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Grade 3 learners’ experiences of developing comprehension skills during an Intervention Programme
Author(s)
Fatyela, Vuyokazi
Date Issued
2021
Type
Thesis
Publisher
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Abstract
Developing the comprehension skills of children in primary schools is a challenge that
many countries face. The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (2016)
(PIRLS) shows that South Africa is ranked last of fifty countries when it comes to
literacy. At primary level learners are expected to comprehend what they read so that
they can analyse, critique, evaluate and synthesize information. When learners lack
this ability to read for meaning, it retards their academic performance. In this study, the
use of various instructional strategies to teach reading comprehension contributed to
the development of the learners’ reading comprehension skills. A ten-week
Intervention Programme (IP) was conducted. The first and last weeks were used to
complete pre- and post-comprehension tests with the five Grade 3 learners. The
results of the pre-tests determined the content to be included in the eight-week IP.
Nine comprehension strategies were taught to develop the four comprehension skills
used together with the PIRLS four comprehension skills: focus on retrieving explicitly
stated information, making straight forward inferences, interpret and integrate ideas
and information and finally evaluate and examine content, language and textual
elements, to answer the following three research questions: What were the learners’
comprehension challenges during the IP? How did the IP encourage social, cognitive
and language development of the Grade 3 learners? And finally: What were the
learners’ post-test results after explicit teaching of the comprehension skills? The
conceptual frameworks underpinning this study are a synthesis of various pedagogical
priorities: Vygotsky’s (1978) theory of social constructivism, Cambourne’s (2004) social
constructivism, Bloom’s Taxonomy (2001) of cognitive domain and Wenger’s (2005)
social theory of leaning, provided the necessary background information on significant
issues related to this research project. A qualitative approach, using a case study
design, within an interpretivist paradigm was followed with data obtained from semistructured
interviews, participant observations, pre and post–tests results from the IP
and document analysis were inductively analysed. Evidence from the study showed
significant improvement in all four of the comprehension type questions for all five
learners. It is recommended that the National Department of Education and Higher
Education Institutions work together in developing large research projects into the
conditions of reading in Foundation Phase classrooms in township schools and how
teachers are prepared to teach reading for meaning. In addition, workshops should be conducted to teach reading for meaning skills and research, track and support teachers
while they transfer this academic knowledge to their classrooms.
many countries face. The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (2016)
(PIRLS) shows that South Africa is ranked last of fifty countries when it comes to
literacy. At primary level learners are expected to comprehend what they read so that
they can analyse, critique, evaluate and synthesize information. When learners lack
this ability to read for meaning, it retards their academic performance. In this study, the
use of various instructional strategies to teach reading comprehension contributed to
the development of the learners’ reading comprehension skills. A ten-week
Intervention Programme (IP) was conducted. The first and last weeks were used to
complete pre- and post-comprehension tests with the five Grade 3 learners. The
results of the pre-tests determined the content to be included in the eight-week IP.
Nine comprehension strategies were taught to develop the four comprehension skills
used together with the PIRLS four comprehension skills: focus on retrieving explicitly
stated information, making straight forward inferences, interpret and integrate ideas
and information and finally evaluate and examine content, language and textual
elements, to answer the following three research questions: What were the learners’
comprehension challenges during the IP? How did the IP encourage social, cognitive
and language development of the Grade 3 learners? And finally: What were the
learners’ post-test results after explicit teaching of the comprehension skills? The
conceptual frameworks underpinning this study are a synthesis of various pedagogical
priorities: Vygotsky’s (1978) theory of social constructivism, Cambourne’s (2004) social
constructivism, Bloom’s Taxonomy (2001) of cognitive domain and Wenger’s (2005)
social theory of leaning, provided the necessary background information on significant
issues related to this research project. A qualitative approach, using a case study
design, within an interpretivist paradigm was followed with data obtained from semistructured
interviews, participant observations, pre and post–tests results from the IP
and document analysis were inductively analysed. Evidence from the study showed
significant improvement in all four of the comprehension type questions for all five
learners. It is recommended that the National Department of Education and Higher
Education Institutions work together in developing large research projects into the
conditions of reading in Foundation Phase classrooms in township schools and how
teachers are prepared to teach reading for meaning. In addition, workshops should be conducted to teach reading for meaning skills and research, track and support teachers
while they transfer this academic knowledge to their classrooms.
Additional information
Thesis (MEd)--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2021
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