The Relationship Between Leisure Reading Habits, Vocabulary and Writing of English Language Learners (ELLs)

Numerous studies have highlighted the influence of leisure reading habits on second language proficiency. The present study investigates the relationship between students’ reading habits, vocabulary and writing performance. A reading survey, productive vocabulary test and writing test were administered to 33 university English language learners (ELLs) students in Malaysia. The results indicate that participants had not received a lot of support for reading from their English teachers at elementary schools or at secondary level and had limited access to reading resources. The university students in the study were aware of the value of reading in English, albeit spending a considerable amount of time on the Internet compared to reading off-line. More than half of the participants agreed that they would read something if it was recommended by their lecturers. In addition, the present study also found that participants had not acquired the adequate vocabulary size required for tertiary studies. The findings have important implications for English language practitioners both at school and tertiary levels.