Reading Comprehension Difficulties Among EFL Learners in Higher Learning Institutions

Abstract

One of the most significant problems faced by instructors is reading deficiency in English texts among the university students, which reflects the students’ poor academic performance. It is assumed that learners who are unable to read and comprehend face many challenges during their studies and after graduation. This study aims to investigate reading comprehensions difficulties among EFL learners in higher learning institutions. The study employed quantitative method, 100 out of 281 Arab students of Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) were selected to participate in responding to the questions. Cross tabulation was used to analyze data from the test. Findings from the test indicated that the major difficulty faced by the Arab EFL learners is inability to recognize the types of text. This study concludes that the reading comprehension difficulties faced by Arab EFL learners in the selected institutions could affect their English language proficiency and academic performance. To find solutions to these difficulties, there is a need for shared efforts of English language teachers, instruction policy makers, public and private bodies responsible for educational policy learning and implementation, and the EFL learners.