The Impact of EFL Algerian University Students’ Attitudes on Literary Texts Reading Motivation: The Case of Second Year English Students at Setif 2 University

Abstract

Motivating EFL students to read in English has captured the attention of different researchers in the field of foreign language learning for decades. The present study aims chiefly at probing into the attitudes held towards reading English literary texts by second-year Algerian EFL learners at the Department of Foreign Languages, University of Setif2. It seeks to study the learners’ attitudes towards reading English literary texts and their impact on their reading motivation. It also fetches the factors controlling EFL learners’ motivation in reading English literary texts. Moreover, it tackles sensible concern often encountered in literary text teaching: is there a correlation between learners’ attitudes and reading motivation? To this end, Data were collected through a perception questionnaire that was handed to a randomly selected sample of 150 students. The data analyses were descriptive. Results demonstrated that the students have low reading motivation due to their negative attitudes towards reading English literary texts. Based on these findings, it is suggested that literature teachers should incorporate the most convenient methods and techniques to meet EFL learners’ reading needs and interests. Thus, technology and new media should pave its way into the literature classes.