Investigating Methods and Approaches in Teaching Reading Skills in Sepedi Home Language to Foundation Phase Learners: Primary School in the Capricorn South District

Year 2024, , 204 - 208, 30.07.2024

Mmipe J Chokoe , Pule Phindane Elias Tsakane Ngobeni Itumeleng Phage

https://doi.org/10.31458/iejes.1476684

Abstract

Research shows that South African learners cannot read competently compared to those from other countries. This study investigates the different methods and approaches used in the teaching of reading skills in Sepedi Home Language in Foundation Phase learners with special focus on a primary school in Limpopo Province of South Africa. The research study sought to understand how teachers apply the different methods and approaches in teaching reading in the Foundation Phase so that learners are able to acquire the skills taught. A qualitative research method was used for data collection, in particular interviews and lesson observation. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants in the study, which were the teachers and learners. Thematic analysis was used to analyse all the datasets gathered in this study. Key findings include the following: Learners have varied reading opportunities at school; they have a fairly adequate reading opportunity at home; they were generally dissatisfied with the overall reading time allowed at school; Foundation Phase teachers have a fair understanding of what teaching reading skills entail; current methods used for teaching reading are inadequate; difficulties of teaching reading to non-Sepedi speaking learners; Departmental Heads provide useful support to teachers; and that there is a need to improve the reading skills of Foundation Phase learners. The study recommends that the Departmental officials should schedule regular workshops and do class visits in Foundation Phase for monitoring and supporting teachers in order for them to improve their teaching of reading; teachers need to make sure that they prioritise reading by engaging learners to participate in various activities that involve reading, and that learners should have access to the reading books that they use at school even at home, so that they could practise reading.

Keywords

Foundation phase, reading, learners, methods, approaches, skills

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