Reading in a second language and the factors that students of english pedagogy of the UCSC perceive as difficulties while reading fiction

Abstract

The following study reflects the perceived difficulties of the students of English Pedagogy at UCSC regarding reading comprehension in English as a second language, where cultural, literary and linguistic aspects emerge in the results of each instrument applied. Based on the Threshold Theory, in which students must have a certain level of knowledge in a second language, three instruments were created, including a survey that presents the reading habits of the participants in different areas, such as the frequency of reading, preferences of literary genre and the difficulties they perceive at the moment of reading a text. Additionally, two texts are used to gather information about reading comprehension in the strict sense, finishing with a semi-structured interview that shows students’ post-reading reflections. Finally, within the results there is a concordance in the difficulties of the participants, where the vocabulary is the main factor seen as preventing reading comprehension. However, different nuances are appreciated according to the results concerning the type of vocabulary involved.