Analysis of instructional strategies teachers use to teach reading comprehension to grade 3 learners in selected primary schools of solwezi district.

Abstract

The study investigated instructional strategies teachers use to teach reading comprehension to grade 3 learners in the target language as they transitioned from learning in the local language. The main objective was to instructional strategies teachers used to teach reading comprehension to grade 3 learners in the target language in the primary schools of Solwezi district. A qualitative approach was used and a descriptive phenomenological research design was adopted. The sample included 5 primary schools, 8 senior teachers and 13 teachers. Data was collected using structured interview guides, classroom observation guides and document review checklists. Data was analysed thematically. The study found that teachers used strategies such as group work, pair work read and aloud and whole class to teach literacy in English. The study also found that teachers lacked understanding of how to use the instructional strategies to teach reading comprehension in grade 3 as they transitioned into learning English. The study further found that the use of systematic explicit instruction, making connections with text, teaching words in isolation, in context, graphic organisers, visual evidence, peer-assisted, translanguaging, text structure, summarising important points, scaffolding, visualizing, predicting, sandwiching, and read aloud were effective instructional strategies to teaching reading comprehension in English. The study recommended that school administrators should enhance capacity building for the teachers, as a continuous process, in all primary schools so that teachers have the competencies to handle reading comprehension lessons.