Training Students in Reading Strategies

Abstract

Reading comprehension is becoming an acute problem for Sudanese university students majoring in English. It is particularly felt by first year university students. They left secondary school education to enter college with different education that they had at secondary level. So, the researcher provides them with strategies they need to succeed in reading comprehension. The objectives of this study are: To determine whether using reading strategies training will result in a better reading performance, to investigate how reading strategies knowledge can affect students' response in a reading class and to identify strategies and techniques that might help the students to read and comprehend English language in a better way. To investigate the research problem, the researcher will try to provide answers for the following questions: To what extent will there be a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test results of the students who have received reading strategies training ?, To what extent does reading strategies training affect the students' response in a reading class? To what extent are there adequate strategies that can be used to combat students' reading problems in an effective manner? The writer used the Analytical Descriptive Method of Research. The data have been collected by means of two reading comprehension tests, an observation checklist and a questionnaire. The subjects of the study are ( 100 ) university students. The study was conducted during the academic year 2011 / 2012. The most important findings are: Reading strategies improves students' comprehension of reading texts, reading strategies activities enable students to respond in a better manner, and students prefer to be taught by using reading strategies and techniques. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher provided some pedagogical implications, recommendations and suggestions for further studies.