types and cause of reading difficulties affecting the reading of english language

104 Pages·2014·0.74 MB·English

TYPES AND CAUSE OF READING DIFFICULTIES AFFECTING THE READING
OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE: A CASE OF GRADE 4 LEARNERS IN SELECTED
SCHOOLS IN OGONG CIRCUIT OF NAMIBIA

Research Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment
Of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of
Education of the University of Namibia

By
Kleopas Mule

Main Supervisor: Prof. C. Kasanda
Co-Supervisor: Dr. M. Hamunyela

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Approval page (viii)
Declaration (ix)
Dedications (x)
Acknowledgement (xi)
Abstract (xii)

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Orientation of the study 1
1.2 Theoretical framework 3
1.3 Statement of the problem 4
1.4 Research questions 4
1.5 Significance of the study 4
1.6 Limitations of the study 5
1.7 Delimitation of the study 5
1.8 Definition of terms 6
1.9 Summary 7

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CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 8
2.1 Introduction 8
2.2 English in the Namibian school curriculum 8
2.3 Causes of reading difficulties 9
2.3.1 Stages of reading development 9
2.3.2 English language problems and reading difficulties 12
2.3.3 Language policy for Primary Schools in Namibia 14
2.3.4 The learners role in communication in the second language 16
2.3.5 Reading slowly in the mother tongue 17
2.3.6 Ineffective decoding of the written word 17
2.4 Good readers of English 18
2.5 Causes of learning difficulties 19
2.6 Practicing reading fast with comprehension 20
2.7 Classroom environment that supports literacy development 21
2.8 The role of teaching and instruction with regard to learners reading
difficulties 22
2.9 Different teaching methods 23
2.9.1 The phonic method 23
2.9.2 The look and say or whole word method 24
2.9.3 The whole language approach to reading 24
2.9.4 Combining phonic and whole-language method in teaching reading 25
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2.9.5 Choosing appropriate method of teaching reading in English 25
2.10 Theories of reading 26
2.10.1 The traditional bottom-up view of reading 26
2.10.2 The cognitive theory or top-down view of reading 28
2.10.3 The balanced or interactive model of reading 29
2.11 Implication of the theories for instructions 30
2.11.1 The traditional bottom-up view of reading 30
2.11.2 The cognitive theory or top-down view of reading 31
2.11.3 The balanced view or the interactive model of reading 31
2.12 Summary 32

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 33
3.1 Introduction 33
3.2 Research design 33
3.3 Population 34
3.4 Research site 34
3.5 Sample and sampling procedures 35
3.6 Data collection instruments 36
3.6.1 Observation 36
3.6.2 Reading achievement test 37
3.7 Pilot study 38
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3.8 Data collection procedure 38
3.9 Data analysis 39
3.9.1 Observation 39
3.8.2 An achievement test 39
3.10 Ethic consideration 40
3.11 Summary 40

CHAPTER 4: PRESENTATION AND DISCUSION OF THE RESULTS 41
4.1 Introduction 41
4.2 Findings from observations 42
4.2.1 Classroom physical environment 43
4.2.1.1 Classroom composition 43
4.2.1.2 The reading corner 43
4.2.1.3 Teacher-learners ratio 45
4.2.2 Classroom psychosocial-environment 45
4.2.2.1 Approaches of teaching reading English in a Grade 4 classroom 46
4.2.2.2 Teacher-learners interactions 48
4.2.2.3 Classroom interactions and learners’ gender 49
4.3 The reading tests 50
4.4 Discussion of findings 56

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4.4.1 Factors affecting reading proficiency among Grade 4 learners in the
Ogongo circuit 57
4.4.1.1 Decoding and word recognition abilities 57
4.4.1.2 Reading miscues analysis 60
4.4.1.3 Reading fluency 62
4.4.1.4 Reading comprehension 63
4.4.1.5 English oral language 65
4.4.1.6 Teacher factors 66
4.4.2 Possible intervention strategy 67
4.4.2.1 Word decoding skill and word recognition strategy 68
4.4.2.2 Teachers approaches to teaching reading 69
4.4.2.3 Language development 70
CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 72
5.1 Introduction 72
5.2 Summary 72
5.3 Conclusion 73
5.4 Recommendations 73
References 74
Appendices 80
Appendix 1: Letter of consent to the director 80
Appendix 2: Letter of permission to carry out the study in the region 82
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Appendix 3: Observation guide 83
Appendix 4: Single word or non-word scoring key 84
Appendix 5: Reading assessment one: Task 1 85
Appendix 6: Reading assessment one: Task 86
Appendix 7: Reading scoring key for assessment two 87
Appendix 8: Reading assessment two: passage 1 88
Appendix 9: Reading assessment two: passage 2 89

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List of Tables
Table 1: Levels of reading 50

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APPROVAL PAGE
This research has been examined and is approved as meeting the required
standards for partial fulfilment of the requirement of the degree of Master of
Education.
.................................................. .............................................
Internal Examination Date
..................................................... ................................................
External Examiner Date
.................................................... .............................................
Dean of Education Faculty Date

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DECRALATION
I, Kleopas Mule, hereby declare that this study is a true reflection of my own
research, and this work, or part thereof not been submitted for a degree in any
other institution of higher learning.
No part of this thesis may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or means (example; electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise) without prior permission of the author, or the university of
Namibia in that behalf.
I, Kleopas Mule, hereby grant the University of Namibia the right to reproduce this
thesis in whole or in part.
......................................... .......................................
Kleopas Mule Date

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