Unpacking the challenges and accommodation strategies of Omani English-Major students on IELTS academic reading tests

Abstract

IELTS is used as a screening gatekeeper and plays a crucial role in Omani students to meet job requirements. This paper reports on Omani English-major undergraduate students' reflections on their experience of the reading section of Academic IELTS. The main aim of the study was to elucidate their difficulties and coping strategies to inform EFL/ESL teachers and IELTS examiners and researchers. An IELTS mock reading test, under exam conditions, was administered to 45 Omani students majoring in English, and the participants were asked to write a reflective essay in response to the following prompts: "What were the difficulties that you encountered in your IELTS Academic Reading test, and how did you handle those challenges?" Their answers touched upon their experience and challenges with the test (e.g. difficulties pertaining to cognition, content area knowledge, and the lack of familiarity with the test reading genres) as well as their strategies to address the challenges. The data were coded and analysed thematically and inductively. The findings showed that students reported a range of cognitive and metacognitive challenges and numerous coping strategies. This paper unravels some of the pedagogical implications and ideas that surfaced through the analysis of the students' responses.

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