The effect of a reading programme on the reading comprehension, vocabulary and achievement in English of first-year students

Abstract

Abstract provided by author:

A reading improvement programme (SRA Reading Laboratory 3b) was taught over a period of fourteen weeks at the Polytechnic of Namibia. The population consisted of one hundred and forty five first-year college students who were placed in English Communication Module 2 after the English Communication Placement Test. The Starter Level Guide (Appendix B) was administered to place students within a colour (reading) level. In addition, a pretest was conducted in Week 5 after the objectives of the programme were explained and the Power Builder Starters were introduced. The students then started multilevel work in the Power Builders and Rate Builders. Students started in the same colour (reading) level in the Rate Builders as in the Power Builders. Weekly reading achievement scores in the Power Builders and Rate Builders were recorded on the Progress Charts of individual students. Eighty students (55. 2 percent) advanced to a higher colour (reading) level based on the scores obtained in consecutive reading selections

Data analysis was done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to determine the relationship between the performance according to sex, comprehension sections, vocabulary sections, and comprehension sections compared to vocabulary sections. In addition, the Progress charts of students were studied to see whether they had advanced to a higher colour (reading) level as far as comprehension, vocabulary and reading speed were concerned

The main findings are as follows: (i) The reading programme improved the students' reading speed as eighty students (55. 2 percent) of the one hundred and forty-five students who started the programme advanced to higher colour (reading) levels in the Rate Builders (ii) Although the reading programme did not significantly improve the students' comprehension, seventeen students (11. 7 percent of the one hundred and forty-five students advanced to a higher colour (reading) level in the Power Builders, thus improving their reading comprehension. (iii) Students were able to improve their vocabulary and word-study skills as a result of the reading programme. The results of the t-test showed that there was a significant difference in the performance of students in the Vocabulary sections with the male students doing better than the female students (iv) Because eighty (55. 2 percent) and seventeen (11. 7 percent) students improved their reading speed and comprehension in the Rate Builders and Power Builders respectively and advanced to a higher colour (reading) level, it indicates that these students were able to read material of a more difficult level than the level in which they started the reading programme

It is therefore recommended that the reading programme should be continued in other English Communication Modules as requested by students since it was only done for a period of fourteen weeks. More assistance should be provided by lecturers during the reading programme which may contribute to even more success. The Ministry of Basic Education and Culture (MBEC) should introduce preferably, a three-year reading programme in schools starting in grade 10

Finally, further research should be done to identify ways of improving the level of English proficiency for both learners and teachers at all levels of education in the Namibian School System