Willemse, Laetitia2014-06-262014-06-262008Willemse, L. (2008). The literacy profiles of a sample of UNAM students: Implications for academic reading levels. NERA Journal: A Journal for the Namibian Educational Research Association, 68-83.1609-2716http://hdl.handle.net/11070/1016The print journal is available at the University of Namibia Library at the Main campus library, call no: SCP 370.96881 NERAcademic success at university level is mainly determined by reading ability as most students still read for their courses. L2 university students reading below their maturational levels, can mainly be attributed to their print-impoverished backgrounds, as reading is a skill that develops mainly through practice. The overall aims of this study are to establish the literacy backgrounds of a sample of first- year students at UNAM (University of Namibia) as well as their reading levels. In the process, it is attempted to ascertain the differences between good and poor readers in a developing country like Namibia. Furthermore, the literacy backgrounds of the participants in the study are used in order to determine whether they could have been exposed to additive or subtractive bilingualism. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods are employed.enReading ability testingUniversity of NamibiaAcademic reading testingReading skills and academic performanceArticle