Reading is the key to knowledge and learning and by implication, life success. Most South African children „learn to read‟ in their home languages (HL), such as isiXhosa in the Eastern Cape, and then at the beginning of Grade 4 are expected to make two significant transitions: they must begin to „read to learn‟ and they must do so in an additional language (usually English). The research evidence is damning: Intermediate Phase children are failing to read and failing to learn. This study is concerned with two of the possible, and often conflicting, reasons for the reading problem: 1) that too little time is spent developing learners‟ English language proficiency and 2) that the development of learners‟ reading comprehension skills in the HL is neglected, preventing the transfer of skills to reading in English additional language (EAL). This thesis explores the relations between English Language Proficiency (ELP) and isiXhosa Reading Comprehension (XRC), and between ELP and English Reading Comprehension (ERC), in a unique, additive bilingual context in the rural Eastern Cape, where isiXhosa is maintained as part-LoLT (language of learning and teaching) to the end of Grade 6. The Linguistic Threshold and Linguistic Interdependence Hypotheses constitute the theoretical framework of the study. The design of the research is exploratory and descriptive. The Woodcock-Muñoz Language Survey was used to measure the language proficiency (English relative to isiXhosa) of the sixteen Grade 6 learners in the study, while two sample, expository passages from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (2006) were used to measure the reading comprehension abilities of learners, in both isiXhosa and English. A questionnaire provided additional information – about the learners‟ perceptions of reading– which assisted in the interpretation of the statistical data. „Mean scores‟ and „standard deviations‟ were used to describe the ELP (relative to the isiXhosa language proficiency) of the participants, while „frequency‟ was used to describe the reading comprehension scores. Correlational statistics were then employed to test the strength of the relationships between the variables, while regression analyses were used to predict the relative contribution of each of ELP and XRC to ERC. The study reveals that while the learners‟ isiXhosa language proficiency far exceeded their English language abilities, their reading comprehension scores in both languages were equally poor. ELP correlated significantly with ERC; and XRC and ERC were also covaried, thus corroborating the findings of international research: that in this particular context, second language (L2) reading is a consequence of both ELP and first language(L1) reading ability. The regression analyses showed that while the potential for reading comprehension transfer in the direction L1 to L2 existed, this possibility was short circuited, both by learners‟ poor ELP and their poor L1 reading skills.

A lack of research in adult literacy for both native speakers and speakers of English as a second language led to the development of the Test of Affixes in Syntactic Structures (TASS) for use in a pilot study (Dogger, January 1978) in which knowledge of derivational morphology was tested to determine its possible relationship with reading for English as a second language students. Test construction was followed by a thorough verification procedure which is the purpose of this study. In September 1978 the following measures of test strength were established: construct validity, content validity, item difficulty, item discrimination, internal consistency, rational equivalence, and concurrent validity. The degree of relationship between reading proficiency, as demonstrated by subject performance on the Iowa Silent Reading Test, Level III (ISRT,III), and knowledge of derivational affixes, as demonstrated by subject performance on TASS, was also established. Results show that successful performance on the ISRT, III includes reading strategies beyond those required for successful performance on TASS. In other words, mastery of language structures as represented by English orthography is necessary but not sufficient for college-level reading proficiency.

