Teaching What We Know: The Influence of Pre-service EFL Teachers’ Background on L2 Reading Attitudes

Some aspects of Korean English teachers’ background such as the experience as second language readers may have shaped their attitudes toward English reading in less than favorable ways. Therefore, the primary aim of this research was to investigate how Korean EFL teachers’ background variables which include their L2 reading proficiency, access to English books for pleasure reading and their teaching experience relate to affective aspects of their L2 reading attitudes. To address these aims, a two-part L2 reading attitude survey was administered to 29 pre-service Korean EFL teachers. Results were that those with higher L2 reading proficiency are more comfortable reading in English, but there was no difference in comprehension ability and anxiety regarding L2 reading. Thus, it appears some aspects of attitude are more affected by L2 reading proficiency than others. Amount of teaching experience was found not to affect the participants’ levels of comfort or anxiety when reading in English. In accordance with other studies, those who reported having access to English books available to read for pleasure were more comfortable and less anxious about reading in English than those who indicated that they did not. This finding demonstrates that simply having L2 books available can make a difference in pre-service teachers’ L2 reading attitudes.