Reading Habits and Their Relationship to English Proficiency Among Secondary School Students in Bauchi State

Extensive reading is one of the most robustly supported predictors of second language proficiency development, yet reading habits among Nigerian secondary school students have been characterised as inadequate by numerous stakeholders without detailed empirical documentation at the state level. This study investigates reading habits and their relationship to English proficiency among Senior Secondary School students in Bauchi State. A reading habits questionnaire measuring frequency, material variety, self-chosen versus assigned reading, and motivational orientation was administered to four hundred students across eight schools in Bauchi and Gombe LGAs, alongside a standardized English proficiency test measuring vocabulary, grammar, and reading comprehension. Correlation and regression analyses examined the reading-proficiency relationship. Results show that self-reported reading frequency correlates significantly with all three proficiency subscores, with the vocabulary subtest showing the strongest correlation. Students who report reading a variety of materials including fiction, newspapers, and online content show higher proficiency scores than those reading only school textbooks. The gender gap in reading habit scores is significant, with female students reporting higher reading frequency and variety, which partially accounts for their higher proficiency scores. Access to reading materials is identified as a major constraint, with seventy-one percent of students reporting no access to a functioning school or community library. The study recommends a Bauchi State school library revitalization programme as a high-impact investment in English language outcomes. Keywords: reading habits, English proficiency, secondary students, Bauchi State, extensive reading.