students‘ use of GLOB and PROB strategies were significantly correlated to their reading scores. And, their use of SUP was not significantly correlated to their reading scores. Low achieving students‘ use of GLOB and SUP strategies, on the other hand, were significantly correlated to their reading scores. And their use of PROB strategies were not significantly correlated to their reading scores.
Moreover, global and problem-solving reading strategies proved to be a more powerful predictor of reading comprehension scores (R2 = 0.89 and r2.0.80) respectively. It means the two category of reading strategy more strongly influenced students‘ achievement in reading score.
The qualitative data result validated that low achievers and high achievers are different in terms of their reading strategy use.
Based on the findings, it was recommended that awareness raising should be made to enhance students' use of various strategies at higher frequency and low achievers in particular must be encouraged to employ the reading strategies more frequently in general and global reading strategies in particular.