Unveiling English Reading Literacy: Insights from Senior High School Students in Chongqing, China

Reading plays a pivotal role in lifelong development, serving as an indispensable foundation for students to thrive. The present study therefore aimed to assess the English reading literacy of senior high school students. A self-developed questionnaire was administered to 427 students from three schools in Chongqing, China. The questionnaire encompassed three dimensions: reading ability, reading character, and teachers’ assistance in enhancing the two domains. Results revealed that the participants exhibited moderate English reading literacy levels, with gender and parental education exerting significant influence on their English reading literacy. Furthermore, teachers primarily focused on improving academic performance rather than fostering well-rounded readership abilities, leading to slight variations regarding the concepts and methodologies employed for cultivating comprehensive literary competence. Individual attributes, family background, teacher-related factors, institutional dynamics, and societal factors significantly impacted the participants’ English reading literacy levels. Consequently, corresponding strategies and suggestions were discussed.