Dissertation Defense Announcement

Hamad Alluhaydan

for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

May 22, 2019 at 03:00 PM PT Hall Room 448

Advisor: Teresa Dalle

Saudi (ESL/EFL) Metacognitive Online Reading Strategies for the Arabic and English Languages

ABSTRACT: Historically, Saudi readers have demonstrated poorer reading meta-cognition skills as well as poor reading literacy practice. The study reveals what kind of online meta-cognitive reading strategies are perceived as used more in both languages (Arabic/English) by Saudis (ESL/EFL). It also shows differences between Saudi male, Saudi female or ESL/EFL learners in their perceived strategy use while reading online texts. The study found that the Saudi shortage of reading practice in two languages (Arabic- English) affects their comprehension skills because less than 25% of the study Saudi participants were able to answer reading comprehensive questions in classes. The study of online meta-cognitive reading strategies reflects the finding that males and females do not differ in their use of global, supporting, and problem-solving meta-cognitive online reading strategies when language is not taken into consideration. Similarly, English (EFL/ESL) and Arabic language speakers do not differ in their use of any of the meta-cognitive online reading strategies when gender is not considered. However, Saudi males use global, supporting, and problem-solving strategies more often than females with English language, while with the Arabic language Saudi do not differ in this respect by gender.