The development of reading literacy skills in the early years of primary schooling : a case of Zimbabwean schools

Abstract

Reading literacy is the key to all learning and success in life, especially in this information age. The effects of reading failure include poor performance at school and tertiary level, limited job opportunities and constrained participation in society. This study aimed to investigate the development of reading literacy among Grade 3 and 4 learners in four schools in Gweru. The study was informed by cognitive-linguistic models of reading that acknowledge the role of contextual variables in reading development. A mixed method approach was adopted where reading comprehension (RC), oral reading fluency (ORF), observations and interviews were carried out with the relevant participants from the four schools. Grade 3 and 4 syllabus documents and textbook excerpts were also analysed. The assessment results showed that learners had challenges with both reading fluency and reading comprehension. A strong relationship between RC and ORF was found across the grades; confirming what other studies have found. On the other hand, the classroom observations and teacher interviews highlighted the shortcomings that exist in the teaching and learning of reading literacy, with little attention given to explicit reading instruction. The analysis of the syllabus documents showed that reading literacy does not assume a prominent position in the syllabus, and few current evidence-based guidelines are provided as to how reading should be taught, assessed and monitored. With regard to the analysis of textbooks, information texts were generally beyond the learners’ grade levels while the narrative texts were below the grade levels. Both scenarios are detrimental to the development of reading literacy skills. . It is therefore recommended that the syllabus be upgraded so that it includes the current issues and trends in reading literacy development. At the same time educators should also continuously receive in-service training and material resources appropriate for reading literacy instruction. Teacher training institutions should consider revamping the reading literacy curriculum and making a number of reading courses compulsory in order to equip the preservice teachers with relevant pedagogic and content knowledge on reading literacy instruction. Given the close relationship between decoding and reading comprehension, pedagogical attention should be given to evidence-based best actice for the development of both decoding and meaning making skills and strategies. The curriculum developers should consider working with local and regional reading experts in order to improve on the syllabus content. They should also consider engaging reading experts when creating reading material as well as to subject the texts to rigorous analyses before availing them for use in schools. The government should also channel more resources to the acquisition of reading material in the schools and to develop programmes which aim to advance reading literacy development among primary school learners in order to build a strong foundation during the early stages of learning since this has far reaching effects. Key words: reading literacy, oral reading fluency, reading comprehension, decoding, foundation phase, classroom practices, information texts, narrative texts, vocabulary profiles