This article reports on a study that examined the choice and use of academic reading strategies of adult learners who were identified as proficient and less proficient readers. The major objective was to explore the potential influence of their adult characteristics on their use of their academic reading strategies. Data were gathered using student diaries, participant observations, and think-aloud protocols. In addition, the take-home reading handouts were studied and retrospective interviews were conducted immediately after the think-aloud protocols. Data analysis was done at two levels: quantitative and qualitative. While the quantitative analysis yielded the variety and frequency count of the strategies used, the qualitative analysis provided the quality of and reasons for the choice and use of the strategies. Quantitative analysis resulted in the identification of 31 cognitive strategies, 20 metacognitive strategies, and 5 affective strategies amongst the proficient readers, and 26 cognitive strategies, 15 metacognitive strategies, and 6 affective strategies amongst the less proficient readers. The qualitative analysis revealed that the proficient readers were found to be able to manipulate their common characteristics as adult learners to the advantage of their academic reading, while the less proficient readers were found to be ignorant of the potentials of their common characteristics as adult learners. The findings of this study have direct implications on the teaching of academic reading to adult learners and the design of the academic reading curriculum in adult education.
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