Reading problems as perceived by English teachers in the Sultanate of Oman

Laila Z Al-Salmi, University of Texas at El Paso

Abstract

"He who knows no foreign language, knows nothing of his own." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe The present study investigates the effect of the curriculum, teaching methodology and students' native language on reading difficulties in the Omani classrooms. The purpose of this study is to investigate teachers' attitudes and perceptions on the causes of reading difficulties faced by students in grades three and four enrolled in the Basic Education system in Oman. The findings revealed that the curriculum was the main source of reading difficulties faced by the students. The differences between the students' native language (Arabic) and English was the second place and lastly was the teaching methodology utilized by the teachers. The following are the main findings of this study: The curriculum needs to be more closely related to the students' culture. Learning another language is difficult for young learners, especially when embedded with foreign ideas with which students are unfamiliar. The length of the curriculum is a contributing factor to the reading difficulties that the students face. The solution is to extend the teaching time allotted to teach English. There is a need for more technology (i.e. computers, LCDs and overhead projectors) in the Omani schools to enable the students to engage in more effective reading practice. There is a need for more training workshops for teachers who are already teaching Basic Education levels, and there is a need for special training programs in colleges to prepare the new teachers for teaching reading skills to the young learners. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Subject Area

Bilingual education|Multicultural education|Curricula|Teaching|Language arts|Literacy|Reading instruction

Recommended Citation

Al-Salmi, Laila Z, "Reading problems as perceived by English teachers in the Sultanate of Oman" (2005). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAI1430251.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dissertations/AAI1430251

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