Iranian Students of Management EAP Reading: Relationship between Attitude and Reading Proficiency

Abstract

Attitude is regarded as cardinal factor influencing language learning and language success. The purpose of the present study was twofold. Firstly, it tried to investigate the relationship between the reading proficiency skill of managements’ students and their attitude. Secondly, it attempted to evaluate the attitude that Iranian learners adopt toward EAP reading. For this purpose, at first by (QPT) test the students whose scores fell one standard deviation above the mean and below the mean were selected as the intermediate group.  The study population comprised 100 students from whom 60 intermediate subjects were chosen in the Sobhe Sadegh University. Initially, one set of reading proficiency test was administered (RPT) to 60 male and female students. Then, one attitude questionnaire that examined their attitude toward EAP reading was given to them. Analyzing the data using SPSS indicated that there is no correlation between the attitude of learners and reading skill, and reading skill and attitudes of learners are two uncorrelated factors. However, it was found that students had positive attitudes toward EAP reading. EAP materials developers and instructors may benefit from the present findings.