EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REMEDIAL INSTRUCTIONS AND GRADE THREE LEARNER’S READING ABILITIES IN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN RUARAKA NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA

Masaba David Mulama, Jessina Muthee

Abstract


Research has shown that a substantial number of school-age children experienced significant difficulties in learning how to read. Despite numerous interventions implemented in many Western countries to address this issue, children in Sub-Saharan Africa, such as Kenya, continued to struggle with poor reading capabilities. Specifically, the research focused on the influence of remedial instructions in addressing reading disabilities among grade three learners in Ruaraka, Nairobi County. The study was based on the Communicative Language Teaching Theory. A descriptive survey research design, employing a mixed-method research approach, was utilized. The research targeted 1,023 grade three learners, 12 head teachers, and 24 teachers within 12 primary schools in the Ruaraka sub-county. Purposive sampling was employed to select 5 schools with known interventions for learners with reading difficulties. Grade three learners were selected using the census method, while two teachers and one head teacher were conveniently sampled from each school. Data collection involved using questionnaires for grade three teachers, interview guides for head teachers, and the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) test for grade three learners. Quantitative data were analyzed using frequency distribution, percentages, chi-square, and correlations with the assistance of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (v23). Qualitative data were analyzed thematically, adhering to all ethical guidelines throughout the research process. The findings revealed that Remedial Teaching, while promising, did not exhibit a statistically significant impact on reading performance. The study concludes that selecting the right intervention strategy when seeking to improve the reading abilities of grade three students. The study recommends that a rigorous and detailed investigation be undertaken to discern the specific strengths and weaknesses of Remedial Teaching as an intervention strategy. This in-depth analysis can provide valuable insights into its efficacy in addressing reading disabilities.

 

Article visualizations:

Hit counter


Keywords


remedial instructions, grade three learner, reading abilities, public primary

Full Text:

PDF

References


Abeberese, A.B., Kulmer, T.J., & Linden, L. (2011). Improving reading skills by encouraging children to read: A randomized evaluation of the Sa Aklat Sissikat Reading program in the Philippines. NBER working paper, N. 17105. Retrieved from https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w17185/w17185.pdf

Al Otaiba, S., McMaster, K., Wanzek, J., & Zaru, M. W. (2023). What we know and need to know about literacy interventions for elementary students with reading difficulties and disabilities, including dyslexia. Reading Research Quarterly, 58(2), 313-332. Retrieved from https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/rrq.458

Fraenkel, J.R, Wallen, N.E. (2000). How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education (4th Ed.). Boston: McGraw Hill. Retrieved from https://saochhengpheng.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/jack_fraenkel_norman_wallen_helen_hyun-how_to_design_and_evaluate_research_in_education_8th_edition_-mcgraw-hill_humanities_social_sciences_languages2011.pdf

Gersten, R., Carnine, D., & Woodward, J. (1987). Direct instruction research: The third decade. Remedial & Special Education, 8(6), 48-56. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258183607_Direct_Instruction_Research_The_Third_Decade

Hudson, A., Koh, P. W., Moore, K.A., & Blinks-Cantrell, E. (2020). Fluency Interventions for Elementary Students with Reading Difficulties: A Synthesis of Research from 2000– 2019. Educ. Sci, 10(52); 1-28. Retrieved from https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/10/3/52

Kiplagat, H., Syonthi, J., & Situma, J. (2019). Learning Challenges to Inclusive Learning in an ECDE Centers in Eldoret East Sub-County, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 9(11). Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340451525_Learning_Challenges_to_Inclusive_Learning_in_an_ECDE_Centers_in_Eldoret_East_Sub-County_Uasin_Gishu_County_Kenya

Melton, K.L. (2016). Effects of Remedial Education; A Thesis Submitted to the Kent State University. https://books.google.ro/books/about/Effects_of_Remedial_Education.html?id=XWADkAEACAAJ&redir_esc=y

Munene, M.J., Kimiti, R.P., & Njoka, P. (2017). Influence of Remedial Program on Academic Performance of Pupils in Public Primary Schools in Nyahururu District, Kenya. IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education (IOSR-JRME), 7(5); 45-50. Retrieved from https://iosrjournals.org/iosr-jrme/papers/Vol-7%20Issue-5/Version-2/I0705024550.pdf

Murong’a, H., Mwoma, T., & Ouko, H. (2020). Teenage Mothers‘ Involvement in Their Children’s Acquisition of Pre-literacy Skills: a Case of Kilifi County, Kenya. European Journal of Education Studies. 7(3). Retrieved from https://oapub.org/edu/index.php/ejes/article/view/3029

Nation, K. (2019). Children’s reading difficulties, language, and reflections on the simple view of reading. Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties, 21(1); 47-73. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19404158.2019.1609272

Ngure, W., Mwoma, T., & Buna, Y. (2019). Investigating the Levels of Reading Skills among Grade Three Pupils in Nairobi County, Kenya. European Journal of Education Studies, 6(1); 197-209. Retrieved from https://oapub.org/edu/index.php/ejes/article/view/2379

Parker, J. L. S. (2016). Effect Of Direct Instruction Programs on Teaching Reading Comprehension to Students with Learning Disabilities. Unpublished Thesis. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/863/

Samsudin, N. A. B. (2015). DAS Handbook of Early Intervention 2015. Dyslexia Association of Singapore. Retrieved from https://das.org.sg/handbook/das-handbook-of-early-intervention-2015/

Schwartz, A.C. (2017). Remedial Education Programs to Accelerate Learning for All. Global Partnership for Education, DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.26166.70729. Retrieved from https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/91a41ef9-8662-5690-a073-c259310f071b

Singer, M. H. (Ed.). (2024). Competent reader, disabled reader: Research and application. Taylor & Francis. Retrieved from https://www.routledge.com/Competent-Reader-Disabled-Reader-Research-and-Application/Singer/p/book/9781032638959

Unlu, E. (2024). Responding to Reading Difficulties: An Exploration from Different Professional Perspectives (Doctoral dissertation, University of Plymouth); A Thesis Submitted to the Kent State University. Retrieved from https://core.ac.uk/download/599586276.pdf




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejse.v10i4.5397

Copyright © 2015 - 2023. European Journal of Special Education Research (ISSN 2501 - 2428) is a registered trademark of Open Access Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

This journal is a serial publication uniquely identified by an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) serial number certificate issued by Romanian National Library (Biblioteca Nationala a Romaniei). All the research works are uniquely identified by a CrossRef DOI digital object identifier supplied by indexing and repository platforms.

All the research works published on this journal are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).