Reading materials for teaching Intermediate Phase isiZulu inclusive reading comprehension: A qualitative analysis

Reading & Writing

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Reading materials for teaching Intermediate Phase isiZulu inclusive reading comprehension: A qualitative analysis
 
Creator Ntshangase, Chief
 
Subject Education; African Languages and Linguistics reading materials; inclusive reading; reading comprehension; at-risk readers; word learning theory
Description Background: Recent studies in South Africa posit that there is a lack of reading materials in African languages, and the limited materials available contain outdated content that does not pique learners’ interests.Objectives: This study aims to analyse the availability of reading materials for teaching inclusive reading comprehension in isiZulu to Intermediate Phase (IP) learners, with a focus on supporting at-risk readers and enhancing their reading skills.Method: The study was conducted in uMkhanyakude district, KwaZulu-Natal province, and involved non-participant classroom observations and semi-structured interviews with 10 purposefully selected isiZulu teachers from 10 different schools. Guided by the interpretivist paradigm and word learning theory, the qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. The units of analysis in this study are the reading materials available for teaching IP isiZulu inclusive reading comprehension.Results: Findings reveal a significant lack of appropriate isiZulu reading materials in public primary schools, which fail to engage learners or enhance their cognitive reading abilities. The limited materials available are outdated and do not resonate with learners’ interests.Conclusion: The study emphasises the need for curriculum developers to create relevant and stimulating reading materials tailored to the interests and cognitive needs of both at-risk readers and proficient readers.Contribution: The research contributes to raising awareness of the critical shortage of African language reading materials and advocates for designing inclusive and effective resources to improve learners’ reading comprehension skills.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor Wits Department of African Languages
Date 2025-05-21
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — Interview and Observation
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/rw.v16i1.530
 
Source Reading & Writing; Vol 16, No 1 (2025); 10 pages 2308-1422 2079-8245
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://rw.org.za/index.php/rw/article/view/530/1362 https://rw.org.za/index.php/rw/article/view/530/1363 https://rw.org.za/index.php/rw/article/view/530/1364 https://rw.org.za/index.php/rw/article/view/530/1365
 
Coverage — — Age and Gender
Rights Copyright (c) 2025 Chief Ntshangase https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
ADVERTISEMENT