Syftet med denna studie är att synliggöra verksamma pedagogers kunskaper kring vilka insatser som gynnar lässvaga elever i syfte att stärka deras chanser att nå en hållbar läsutveckling.  Studien utgår ifrån en kvalitativ metod med i huvudsak personliga intervjuer bestående av fem lärare och specialpedagoger. Fenomenografi har använts för att bearbeta insamlad data, där respondenternas uppfattningar har varit centrala. Resultatet har diskuterats mot tidigare forskning samt utifrån en sociokulturell och kognitivistisk syn på lärande. Studiens resultat presenteras i rubriker som har formats utifrån studiens frågeställningar: ”Vilka insatser sätter pedagoger in för elever som har svårigheter med läsinlärningen i de tidigare årskurserna?”, ”Vilka varningstecken bör en pedagog vara uppmärksam på vad gäller läsinlärningen?” och ”Vilka läsinlärningsmetoder används för att tillgodose elever med bristande läsförmåga?”. I studiens resultat framhävs vikten av tidiga insatser för elever som har någon form av läsproblematik, såväl som vikten av att anpassa undervisningen efter elevens behov och kunskaper. Resultatet visar även, i enighet med tidigare forskning, betydelsen av att använda olika metoder i läsinlärningen, för att alla elever skall ges möjlighet att nå en hållbar läsutveckling. / The purpose of this study is to make the knowledge of active educators visible, about the efforts that benefit pupils with low readiness to strengthen their chances of achieving sustainable reading development. The study is based on qualitative method with mainly personal interviews of five teachers and special educators. Phenomenography has been used to process the collected data, where respondents' perceptions have been central. The results have been discussed against previous research and on the basis of sociocultural and cognitivist views on learning. The study's results are presented in headings that have been formed based on the study's questions, “What efforts do pedagogues put in for pupils who have difficulties with reading learning in previous grades?”, “What warning signs should an educator be aware of in terms of reading learning?” and “What reading learning methods are used to accommodate pupils with reading difficulties?” The study's results emphasize the importance of early intervention for students who have some form of reading problems, as well as the importance of adapting the teaching to the pupil’s needs and knowledge. The respondents also highlight, in agreement with previous research, the importance of using different methods in reading learning, to give all pupils the opportunity to achieve sustainable reading development.

Målet med denna studie var att undersöka hur verksamma lärares erfarenhetsbaserade kunskaper om elevers läsutveckling i både förskoleklass och årskurs 1 förhåller sig till teorin A Simple View of Reading (Gough & Tunmer 1986; Hoover & Gough 1990). Vidare undersöktes också hur lärarna stödjer elever som har svårigheter i läsningen och hur lärarna konstatera att en elev kan läsa. För att undersöka lärarnas kunskap om elevers läsutveckling ställdes åtta öppna frågor i tio kvalitativa internetbaserade intervjuer. Lärarnas yrkeserfarenhet varierade mellan 5– 45 år. Resultatet visade att lärarnas beskrivningar av läsutveckling var likartade och att deras svar i förhållande till teorin uppvisar betydelsefulla likheter. På frågan om hur läraren stödjer elever med problem i läsutveckling framkom skilda svar, dock med vissa likheter. Resultaten visade att om en av aspekterna avkodning och språkförståelse inte var tillräckligt stark fick eleven problem med läsningen. När det kommer till frågan om hur lärare konstaterar att en elev kan läsa fanns det meningsskiljaktigheter i lärarnas svar, eftersom hälften av lärarnas svar överensstämde mot teorin A Simple View of Reading

Syftet med detta arbete är att undersöka hur läsförståelsestrategier kommer till uttrycki två läromedel för ämnet svenska i årskurs 4–6 genom en läromedelsanalys. För attundersöka detta studeras utvalda läsförståelsestrategier från En läsande klass:Spågumman, Detektiven och Konstnären. Tidigare forskning definierarläsförståelsestrategier som mentala redskap som används av läsaren för att förutspå,förklara och föreställa sig en texts innehåll. Forskningen är samstämmig kringläsförståelsestrategiernas positiva effekter på elevers läsförståelse och läsförmåga. Ivår läromedelsanalys har resultatet sammanställts genom en analys av ett utvalttextstycke med tillhörande uppgifter i respektive läromedel. Dessa har sedan förts ini en tabell (se bilaga 1) för att strukturera resultatet och få en överblick. Resultatetvisar att båda läromedlen tar upp samtliga av de utvalda läsförståelsestrategierna, menmed varierande uttrycksformer och frekvens. I läromedlet Aktiv läsning varfördelningen mellan läsförståelsestrategierna jämn. I ZickZack var fördelningen mervarierande då de flesta uppgifter fokuserade på läsförståelsestrategin Konstnären.Resultatet visar även att placeringen för uppgifterna i relation till texten varierade, dåvissa strategier kom till uttryck före läsningen i ett läromedel respektive under ochefter läsningen i det andra läromedlet. I diskussionen problematiserasläsförståelsestrategierna i förhållande till lärarens roll samt till elevers olikaförutsättningar för att lära. Slutsatser som kan dras är att kontexten utgör en väsentligdel i undervisningen om läsförståelsestrategier, där faktorer somgruppsammansättning och förutsättningar för samtal spelar stor roll. En annan slutsatssom dras är att läromedel bör inkludera läsförståelsestrategier för att främja eleversläsförståelse.

