A Standard-based Evaluation of University English Majors' Reading Skills

Abstract

This paper investigates the extent to which a Saudi Arabian university English majors’ meet the standards in reading skills and compares the reading proficiency of freshmen and graduates to measure the difference between them that can be attributed to their reading curriculum. The sample of the study consisted of 336 freshmen/graduates and male/female students enrolled in the department of English. It is found that the reading program presented to English majors at the university requires professionals and stakeholders to pay good attention to the important areas where participants showed a drastically low level. Detailed results were obtained based on standards and indicators shed more light on areas where female surpass male students, and vice versa. Recommendations for improving the quality of the reading program were suggested.