Early Reading Habits and their Impact on the Reading Literacy of Qatari Undergraduate Students

Abstract:

This article discusses a study on the roles of family involvement and school influence in the formation of reading habits of Qatari secondary education students. Information for the study was gathered from surveys of Qatari high school graduates entering North American colleges in Doha, Qatar. The data showed links between reading extensively and confidence in reading, between being read to and forming the habit of free voluntary reading, and between parental recreational reading and that of their children. Based on their findings, the authors propose practical solutions for educators and education policy makers that would improve the reading literacy of Qataris and contribute to building a knowledge-based economy in their country.