Beliefs and Challenges in Teaching L2 Reading to Iranian EFL Learners: A Case Study of Iranian EFL Teachers’ Perspectives

The importance of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) is increasing as English is viewed as an international language. From among the four language skills one must acquire when learning a new language (listening, reading, speaking, and writing), reading is considered more crucial in an academic environment. Over the years teaching and learning EFL has gained importance and attracted attention in Iran. Hence, the purpose of this case study is to examine the beliefs and challenges in teaching L2 reading in an EFL context through a semi-structured interview. 10 Iranian EFL teachers from a public university in Iran volunteered to take part in this investigation. The interviews were recorded and later transcribed and coded by the researcher. The findings revealed that the main challenge in teaching L2 reading was the unfamiliarity of the Iranian EFL learners with language learning strategies. According to the findings of this study, EFL teachers must familiarize their EFL learners with language learning strategies besides L2 to L1 translation. Recommendation for further research is provided in the article.

کلیدواژه ها:

L2 reading ، EFL context ، language learning strategies ، EFL teachers’ beliefs