Exploring Factors that Affect the Development of English Reading Comprehension Skill: In Case of Grade 8 Students of Teji Primary School
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Date
2023-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The aim of this study is to examine factors that affect Grade 8 students reading comprehension in Teji primary School. To attained this objective descriptive case study research design in which mixed methods qualitative in the qualitative were employed to collect and analyze the data; to interpret the findings and drawing inferences the data were collected from 82 Grade 8 students who were randomly chosen from the total population of 272. In addition, the two English teacher who teach EFL in this grade level where included using purposive sampling techniques for the sake of collecting additional data for the study. The researcher used both questionnaire and reading comprehension test as major data collection tools, while classroom observation and structured interview where used as supportive data gathering tools and a means of data triangulation and validation for study. Consequently, the data obtained through the these tools were analyzed and discussed by integrating quantitative and qualitative methods in order to compensate the limitations in either method to obtain more reliable insights into the problems being investigated. Accordingly, The data obtained through the presentation of the reading comprehension test and the questionnaire were analyzed and interpreted quantitatively by employing descriptive statistical techniques, such as frequency counting, percentage, while data obtained from teachers interview and classroom observation checklist were analyzed, described, and interpreted qualitatively. The findings of the study indicated that students' reading comprehension problems are multifaceted. From the analysis and interpretations of the standardized reading comprehension test result, it was found that students' reading comprehension performance was low. The majority of the student problem extracting meanings from the reading comprehension test. The findings obtained from student's as low. The majority of the student problem of extracting questionnaire and reading comprehension test result, it was found that most students have difficulty how to skim and scan a text for the gist of the text, and the specific information respectively. They also have a challenge ignore out meanings of unfamiliar words from their contextual clues. Beside, most the students lack skills and knowledge to construct meanings for inferential understanding they have also problem of looking information which relates to their reading purposes. Generalist speaking, the majority of the students lack cognitive strategies, and meta-cognitive awareness how to skim and scan the text, how to guess meanings of new words contextually, ho to infer meanings unstated in the text. Besides, from the analyses and interpretations of the qualitative data, interview an classroom observation, revealed hat the concerned teachers lack practical skills in implementing the three stages of reading activities: pre-reading. While-reading and post-reading stages, during their actual classroom reading lesson instructions. They rarely activate students' prior knowledge with the actual text to be read. It was found that students were not encouraged to read a text(s) actively silently and individually. As a result, students could not resolve their reading difficulties or problems they may encountered particularly during reading lesson instructions. Based on the major findings and conclusions drawn from them, the research made some recommendation on what should be done to minimize the impact of factors that affect students' reading comprehension.
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Reading comprehension