Saudi College Students' Arabic & English Reading Attitudes

Abstract

The study examined Saudi college students' Arabic and English reading attitudes and considered the influence of gender on reading attitudes. A correlational quantitative approach was used to study 115 participants' reading attitudes in both languages. Participants displayed uncertain attitudes toward Arabic reading practice, and more positive attitudes towards English reading. Females demonstrated more positive attitudes towards reading practice in both languages than males. Females' social communities had less positive reading attitudes toward Arabic and English reading than males’ social communities. In the absence of family encouragement to practice pleasure reading at homes, students did not read widely. Siblings’, friends’, and peers’ choice of books highly influenced participants' choices of reading materials. Study participants reported that Saudi schools, especially males’ schools, did not profoundly impact on their reading attitudes. Pleasure reading was not encouraged. Neither were students taught how to find books that suited their interests or encouraged to spend time in the schools' library.