Reading Practices of Social Sciences and Humanities Students

A wide variety of theoretical accounts and research findings assert that subject area students need to practice applying their literacy skill in studying their content area subjects because of its strong relationships with learning the content areas, and that content area courses have the potential to involve students apply the skill. On the basis of this ground, this work presents the practices of 188 students of the School of Social Sciences and Humanities at Dilla University with regard to three issues: the students' knowledge of the techniques (strategies) of reading, the reading strategies the students use in studying their subject area courses, and the practice of the students applying the reading skills they have learned in their English language lessons to study their subject areas. Then, it was found that the students have the awareness of the applicability of the reading skills; but their awareness is not comprehensive as they lack the courage to change knowledge into practice due to certain factors. Therefore, the work suggests five actions to be done by language as well as subject area teachers, students, and curriculum designers.