Using Motivational Strategies to Develop University EFL Students’ Reading Skills

Abstract

This study aims at examining the effectiveness of motivational strategies in promoting the reading performance of Saudi female students learning English as a foreign language (EFL). The quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design was employed. Two university EFL classes were randomly selected. One class, the experimental group, was taught reading through motivational strategies. Another class, the control group, had regular reading instruction. Results showed that the experimental group outperformed the control group on the post-test in overall reading performance as well as in each reading skill after the implementation of the teaching strategy based on motivational strategies. It can be concluded that motivation is vital in learning EFL reading comprehension through making students positive and enthusiastic in their classrooms. Teaching motivational strategies should have its place in Saudi EFL reading classes. EFL teachers should devote sufficient time and make their efforts to exploit these strategies with their different types.