Contextual Inferencing Strategies and Changes in Reading Attitudes: the Case of Iranian EFL Undergraduates

Objective. The present study examined the impact of contextual inferencing on Iranian EFL learners' attitudes towards reading in English. Methods and techniques of the research. To achieve such goals, 60 BA undergraduate students at Islamic Azad University of Shiraz, majoring in English teaching and English translation studies within the age range of 19-23 participated in the study. They were divided into two groups of control and experimental randomly. The data were collected through an 'Attitude towards Reading' questionnaire and a revised version of Demet Kulac's (2011) interview in two phases before and after the instruction. Results. The comparison of pre- and post-questionnaires showed that contextual inferencing strategies had a positive effect on learners' attitudes towards reading, and there was a negative relationship between unknown vocabulary encounters and learners' attitudes towards reading English texts. Finally, the analysis of the interview confirmed the effectiveness of strategy training in reading attitudes and showed some other factors which were enhanced by using contextual inferencing strategies. Conclusions. The findings contribute to syllabus designers and teachers in reading comprehension and international tests preparation courses.