Abstract:
This research was aimed at exploring the factors that affect English language reading
strategies of Grade Eight students of Yachi Elementary Schoolin GumayWoreda. The
researcher used simple random sampling technique to take 64 (35 %)of 180 students as the
sample of the study. Comprehensive sampling was employed to obtain 4 of the English
Language teachers of grade eight as informants of the study. Data from the students were
gathered using questionnaires to investigate the strategies employed by the English teachers
to teach the skills. Then the researcher analysed the numerical data collected using
questionnaire quantitatively and the textual data gathered from the teachers‟ interview
quantitatively. The results of the study indicated that the main causes of the students‟ reading
problems were lack of exposure, minimal opportunities to use proper and appropriate
strategies of reading in and out of school, learners‟ poor reading background, lack of
opportunities to practice, lack of confidence and motivation, and fear of making mistakes
during pronunciation while reading in front of their classmates. On the basis of the findings
of the study, the researcher forwarded some recommendations such as creating conducive
environments for reading strategy use and reducing students‟ ferar.
