Factors Influencing EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension Skill and Strategies for Improvement

Abstract

Reading comprehension is a complex language skill that requires the interaction of several subskills and cognitive processes. This article examines the elements that affect reading comprehension proficiency, grouped into reader and text variables. It explores several text- and reader-related factors that support EFL learners' reading performance. Text type and rhetorical structure, vocabulary and lexical knowledge, and the role of automaticity in fluent word recognition are among the important textual elements examined. The study also examines reader-specific factors such as motivation, reading purpose, language skills, and the significant influence of prior knowledge and cultural background on a student's capacity to construct meaning. By emphasizing these factors, the present paper underscores the need for teachers to consider students' interests and prior knowledge when selecting materials to enhance comprehension and the overall learning process.