The effectiveness of the primary school reading improvement programme for grade 6 English first additional language learners

Abstract

This study explored the effectiveness of the Primary School Reading Improvement Programme (PSRIP) for English First Additional Language (EFAL). The PSRIP is a reading programme introduced by the Minister of Education, which aims to assist with literacy challenges South Africa currently faces in its primary schools. The study also explored the experiences of teachers in using the PSRIP, since they are the responsible for implementing the programme in the classroom. The results of the latest Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), which South Africa participated in in 2021, were released in May 2023. These revealed that 81% of Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning. One should keep in mind that South Africa experienced COVID-19 from 2021. However, PIRLs results issued in 2016 also showed that most learners in South Africa cannot read, and those who can read cannot read for meaning (Spaull, 2017). A case study research design was used in this study with a qualitative approach. Two primary schools based in Johannesburg West in Gauteng formed the basis of this study, with seven teachers participating. To capture how teachers are experiencing the programme and how learners are performing with use of the PSRIP, the researcher used class observations and conducted semi-structured interviews. Data was analysed using the following themes: reading challenges, reading without understanding, learners who cannot read at all, lack of phonics knowledge, and training and support for teachers on the improvement programme. More themes and sub-themes concerning reading challenges emerged from the data and are discussed in Chapter Four. The findings of the study revealed that challenges with reading as a skill in primary schools are cause for concern. The researcher observed reading lessons from the two schools and more data about the challenges of reading and teaching learners how to read were revealed. From the observed lessons, it became clear that PSRIP is not well implemented in schools as some teachers could hardly ever present the lesson smoothly without putting their eyes off the blue cover book which is said to be PSRIP resource material. While this could be resulted to lack of planning as well, data obtained from interviews revealed that teachers are not quite clear on how the PSRIP works. The researcher observed learners in Grade 6 classes who do not know how to read at all. From the observed lessons also, it was also revealed that teachers did not make reading lessons interesting to the learners. Data obtained from the interviews revealed that most teachers are not trained with PSRIP hence they are struggling with implementing the programme. The recommendations and suggestions for future research will assist other researchers to conduct similar research, and curriculum designers with making necessary changes concerning the curriculum and the main curriculum implementers, who are the teachers.

Phuputso ena e hlahlobile katleho ya Lenaneo la Ntlafatso ya ho Bala Sekolong sa Mathomo (PSRIP) bakeng sa Puo ya Pele ya Tlatsetso ya Senyesemane (EFAL). PSRIP ke lenaneo la ho bala le hlahisitsweng ke Letona la Thuto, leo sepheo sa lona e leng ho thusa ka diphephetso tsa ho bala le ho ngola Afrika Borwa tseo hajwale e tobaneng le tsona dikolong tsa yona tsa mathomo. Phuputso e boetse e hlahlobile diphihlelo tsa matitjhere mabapi le ho sebedisa PSRIP, kaha ke bona ba nang le boikarabello ba ho phethahatsa lenaneo phaposing ya ho rutela. Diphetho tsa Tswelopele ya Phuputso ya ho Bala le ho Ngola ya Matjhabeng ya morao-rao (PIRLS), eo Afrika Borwa e nkileng karolo ho yona ka 2021, di ntshitswe ka Motsheanong 2023. Di senotse hore 81% ya baithuti ba Kereiti ya 4 ha ba tsebe ho balla ho fumana moelelo. Ho lokela ho hopolwa hore Afrika Borwa e bile le COVID-19 ho tloha ka 2021. Leha ho le jwalo, diphetho tsa PIRLs tse ntshitsweng ka 2016 le tsona di bontshitse hore baithuti ba bangata Afrika Borwa ha ba tsebe ho bala, mme ba tsebang ho bala ha ba kgone ho balla ho fumana moelelo (Spaull, 2017). Ho ile ha sebediswa moralo wa phuputso ya mohlala phuputsong ena ka mokgwa wa boleng. Dikolo tse pedi tsa mathomo tse Bophirima ba Johannesburg ho la Gauteng di thehile motheo wa phuputso ena, ka matitjhere a supileng a nkileng karolo. Ho fumana hore na matitjhere a na le boiphihlelo jwang ka lenaneo le hore na baithuti ba ntse ba sebetsa jwang ka tshebediso ya PSRIP, mofuputsi o sebedisitse ho shebella ditlelase le dipuisano tse batlang di hlophisitsweng. Datha e ile ya manollwa ho sebediswa dihlooho tse latelang: diphephetso tsa ho bala, ho bala ntle le ho utlwisisa, baithuti ba sa tsebeng ho bala ho hang, ho hloka tsebo ya medumo, le kwetliso le tshehetso ho matitjhere ka lenaneo la ntlafatso. Dihlooho tse ding le dihloohwana tse mabapi le diphephetso tsa ho bala di hlahile ho datha mme di tshohlwa Kgaolong ya Bone. Diphumano tsa phuputso di senotse hore diphephetso tsa ho bala e le tsebo dikolong tsa mathomo di baka ngongoreho. Mofuputsi o shebelletse dithuto tsa ho bala dikolong tsena tse pedi mme ho ile ha senolwa datha e nngwe e mabapi le mathata a ho bala le ho ruta baithuti mokgwa wa ho bala. Ho latela dithuto tse shebelletsweng, ho ile ha totobala hore PSRIP ha e sebetse hantle dikolong kaha matitjhere a mang a ne a sitwa ho fana ka thuto ka bothebelele ntle le ho tlosa mahlo a bona bukeng e khavara e putswa eo e leng yona sesebediswa sa mohlodi sa PSRIP. Leha sena se ka bakwa hape ke kgaello ya moralo, datha e fumanweng dipuisanong e senotse hore matitjhere ha a hlakelwa hantle hore na PSRIP e sebetsa jwang. Mofuputsi o shebelletse baithuti ba Kereiti ya 6 ba sa tsebeng ho bala ho hang. Ho latela dithuto tse shebelletsweng hape, ho boetse ho senotswe hore matitjhere ha aa etsa hore dithuto tsa ho bala di natefele baithuti. Datha e fumanweng dipuisanong e bontshitse hore matitjhere a mangata ha a kwetliswa ka PSRIP ka hona a sokola ho kenya lenaneo tshebetsong.

