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Academic English Reading Proficiency at the University Level: A Norwegian Case Study

Reading in a foreign language, 2009-10, Vol.21 (2), p.198-222 [Peer Reviewed Journal]

Copyright University of Hawaii, National Foreign Language Resource Center Oct 2009 ;ISSN: 1539-0578 ;EISSN: 1539-0578

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Title:
Academic English Reading Proficiency at the University Level: A Norwegian Case Study
Author: Hellekjaer, Glenn Ole
Subjects: Academic language ; assessment ; Case Studies ; College Preparation ; College Students ; Difficulty Level ; English (Second Language) ; English as a second language ; English as a second language instruction ; English as a second language tests ; English as an international language ; English for Academic Purposes ; English proficiency ; Factor Analysis ; Foreign Countries ; Foreign language instruction ; Higher education ; International languages ; Language Proficiency ; Language Tests ; Native language ; Norway ; Norwegian ; Norwegian language ; Questionnaires ; Reading comprehension ; Reading Skills ; Respondents ; Scores ; Second Language Instruction ; Second Language Learning ; second language reading ; Secondary schools ; Self evaluation ; Statistical Analysis ; Students ; teaching of language ; Threshold level (Language) ; Vocabulary ; Word meaning
Is Part Of: Reading in a foreign language, 2009-10, Vol.21 (2), p.198-222
Description: In this paper the academic English reading proficiency of 578 Norwegian university students was quantitatively examined. Self-assessment items were used to measure reading proficiency in Norwegian and English and validated using an International English Language Testing System Academic Reading Module. The study found that about 30% of the respondents had serious difficulties reading English, while an additional 44% found it more difficult than reading in their first language. The main problems encountered were unfamiliar vocabulary and slow reading, while extracurricular readers and respondents who were able to guess word meanings from context had higher reading scores. Poor language proficiency was a problem for many, to the extent that they fell below the linguistic threshold level. The study showed that, contrary to expectations, Norwegian EFL instruction at upper-secondary schools fails to develop the academic English reading proficiency needed for higher education.
Publisher: Honolulu: University of Hawaii, National Foreign Language Resource Center
Language: English
Identifier: ISSN: 1539-0578
EISSN: 1539-0578
Source: ERIC Full Text Only (Discovery)
Alma/SFX Local Collection
Freely Accessible Arts & Humanities Journals
ProQuest Central

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Academic English Reading Proficiency at the University Level: A Norwegian Case Study

Copyright University of Hawaii, National Foreign Language Resource Center Oct 2009 ;ISSN: 1539-0578 ;EISSN: 1539-0578

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