Goal Orientation and Reading Strategy Use of Turkish Students of an English Language Teaching Department

Abstract

This study aims to investigate qualitatively the role of goal orientation in reading comprehension both in native (L1) and second or foreign languages (L2), and the reading strategy use in L1 and L2 of the Turkish advanced students of an English Language Teaching (ELT) Department in order to understand the pedagogical aspects of reading. The data of this phenomenological study come from one-on-one, semi-structured interviews carried out with 8 Turkish ELT students; 4 preparatory class students, 4 firstyear students, who take a reading course. The results of the study demonstrated that the participants had a variety of goal orientations which lend support to the multiple goal approach that claims the reasons students have for engaging in the academic endeavours influence the goals they adopt. All the students perceive the reading strategies as helpful. The data of the study evidenced that mastery goal oriented, and high mastery and low performance-approach participants use more strategies than the performanceapproach (except for one) and work-avoidant participants. Mastery goal oriented students seemed to be more persistent when they confront a comprehension problem in English. All of them think that there is a necessity to teach reading strategies to the students both in their L1 and L2.