Perceived Reading Strategy Awareness and Use (RSAU) and Reading Ability across Foreign Language Disciplines at the University Level

ABSTRACT

The current study, which is descriptive and correlational in design, intends to find out if, (a) Iranian university learners of English, Russian, and Arabic as foreign languages have the same patterns of reading strategy awareness and use (RSAU), and (b) their self-perceived reading ability correlates with their RSAU level. English, Russian, and Arabic students took the Metacognitive Awareness Reading Strategy Inventory and rated their reading ability in their own majors. Analysis of data showed that students of Russian and Arabic were at a low level of RSAU while students of English were at the medium level, and self-perceived reading ability did not correlate with RSAU for the three groups. It seems in the Iranian educational system learners of different foreign languages have different and at the same time poor to moderate strategic reading competence.

KEYWORDS:

• Arabic
• English
• reading ability
• reading strategies
• Russian

Disclosure Statement

The authors of this manuscript have no relevant interest(s) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript to declare.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Seyed Hassan Talebi

Seyed Hassan Talebi holds a Ph.D. in TEFL from Mysore University in India and is an Assistant Professor, currently teaching to BA and MA students, and researching at the Department of English Language and Literature of the University of Mazandaran. His main areas of research interest include multilingualism, cross-linguistic transfer, learning styles and strategies, issues in reading, and in reading research in EGP and ESP.

Mojtaba Maghsoudi

Mojtaba Maghsoudi holds a Ph.D. in TEFL and is an Assistant Professor currently teaching and researching at the Department of English Language of Farhangian University, Tehran. His main areas of research interest include multilingualism, learning styles and strategies, issues in reading, language learning motivation, and issues in reading research.

Abolfazl Khodamoradi

Abolfazl Khodamoradi holds a Ph.D. in TEFL and is an Assistant Professor currently teaching and researching at the Department of English Language of Farhangian University, Tehran. His main areas of research interest include teacher education, bilingual research, learning styles and strategies, learning motivation, and issues in reading.