Attitudes towards Teaching and Learning Test-taking Strategies for Reading Comprehension Tests: The Case of Iranian EFL Undergraduates

Abstract

Reading, as the most important academic language skill, receives the special focus in second or foreign language teaching. In addition, tests are regularly applied to evaluate academic performance. There are several cognitive and psychological factors which affect test performance. One of such important test-related factors is test-taking strategies, also known as testwiseness. This study was set to probe the attitudes of Iranian EFL undergraduates towards training test-taking strategies. A set of 22 test-taking strategies for multiple-choice reading comprehension tests was taught as extra material to 30 EFL undergraduates in their regular reading classes within 11 sessions. A Likert rating-scale questionnaire was administered at the end of semester. Overall, students revealed positive opinions on teaching and learning of test-taking strategies. Results are discussed and some recommendations are ultimately provided.