The Teaching of Reading in the EFL Context: Emergence of a New Paradigm

Abstract

Reading is vital for acquiring any knowledge. Even the Holy Qur’an emphasises it. Thus, the importance of reading cannot be underestimated. Teaching reading in an EFL context is a challenging task for a teacher, especially when they are not equipped with relevant techniques. Teaching reading in isolation may lead to no direction, thus failing to achieve the target. The study explored the effect of web-based teaching reading in English by integrating cultures. The study employed a mixed method of research, carried out on samples of teachers and students at the Applied College, King Abdulaziz University (KAU) located in Jeddah city of Saudi Arabia. The tools used were two self-developed questionnaires for the teachers and the target students, respectively. Content validity was tested before the actual administration of the tool. The findings indicate that technology integration helps resolve issues related to reading skills in English language teaching in the Saudi context.