Abstract

The main objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between reading strategy use and reading comprehension among Ethiopian secondary school learners. A correlational research design was employed to conduct the study. A questionnaire and test were used to collect data from 109 grade 10 Shewarobit Secondary School students. One-sample t-test, Pearson product correlation, and multiple regression analysis were used to describe and determine the relationship between reading strategies and reading comprehension. The study revealed a significant relationship between reading comprehension and problem-solving (r = 0.395; p < 0.05) as well as global (r = 0.417; p < 0.05) reading strategies and reading comprehension. However, no significant relationship was found between supportive reading strategies and students’ reading comprehension. Moreover, the study also found that problem-solving (β = 0.241, t = 0.393, p < 0.05) and global (β = 0.286, t = 2.83, p < 0.05) reading strategies predict reading comprehension significantly. The R-squared result (0.221) indicates that reading strategies, especially global and problem-solving strategies, explain 22.1 percent of students’ reading comprehension. Students who use problem-solving and global reading strategies are more likely to have better reading comprehension skills. In other words, reading strategies alone cannot explain all reading comprehension, as other factors are also important. Future studies could explore additional variables that might impact reading comprehension outcomes.