Kalabula, Mutale (2013) Challenges Faced by Grade Twelve Learners in Reading Comprehension: A Case of a School in Kafue District. Masters thesis, University of Zambia.
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to ascertain what challenges grade twelve learners faced in reading comprehension. Another aim was to examine the reading strategies that grade twelve learners used to aid them comprehend text. Finally, the study sought to ascertain the strategies that teachers used to teach reading comprehension to grade twelve learners. The study applied the qualitative method. A case study was employed. The study was carried out at a high school in Kafue District with twenty learners. The learners were given two texts; one narrative and the other expository to provide information about the strategies that they used to comprehend texts. An adaptation of the think aloud protocol was used to determine the challenges faced by learners before, during and after reading narrative or expository texts. After marking the texts, the researcher, a qualified teacher, conducted semi-structured interviews and Focus group discussions with the same learners to provide information on the challenges they faced as well as the strategies they used when reading to ensure comprehension was achieved. The researcher also conducted interviews with teachers to ascertain the strategies that they used to teach reading comprehension to the grade twelve learners. Analysis involved scrutiny of the notes from the think- aloud for challenges faced by learners and transcription and review of interview scripts. The results of the study were that grade twelve learners faced challenges in reading comprehension. It was found that learners were unable to approach written texts actively in order to interact with the texts; they were not able to set specific goals for reading and had challenges with word meanings resulting in the inability to make connections of new vocabulary to prior knowledge. Finally, it was found that when comprehension broke down, learners were only able to monitor their comprehension using the clarifying strategy which is only one of the monitoring strategies used to repair comprehension breakdown. Findings also indicated that teachers were inconsistent in their use of strategies that helped learners activate their prior knowledge. Teachers also used less effective strategies such as looking up words in Dictionaries, using words in sentences and using the context to find meanings that did not help learners to approach texts actively by connecting new knowledge to prior knowledge. The principal conclusion was that learners did not use most of the comprehension strategies that good readers employed in comprehending written text; they may not have been taught to do so. Recommendations include a reflection upon the current practices in schools by all stakeholders in order to improve understanding of how to effectively teach comprehension.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | L Education > L Education (General) |
| Divisions: | Africana |
| Depositing User: | Geoffrey Obatsa |
| Date Deposited: | 09 Aug 2018 14:25 |
| Last Modified: | 09 Aug 2018 14:25 |
| URI: | http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/8090 |
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