Abstract:
The problem of poor reading habits of students particularly materials written in English is
prevalent in Ethiopia, especially, in the study area. Lack of proper reading habits contributes
towards most students’ has poor performance in tests and examinations at school. The main
purpose of this study is to assess the English reading habits of grade nine students’ in Tagel
Secondary School and the factors affecting the reading habits. The study employed mixed
research designs among 310 students, 4 English teachers and 62 students’ parents that were
selected using multistage stratified, and judgmental sampling techniques. Data were
collected using self administer structured questionnaire, semi- structured interview and focus
group discussion (FGD). Gathered data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods and
content method of data analyses to analyze quantitative and qualitative data respectively. The
findings of the study would enrich existing empirical literature on the major issues of the study
and they would contribute towards improving academic performance, The collected data were
analyzed within the framework of the specific objectives and basic research questions using
methods of data analyses for both quantitative and qualitative. The data gathered through self
administered structured questionnaire for students described and analyzed quantitatively and
qualitatively. Analyzed data presented by using tables figures. The data gathered
through semi-structured interview administered for English teachers’ and focus group
discussions (FGD) administered for students’ parents. The questionnaire wrote in the form of
notes analyzed qualitatively. Therefore, through self administered structured questionnaire,
students would be analyzed quantitatively. And through semi-structured interview for teachers
and focus group discussions (FGD) for students’ parents would be analyzed qualitatively.
Finally, the data could be interpreted, presented, and discussed in the form of reports on the
effects of each factor on the English reading habits of students as much as possible.
To improve the English reading habits of the students, teachers, students, and parents could be
work together to achieve the expected goal.
