The Status of Reading Skills Development in Subject-area Teaching and Learning: The Case of Comprehension in Afan Oromo among Primary School Children
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Date
2004-06
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Addis Ababauniversity
Abstract
The core issue in this research was the status of reading skills development in
subject-area teaching and learning. The research aimed at to investigating the
status (degree) to which material, technical and linguistic conditions allow the
constructive building of reading skills in subject areas given in Afan Drama at
second-cycle primary school level. To do this descriptive survey method of
research was employed. Second cycle primary schools of Dromia in three
selected zones (West Shewa West Wellega East Wellega) were the target data
areas. Teachers, students and experts of the respective zones and regional
experts were data sources whereby 270 teachers, 225 students and 12
concerned experts were partakers. Questionnaire, interview, observation
checklist, and document survey were data gathering tools. Four issues were
presented to be examined in the realization of this research: efficiency of
teachers' training for due enhancement of reading skills in Afan Dromo subjectareas,
efficiency of reading materials for due reading practice, channels for
dealing with students' readiness In reading, and linguistic competence.
It was found out that, teachers didn't get medium-sensitive training in order to
guide students in reading to learn. Lack and insufficiencies of the necessary
textbooks was also one of the setbacks. Insufficient and far-reaching guides
were a part of the shortages, too. The teachers happened to over work such that
they failed to deal with individual differences. Hence, the whole matter of
reading In subject areas remained litera/. The vast amount of newly coined and
technically borrowed words didn't IJave enoug/J glossaries and technical
references. Textbook was taken unduly as a sale feeding bottle which did not
support the pupils' comprehension wei/. Based up on the above findings, the
researcher has come to deduce that reading to learn in the selected schools has
been highly bound to ordinary copying of text data, and interpretive and creative
reading have been prone to shortage to worse and absent to the worst. The
sale and proximate professionals, the teachers, themselves have been used to
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dispensing information, not gUiding pupils' independent reading and concept
formation. This, in turn, has made the whole work of pupils' reading to learn
unfruitful since it blocks creative envisage. Textbooks and teachers' guides, by
themselves, have been insufficient as seen by the researcher practically, and
even, some subjects have been taught with no text around (for instance, Civic
Education). After examining the status of reading skills development in the
subject areas given in Afan Oromo, the researcher has come up with the
following major recommendations:
i.Course provision in Afan Oromo subject areas should enclose the way through
to developing reading skills, and this must be done by the respective colleges of
teachers education. More strategically, such a provision must gear towards
making subject methodology media-sensitive, and be given in both in service and
pre-service channels.
2. The supply of text books and teachers guides in Oromia in general and in the
targeted research area schools in particular should see a great improvement if
pupils ale to read constructively. 50, the provisions of books at the second-cycle
primary level has to get due consideration as planned as for the first-cycle
primary. Both Oromia Education Bureau (OEB) and the respective technical
advisors have to show their shares, in here.
3. The reading materials at hand must have exercises and expressions duly set
to initiate reading to learn at the different comprehension levels, and ,I)ence the
respective curriculum experts have to re-assess the liability of the core medium
for pupils reading, and take progressive measures.
4. Sessional enriching programs to refresl) teachers at the grass root level should
enclose ways of tackling and treatment of reading skills set back at the
operationallevcl. For this to prove practical, every remedial (tutorial) to be given
has to bc based upon need assessment and feedback from both teachers and
students
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Keywords
Development in Subject-area Teaching and Learning