An Investigation of English Reading Comprehension Difficulties and Improvement Methods of Undergraduate Chinese Students at Guangxi University of Foreign Languages

Xingfeng Li; Kris  Lietz; Kitpinit  Usho; Phikun  Ekwarangkoon

Authors

Xingfeng Li North Bangkok University, Bangkok, Thailand
Kris Lietz North Bangkok University, Bangkok, Thailand
Kitpinit Usho North Bangkok University, Bangkok, Thailand
Phikun Ekwarangkoon Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to investigate the difficulties in English reading comprehension experienced by undergraduate Chinese students at Guangxi University of Foreign Languages and to construct improvement methods of English reading comprehension for undergraduate Chinese students at Guangxi University of Foreign Languages. This research was considered a mixed-methods research study conducted at Guangxi University of Foreign Languages. The respondents were divided into two groups: 335 undergraduate Chinese students and 95 teachers at Guangxi University of Foreign Languages in the academic year 2025. Two research instruments were employed: 1) a questionnaire for investigating difficulties of reading comprehension and 2) focus group discussions for evaluating the improvement methods. The data collected were analyzed through statistical and content analysis methods and presented in terms of frequency count, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The results indicated that: 1) The difficulties in English reading comprehension experienced by undergraduate Chinese students were found at the highest level with mean scores ranging from 4.21 to 4.40, including difficulty understanding unfamiliar vocabulary, struggling to identify main ideas, difficulty with long and complex sentences, and anxiety when reading English texts. 2) The improvement methods of English reading comprehension were categorized into four chapters: methods for learners focusing on metacognitive strategy development and vocabulary enhancement, methods for instructors emphasizing diagnostic assessment and culturally responsive teaching, classroom management strategies creating supportive environments, and teaching-learning materials incorporating authentic resources and digital integration. Keywords: Reading Comprehension; Difficulties; Improvement Methods; Chinese Students; English as Foreign Language

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