The reading habits in English of future teachers: Didactic implications

We present an exploratory and descriptive study about Spanish university students' reading habits in English. The aim is to evaluate their difficulties to study a degree in English, according to the EHEA. English proficiency was tested by means of the Oxford Online Placement Test. A questionnaire was also used to evaluate students' reading habits in English and the academic material they usually read. Most of the participants were in the elementary or intermediate English proficiency levels. A high percentage of students stated that they were not in the habit of reading in English and they only read compulsory academic materials. However, there was a strong correlation between having a high English proficiency level, reading habits and/or reading other noncompulsory materials. Therefore, English teaching methods should foster reading and improve reading habits.