Put reading first: positive effects of direct instruction and scaffolding for ESL learners struggling with reading

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dc.contributor.authorVan Staden, Annalene
dc.date.accessioned2016-11-11T12:34:17Z
dc.date.available2016-11-11T12:34:17Z
dc.date.issued2011
dc.description.abstractThe inability of many English second-language (ESL) learners to read at desirable levels is universal, but reasons for this and solutions have not yet been addressed. Within the South African teaching context especially there is a paucity of evidence-based research findings available on the literacy challenges faced by ESL learners and the application of effective intervention strategies. This paper investigates whether the reading and reading-related skills of ESL learners in post-apartheid South Africa can improve significantly following evidence-based direct instruction and reading scaffolding techniques to enhance reading comprehension. The paper is based on an experimental/control study of 288 ESL learners from 24 primary schools in the Free State province. Learners received small-group instruction, which included evidence-based direct instruction reading that explicitly targeted skills such as phonological/phonemic awareness, sight words and word identification, reading fluency, vocabulary knowledge, syntactic awareness, and the application of reading comprehension skills. ESL learners in the control group followed the prescribed reading instruction programme in the specific school, which entailed ESL classroom intervention using balanced literacy instruction with a focus on word study, group and individual story reading, and writing activities, without explicit instruction or reading scaffolding. Results showed statistically significant differences, with medium effect sizes, favouring ESL learners in the experimental group, thus increasing confidence that direct instructional procedures in combination with reading scaffolding techniques can boost important literacy and functional academic skills of ESL learners. Results from this study have already made a significant contribution to the hitherto scarce empirically validated research into the literacy challenges facing ESL learners in South Africa, and so are intended to open up for debate a topic of critical importance to the country’s education system.en_ZA
dc.description.versionPublisher's versionen_ZA
dc.identifier.citationVan Staden, A. (2011). Put reading first: Positive effects of direct instruction and scaffolding for ESL learners struggling with reading. Perspectives in Education, 29(4), 10-21.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0258-2236 (print)
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11660/4348
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherFaculty of Education, University of the Free Stateen_ZA
dc.rights.holderFaculty of Education, University of the Free Stateen_ZA
dc.subjectESL learnersen_ZA
dc.subjectDirect instructionen_ZA
dc.subjectReading scaffolding techniquesen_ZA
dc.subjectSight wordsen_ZA
dc.subjectReading fluencyen_ZA
dc.subjectVocabulary knowledgeen_ZA
dc.subjectSyntactic awarenessen_ZA
dc.subjectReading comprehensionen_ZA
dc.titlePut reading first: positive effects of direct instruction and scaffolding for ESL learners struggling with readingen_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA
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PiE 2011 Volume 29 Issue 4
Research Articles (School of Education Studies)