Abstract

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This study investigates the perceptions of EFL native and nonnative teachers about the role of the prior knowledge in EFL reading comprehension, the instructional strategies used to activate students' prior knowledge, and the difficulties encountered when activating students' prior knowledge. Eighty-three EFL teachers in the preparatory year at Aljouf University participated in the study. The data were collected through a questionnaire and an observation checklist. The results showed a very strong agreement of the role of prior knowledge in text comprehension. Furthermore, teachers expressed strong agreement on the teacher's role in fostering text comprehension with the use of students' prior knowledge mainly by asking questions before, during and after reading, and providing students with suitable prior knowledge if they lacked it. The findings also showed that brainstorming strategies, audiovisual aids and questioning were very popular strategies used by the teachers. The results also revealed that teachers attributed the difficulties in activating their students' prior knowledge to the students' low level of reading, and limited linguistic competence. In light of the findings, some implications for EFL teachers, in-service teacher training, and for curriculum development are offered.