Abstract : This paper aims at comparing the reading behaviour of the foreign students with that of the local students, especial in terms of their cultural differences. The goal is to know the ways students of multicultural benefit from the reading resources and tendencies that shape students’ preferences. The study employs both interviews and questionnaires as its data collection tools to obtain research data from foreign students in different universities. Research shows that there are most marked differences when it comes to reading for information and reading frequency with cultural background affecting the genre, frequency and mode of reading. Children brought up in collectivism are comfortable in group reading and communally inclined; those in individualism read on their own. It also outlines the influence of language and language acquisition, education systems and literacy during these preferences. Moreover, the study reveals the findings on the areas of difficulty of the foreign students in other reading conditions, including language and material condition differences. African culture is significant to understand in the global worldview and hence this study seeks to explore these cultural differences with a view of improving educational approaches that will ensure that every culture is represented, in order to encourage students from diverse cultural backgrounds to figure in multi-cultural encounters in schools. When one is in a position to understand how the foreign students read, then the educators will be in a position to assist the students in improving on their academic accomplishments and also experiencing a smooth, hassle-free experience when adapting to the new culture of the country.

Keyword :Academic Reading, Cross-Cultural Perspective, Cultural Differences Foreign Students, Leisure Reading, Reading Preferences.