Reading Skills in English Language Classroom: A Strategic Approach

Abstract

The reading skill is one of the important aspects of the second language acquisition because it allows the learner to gain access to academic knowledge, to be able to exercise critical thinking skills, and be able to fully engage in global communication. This study will analyse those factors that affect reading development in second language learners as well as discuss the effectiveness of certain reading strategies that can enhance vocabulary, comprehension and fluency. The study is based on cognitive, cultural, and psychological aspects that influence reading performance of learners. The processing speed, memory, and attention are cognitive abilities that can greatly define the manner in which learners perceive and relate textual materials. Another crucial factor may be cultural background since an unknown cultural reference and an idiomatic expression can be an obstacle to understanding. Moreover, such psychological factors as motivation, confidence, and anxiety determine the involvement of learners in the reading activities. To meet these, research questions are developed to explore the effects of guided reading which includes contextual vocabulary learning, skimming, scanning, intensive reading and extensive reading. Short-term training programme was introduced to test the reading abilities of learners by seeing an improvement. The results also demonstrate that a regular practice of strategic reading methods can produce a quantifiable improvement of comprehension, reading speed, and vocabulary retention. Guided practice enabled learners to show heightened confidence, enhance their skills in inferencing better and develop more efficient ways of processing texts. Extensive reading stimulated general fluent and reading interest whereas intensive reading developed critical ability and interpretation of complex constructs.