Thesis (M.Ed. (Language Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / The main purpose of this study was to determine challenges that are faced by Grade 8 learners when reading short stories with understanding using EFAL. The study made use of a research approach which is qualitative in nature to explore the reading challenges. It also used an interpretive paradigm. Schema Reading Theory was employed as the guide to which the study followed. This theory advocates that learners read a text having prior knowledge, which assists them to interpret it better. This chosen theory is relevant to the study as the study seeks to understand why learners cannot read. Therefore the theory assisted in determining whether learners have the necessary prior knowledge of the text they read in the classroom. The main findings of the study has indicated that learners have challenges to reading. There are recommendations addressed to learners, parents, teachers and department of education. In conclusion, teachers assured to initiate reading programmes such as focused, independent and guided reading, with the hope to curb challenges towards reading.

Samhällets krav på läskunnighet och att utveckla sin läsning samt vad vi som lärare kan göra för att främja elevernas läsutveckling har intresserat mig. Våra styrdokument kräver ett aktivt arbete med att låta eleverna utveckla sin förmåga att läsa och Förenta Nationerna samlar statistik över hur olika länders läskunnighet ser ut. Vi behöver därmed arbeta med läsutveckling på individ- och gruppnivå för att kunna få ett positivt resultat, för att sedermera kunna presentera detta utåt genom olika undersökningar. Detta arbete bygger på en sammanställning av 10 vetenskapliga artiklar som tillsammans utgör en grund för vilka aspekter som påverkar läsutvecklingen och strategier som främjar läsutveckling.  Eleven behöver känna sig inkluderad, motiverad, få återkoppling och stöd från dels läskunniga vårdnadshavare men också lärare i form av instruktioner anpassade för elevens behov. Resultatet i detta arbete visar på vad skolan kan göra för att främja läsutvecklingen och även att hemmet genom vårdnadshavare bidrar med läskunnighet. Vidare förtydligas vad som bör ingå i lärares kompetens, hur denna främjar elevernas läsinlärning och deras motivation till läsning.

