An Analytical Review of the Application of Skill/Strategy-based Approach to Teaching L2 Reading in Iran

Reading skills and strategies are claimed to be the most important requirements of the Iranian students studying English at pre-university level and wishing to continue their studies at universities. This study aimed at critically reviewing the skill/strategy-based approach to L2 reading as applied to a sample EFL English text book and the activities done in English classes regarding reading skills and strategies. To this end, the Iranian pre-university English book and the reading activities done in English classes were analyzed descriptively and comparatively. 100 pre-university students and 50 teachers were asked to complete a 20-item Likert-scale questionnaire regarding the extent to which the different reading skills and strategies were presented and practiced in English classes. The analysis of the data obtained from the questionnaires indicated that the sample book matched, to a large extent, the framework of skill/strategy based approach as to its selection of texts and the course goals while the 'exercise' and 'reading skill's parts needed serious revision. There was also significant difference between what the teachers and what the students perceived was done in the classroom regarding reading skills and strategies. In their other editions, material designers of English textbooks for schools in Iran are suggested to incorporate more reading skills and strategies into the book to be practiced in English classes. Extensive reading is also highly recommended to be paid more attention.