The Reading Habits in English Among First Year Students of Tokawal National High School S.Y 2010-2011

Reading is said to be the most important key to success. As cited by Abeyratha (2004), reading is not only language skill but also a means of educating and developing an individual and the society. Reading helps an individual to learn and provides vital means for learning. It is a process of acquiring information by receiving a message from print in meaningful way. Through books the thoughtful readers attain fuller personal development and enrichment of life; in the best books he can become conversant with great mind all times. It is well said that once a reader reads, a new mode of thinking can be shape in his mind; a new insight on social values can be gained which are essential on his venture through life.

Reading is a purposeful process of identifying and evaluating ideas in terms of the mental content or total awareness of the reader. It is more than seeing words clearly, more than pronouncing printed words correctly, and more than recognizing the meaning of isolated words because it requires thinking, feeling, and imagining (Lucas, Samuel, and Berends 2002). Individual must have a desire to read. But there are some readers who do not really understand such passage. However learners do not have the same level of competence and proficiency. Each one is different from other. Everyone comes from various backgrounds of education and the habit of reading differs just as well. Thus, this research aimed to find out the reading habits of the students and their significant

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