Thesis (PhD (General Linguistics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The attainment of literacy is crucial for survival in a modern industrialised, knowledge-driven society. Children with poor language skills are at risk for academic failure because of the differences between oral language used in daily interactions and the language skills needed to succeed in a formal school environment. The impact of poorly developed oral language skills on the successful acquisition of reading skills, particularly reading comprehension, is often underestimated in the education of young learners in South Africa. Narrative skills form the bridge between oral language and literacy by providing experience in using the extended and decontextualized discourse units that children will encounter in written language. This study investigated the relationship between narrative skills and reading comprehension skills in young learners who are developing literacy. Specific linguistic markers of literacy in the narratives of a group of Grade 3 learners from communities with low socio-economic status were examined. The main research questions this study attempted to answer were: “How do linguistic deficits of learners with poor reading comprehension and specific reading comprehension deficits manifest in their oral narratives?” and “Are there linguistic markers that decisively distinguish between learners with specific reading comprehension deficits and learners with general poor reading skills as compared to learners with normal reading comprehension?” In a quasi-experimental research design, the Grade 3 participants in this study were assigned to three groups: Readers who are competent at word level and comprehension (good reading comprehension group), readers who are competent at word level but poor at comprehension (specific comprehension disorder group) and readers who are poor at both word level and comprehension (poor reading comprehension group). Measurement protocols were used to assess the linguistic variables of interest, namely vocabulary, narrative micro- and macrostructure structure, cohesion, coherence and other aspects of oral language. The results of this study confirmed the relationships between language skills and reading comprehension. It was found that readers with general poor reading skills performed significantly poorer on a variety of linguistic measures than readers with good reading comprehension. The group identified as readers with specific reading comprehension disorders were, in general, not significantly different from the other two groups. This study therefore did not provide clear evidence that readers with specific reading comprehension disorders presented with linguistic markers that could differentiate them from the other groups. The clinical implications for speech-language therapists and educators with regards to assessment and intervention were highlighted. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die behaling van geletterdheid is noodsaaklik om te oorleef in ‘n moderne, geïndustrialiseerde en kennisgedrewe samelewing. Kinders met swak taalvaardighede loop die risiko om akademies te faal weens die verskille tussen die orale taal wat alledaags gebruik word en die taalvaardighede wat vereis word om sukses in formele skoolomgewings te behaal. Die impak van swak orale taalvaardighede op die suksesvolle aanleer van leesvaardighede, spesifiek leesbegrip, word dikwels onderskat in die onderrig van jong Suid-Afrikaanse leerders. Narratiefvaardighede vorm die oorgang tussen orale taal en geletterdheid omdat narratiewe ondervinding verskaf in die gebruik van uitgebreide en gedekontekstualiseerde diskoerseenhede wat kinders in skryftaal teëkom. Hierdie studie het die verband tussen narratiefvaardighede en leesbegrip in jong kinders wat besig is om gelettedheid te ontwikkel, ondersoek. Spesifieke linguistiese merkers vir geletterdheid in die narratiewe van ‘n groep Graad 3 leerders van lae sosio-ekonomiese status, is ondersoek. Die hoof navorsingsvrae van die studie was: “Hoe manifesteer die linguistiese gebreke van leerders met swak leesbegrip en spesifieke leesbegripsprobleme in hul orale narratiewe?” en “Is daar linguistiese merkers wat afdoende onderskei tussen leerders met spesifieke leesbegripsprobleme en leerders met algemene swak leesvaardighede?” In ‘n kwasieksperimentele ontwerp is die deelnemers aan hierdie studie toegeken aan drie groepe: Lesers wat bevoeg is op woordvlak en begripsvlak (groep met goeie leesbegrip), lesers wat bevoeg is op woordvlak, maar met swak begrip (groep met spesifieke leesbegripsprobleme) en lesers wat onbevoeg is op woordvlak en begripsvlak (groep met algemene swak leesvaardighede). Protokolle is gebruik om die linguistiese veranderlikes, naamlik woordeskat, narratief mikro- en makrostruktuur, kohesie, koherensie en ander aspekte van verbale taal, te meet. Die resultate van hierdie studie het die verband tussen taalvaardighede en leesbegrip bevestig. Daar is gevind dat lesers met algemene swak leesvaardighede, in vergelyking met lesers met goeie leesbegrip, beduidend swakker presteer het op verskeie linguistiese metings. Die groep wat geïdentifiseer is as lesers met spesifieke leesbegripsprobleme het, oor die algemeen, nie beduidend van die ander twee groepe verskil nie. Hierdie studie het dus nie duidelike bewyse gevind dat lesers met spesifieke leesbegripsprobleme linguistiese merkers vertoon het wat hulle van die ander twee groepe kon onderskei nie. Die kliniese implikasies vir spraak-taalterapeute en opvoeders met betrekking tot assessering en intervensie is toegelig.

