Understanding Reading Strategies of EFL Saudi Students

Abstract

In many contexts around the world, English has become a major means of daily communication and a language for research and technology. Reading in English plays a key role in students’ academic learning in many higher education contexts where English is the principal medium of instruction. This study measured reading strategies use as well as reading habits for everyday reading practices of EFL Saudi university students. For collecting data, Students completed a questionnaire and were interviewed by the two researchers. The quantitative and qualitative results yielded positive results that students were categorized as high users of reading strategies. Students employed different strategies to approach the complexity of reading texts. In addition, results indicated that there was a relationship between students’ motivation toward reading, reading habits of reading practices and the way students implement different reading strategies.