The relationship between FL reading strategies and FL reading proficiency: A study on Turkish EFL learners

Reading in FL possesses certain challenges for FL readers such as difficulty in inferring underlying messages in texts and dealing with unfamiliar cultural load. All these challenges may be associated with FL learners’ reading proficiency and their use of FL reading strategies especially while reading academic materials. This study aims at identifying reading strategy use of students in a Turkish EFL context and exploring the relation between perceived awareness of FL reading strategies while reading academic materials and FL reading proficiency. For these purposes, 55 students participated in the study. Results of correlation and regression analyses along with interview data suggested that although there was no significant correlation between FL reading strategy  and FL reading proficiency, low and high proficient learners differed in their employment of FL reading strategies. This study highlights the importance of awareness and employment of effective FL reading strategies in academic contexts. Key words: FL reading strategies, language proficiency, strategy use in academic reading.