Les élèves dyslexiques éprouvent de grandes difficultés à lire et à écrire. Leurs difficultés en production orthographique sont reconnues pour être persistantes. Elles peuvent être expliquées par un déficit des procédures phonologiques. Or, pour orthographier une langue alphabétique comme le français, il est indispensable de développer des connaissances phonologiques puisque l’entrée dans l’écrit repose en grande partie sur la mise en correspondance de la langue orale et de sa réalisation à l’écrit. En plus des connaissances phonologiques, le système orthographique du français exige du scripteur d’acquérir des connaissances visuo-orthographiques et morphologiques. Les recherches menées sur la compétence orthographique des élèves dyslexiques se rapportent majoritairement à l’anglais et sur la compétence en lecture. La présente étude a pour objectif général de décrire, dans une visée explicative, la compétence orthographique de 26 élèves dyslexiques québécois âgés de 9 à 13 ans. Les objectifs spécifiques sont de décrire les performances de ces élèves en contexte de productions libres et de les comparer à celles de 26 élèves normo-lecteurs de même âge chronologique (CA) et à celles de 29 normo-lecteurs plus jeunes mais de même niveau en lecture (CL). Pour ce faire, nous avons analysé les erreurs en prenant en compte les propriétés phonologiques, visuo-orthographiques et morphologiques des mots écrits. Les résultats indiquent que les élèves dyslexiques ont des performances inférieures à celles des CA, mais aussi, dans certains cas, à celles des CL. Les résultats sont discutés en fonction des connaissances que doivent développer les scripteurs dyslexiques et des pistes orthodidactiques à envisager. / Learning to spell is very difficult for dyslexic children. Their difficulties to spell are known to be persistent. It can be explained by a deficit in processing phonological information. However, in order to spell correctly in an alphabetic language as French, phonological knowledge is required, as spelling is based on the connections between oral and written language. In addition to phonological knowledge, the orthographical system of French demands from the speller to acquire visual-orthographic and morphological knowledge. The majority of studies aimed at describing dyslexic children’s spelling abilities refers to English and to reading. The general goal of this study is to describe the spelling performance, in an explanatory viewpoint, of 26 dyslexic children, French-Canadian and aged 9 to 12 years old. The specific goals are to describe the spelling performances of these pupils in context of free productions and to compare them to those of 26 normally achieving children matched on age (AC) and to those of 29 younger normally achieving children matched on reading-level (RC). To do so, errors were classified according to phonological, visuo-orthographic and morphological properties of French written words. The results indicate that the dyslexic pupils made performances lower than those of the CA, but sometimes also than those of the CL. The results are discussed according to the types of knowledge required to spell correctly in French and to special-education intervention avenues.

The computer-based testing mode has received limited research as a task condition for elementary students as it relates to comprehension for both narrative and expository text. The majority of schools now use computer-based testing to measure students' progress for end of the year exams. Additionally, schools are also delivering state-wide assessments like the Florida Comprehension Assessment Test through computer-based testing instead of paper-pencil testing. There is little research to indicate whether computer-based assessments are an effective way to measure student progress. This study investigated the effects of an interactive computer-based reading strategy on student comprehension for both expository and narrative passages. The intervention evaluated students' percentage of learned strategy use and comprehension accuracy for expository computer-based passages. Additionally, the intervention measured whether students generalized the learned strategy when given a paper-pencil narrative passage and whether generalization of strategy use improved comprehension vi accuracy. This study used an A-B-A-B design across participants, with a follow-up phase. The results from the data showed that all students made significant increases in strategy use from baseline to follow-up. Additionally, all the students had an increase in comprehension accuracy from baseline to follow-up for both computer and paper-based passages. All students were able to generalize successfully the strategy use to narrative passages, and improved their comprehension accuracy of narrative passages. The effects of the study suggest the value of teaching students the interactive computer-based reading strategy for students who struggle with passage comprehension. / by Jamie L. Worrell. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.