Investigating Strategies for Improving University Students' Reading Efficiency in English: A Case study of Al-Quds University

Abstract

This study aims at investigating strategies for improving university students' reading comprehension efficiency at the Department of English Language at Al-Quds University. It tries to investigate the appropriateness of textbooks implementation of reading comprehension strategies, the appropriateness of students' implementation of reading strategies, and the adequacy of teachers' employment of reading comprehension strategies. In order to achieve the purpose of the study, the researcher administered two questionnaires: One for the students and the other for teachers. They included a variety of questions and items, which covered all relevant domains of the study. The study sought to answer the following questions:

1. To what extent are students and teachers of English at the Department of English at Al- Quds University satisfied that the courses of the set reading textbooks employ reading strategies for improving university students' reading efficiency appropriately? 2. To what extent do the students majoring in English at the Department of English at Al-Quds University implement learning reading comprehension strategies for improving their reading efficiency appropriately? 3. To what extent do the teachers of English at the Department of English at Al-Quds University employ the reading strategies in teaching reading comprehension courses for improving university students' reading efficiency adequately?

Based on the study questions, the researcher generated three hypotheses. The first hypothesis states that the reading strategies included in the courses of the set textbooks for teaching reading comprehension at the Department of English at Al-Quds University are appropriate to enhance students' reading efficiency. The second hypothesis, states that the students majoring in English at the English Department at Al-Quds University implement the reading strategies appropriately. The third hypothesis states that the reading strategies employed by English language teachers in teaching reading comprehension courses at the Department of English at Al-Quds University are adequate to meet the students' demand for efficient reading.

The subjects of this study involve all the male and the female students of second, third and fourth years majoring in English Language at the Department of English Language at Al-Quds University, and all English Language staff at the Department of English at Al-Quds University. The method of investigation used in this study is both descriptive and analytical. Two questionnaires were designed and distributed by hand to both teachers and students. Both the validity and reliability tests were confirmed. Data collected were statistically analyzed by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), and critically discussed.

The findings of the study showed that the textbooks of reading comprehension courses used at the Department of English at Al-Quds University contain appropriate reading strategies for improving university students' reading efficiency. The results also revealed that students' implementation of reading strategies are appropriate for improving their reading comprehension efficiency. The results also indicated that English language teachers at the Department of English at Al-Quds University employ reading strategies adequately. The findings also exhibited that all the hypotheses of the study were confirmed.

In the light of the findings of the study, the researcher suggested further empirical studies need to be conducted on English language teachers' use of metacognitive reading strategies at the Department of English at Al-Quds university. He also suggested that there is a need for more comprehensive research on strategies for constructing meaning used by Al-Quds University students through reading different types of text.