Persistent and Potential Problems Preventing EFL Reading Comprehension of Saudi University Students

By

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to take this chance for thanking my research facilitator, friends and family for the support they provided me and their belief in me as well as guidance they provided without which I would have never been able to do this research.

DECLARATION

I, (Your name), would like to declare that all contents included in this dissertation stand for my individual work without any aid, and this dissertation has not been submitted for any examination at academic as well as professional level, previously. It is also representing my very own views and not essentially those that are associated with the university.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Background of the Study2

Rationale for the Study5

Statement of the Problem8

Significance of the Study9

Research Questions11

Research Tools11

REFERENCES13

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Language is a means of communication and, everyone learns a language to communicate from early childhood. Language is very important because it serves as a means for people to exchange their ideas, thoughts and feelings with each other.

Once a person learns a language, he/she becomes a member of a linguistic community. Since language helps a person to express their love, sadness, anger, and happiness, it has become a component of every culture in this world. For this reason, people from across the globe develop a deep rooted love and emotional bonding for their mother tongues. However, with the concept of globalization which has over taken the entire world, the need to communicate in a regular language has become increasingly important.

The clearest example of this phenomenon is the acquisition of English Language, which has become a necessity for people across the globe in order to communicate with each other. This is because the English Language has become an international language and Lingua Franca which means a language which serves as a vehicular language, or a working language. Lingua Franca helps people with different mother tongues to communicate with each other.

The English Language enjoys a very significant status in the world being the international language of communication, however, the importance of another language can never be undermined or underestimated as every language hold a great value within itself and speakers of every language have a profound love for their native languages which renders a greater significance to any given language.

When pupils, whose native language is not English, embark on learning English as a foreign language, it becomes a challenge for them to acquire a command over the second language. This study will analyze the persistent and potential problems that are faced by Saudi Arabian university students while reading English as a foreign language.

Background of the Study

Over the years, research has proven that Saudi Arabian students face considerable trouble in reading and comprehension of English text. This acts a hindrance for them to remain abreast with the rest of the world in this age of globalization. The foremost thing to be considered is that when assessing the process of reading from the reader's point of view should be the interest ...