The sources of reading comprehension difficulties among Saudi EFL learners

Radzuwan, Ab Rashid and Qrqez, Mohammed (2019) The sources of reading comprehension difficulties among Saudi EFL learners. Trends in Social Sciences, 1 (1). pp. 7-16. ISSN 2637-0735

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Abstract

Arab students confront several reading difficulties such as lack of vocabulary and useful reading strategies. These difficulties make them unable to fully comprehend an English text. This paper discusses the sources of EFL reading comprehension difficulties faced by students at a university in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected from questionnaires which had been distributed to 250 students at Umm Al-Qura University. The questionnaire consists of only one part, asking students about the causes and factors that led them to struggle with reading. The responses reveal that the students mainly felt their reading difficulties related to several factors such as the lack of support from their parents, teachers and society, their reading textbooks which the students found uninteresting, and the classroom environment. The findings also suggest that most Saudi university students have little interest in reading in English. It is hoped that the findings of this research will inform Saudi education policymakers, teachers, parents and text books designers to enhance Saudi students’ reading level by taking account the reasons behind their reading difficulties.

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