Statement of the Problem
There is an unclear picture about the most popular uses of reading strategies by
Saudi EFL learners in Saudi public universities. At present, only a small number of
studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of reading strategies on Saudi EFL
reading comprehension (Madkhali, 2005; Mushait, 2004; Al-Nujaidi, 2003; Al-Seweed,
2000). To the researcher’s knowledge, all studies that have measured reading strategy use
have utilized self-report questionnaires. For example, Al-Nujaidi (2003) examined the
relationship between reading strategies, vocabulary size, and reading comprehension of
EFL Saudi learners. He measured the students’ strategy use by adapting the Survey of
Reading Strategies (SORS) of Mokhtari and Reichard (2002). According to Tseng,
Dörnyei, and Schmit (2006), such self-report questionnaires are based on the assumption
that strategy use and strategic learning are related to an underlying trait because items ask
respondents to generalize their actions across situations rather than referencing singular
and specific learning events.
Al-Nujaidi (2003) concluded that the perceived use of reading strategies shown
by EFL learners in Saudi Arabia should be subjected to additional investigations. He
added that the awareness of reading strategies may not necessarily mean that Saudi EFL
learners know how and when to use these strategies. Thus, he recommended replications
of his study, using think-aloud protocols and interviews in examining the reading
strategies of EFL learners, which, according to him, would provide important and more
accurate details about the different aspects of EFL reading in Saudi Arabia.
Moreover, there is a lack of empirical studies that investigate the success of EFL
learners who use reading strategies compared with those who do not. The scarcity of such
studies does not permit the creation of any firm conclusions or generalizations about the
effectiveness or success of teaching reading strategies in Saudi public universities.
Without this knowledge, it is difficult to understand factors affecting reading
comprehension and important factors in reading instruction.
This study investigates how Saudi EFL learners in Saudi public universities use
reading strategies to improve their comprehension. Given the relative paucity of research
in this area, this study should be of particular interest when addressing how Saudi EFL
learners in public universities use reading strategies to improve comprehension.