Lolu cwaningo luhlole ukusebenza ngempumelelo koHlelo Lokuthuthukisa Ukufunda Isikole Samabanga Aphansi (PSRIP) lwesiNgisi Ulimi Lokuqala Lokwengeza (EFAL). I-PSRIP iwuhlelo lokufunda olwethulwa nguNgqongqoshe Wezemfundo, okuhloswe ngalo ukusiza ezinseleleni zokufunda nokubhala iNingizimu Afrika ebhekene nazo njengamanje ezikoleni zayo zamabanga aphansi. Ucwaningo luphinde lwahlola ulwazi lothisha ekusebenziseni i-PSRIP, njengoba yibona abanesibophezelo sokuqalisa lolu hlelo ekilasini. Imiphumela yakamuva Yenqubekelaphambili Ocwaningweni Lwamazwe ngamazwe Lokufunda Nokubhala (PIRLS), iNingizimu Afrika ebambe iqhaza kuyo ngo-2021, yakhululwa ngoNhlaba ka- 2023. Lokhu kuveze ukuthi u-81% wabafundi beBanga lesi-4 abakwazi ukufunda ukuze baqonde. Umuntu kufanele akhumbule ukuthi iNingizimu Afrika ihlangabezane ne-COVID-19 kusukela ngo-2021. Nokho, imiphumela ye-PIRLS eyakhishwa ngo-2016 iphinde yabonisa ukuthi iningi labafundi eNingizimu Afrika abakwazi ukufunda, futhi labo abakwazi ukufunda abakwazi ukufundela ukuqonda (Spaull, 2017). Kusetshenziswe umklamo wocwaningo lwesibonelo kulolu cwaningo ngendlela yokuchaza. Izikole ezimbili zamabanga aphansi ezizinze eNtshonalanga yeGoli eGauteng zenze isisekelo salolu cwaningo, nothisha abayisikhombisa baba yingxenye. Ukuze kutholakale ukuthi othisha babhekana kanjani nohlelo kanye nendlela abafundi abaqhuba ngayo ngokusebenzisa i-PSRIP, umcwaningi wasebenzisa okubhekwayo kwekilasi futhi wenza inhlolokhono enesakhiwo esincane. Imininingwane yahlaziywa kusetshenziswa lezi zihloko ezilandelayo: izinselele zokufunda, ukufunda ngaphandle kokuqondisisa, abafundi abangakwazi ukufunda nhlobo, ukuntula ulwazi lwemisindo, nokuqeqeshwa nokusekelwa kothisha ohlelweni lokuthuthukisa. Ezinye izindikimba nezindikimbana eziphathelene nezinselele zokufunda zivele emininingwaneni futhi kuxoxwa ngazo eSahlukweni Sesine.