Sri Lankan Educators & Graduates - University Reading Readiness

Research Series: Academic Reading and University Readiness in Sri Lanka Volume 1: Are Our Students Truly Ready for University Reading? Students in Sri Lanka spend many years learning English as a Second Language (ESL) at school. Yet many still struggle when they enter university and face: 📚 Academic textbooks 📄 Research articles 📝 Journal papers 🔍 Reading for assignments and independent study The challenge may not simply be English proficiency. It may be academic reading readiness. At school level, students often work with: • Short comprehension passages • Vocabulary activities • Examination-focused tasks • Guided reading exercises At university, expectations change. Students are suddenly expected to: ✔ Analyse information ✔ Compare ideas ✔ Understand academic vocabulary ✔ Read independently ✔ Engage critically with texts This transition can be difficult, even for students who performed well in school. So perhaps the question is not: “Why do students struggle at university?” Perhaps we should ask: “How well are we preparing them for academic reading before they get there?” This post begins a research series exploring academic reading development in Sri Lankan secondary schools and its implications for university readiness. I would like to hear from teachers, lecturers, researchers, and graduates: Have you noticed a gap between school reading experiences and university expectations? Next Volume: Linguistic Barriers Affecting Academic Reading Development #AcademicReading #ESL #SriLankaEducation #AcademicLiteracy #UniversityReadiness #HigherEducation #EducationResearch