Abstract
English reading ability has conventionally been measured by learner's performance of how they respond to questions that reflect the content of a reading passage. This is a rather indirect way of measuring one's ability when it is compared with how learner's speech or writing is directly evaluated in measuring these abilities. The present study has given a focus on learner's reading speed and tested its validity as a more direct and valid index of reading ability. Furthermore, it has sought factors that account for learner's reading speed. The effects of text type and topic, along with learner's interest, have also been considered as the factors that influence learner's reading speed. The study involved 239 university students (out of which the results of 160 students were used) in taking three different tests of reading speed. The results revealed that reading speed could be considered as a valid index of one's reading ability. The skills such as skimming and scanning highly accounted for learner's reading speed. As for the influence of text type and topic on reading speed, it was found that the text topic affected the reading speed. This means that, when measuring reading speed, it is necessary to prepare at least one passage from a humanity genre and another from a scientific genre. The learner's interest and motivation to read the given passages revealed little influence on their reading speed. This is more evidence that reading speed could be a valid index of a learner's reading ability. Although there were some limitations to the present study, it demonstrated that the reading speed along with the factors that affect it cast a new light in assessing learner's ability and in considering a new way to consider text readability.
