Reading Challenges Confronted by Learners in Inclusive Primary Schools

Abstract

There is a national outcry about learners who read below the required levels and that poor matriculation results are, in part, due to the low levels of learners’ reading skills. The main aim of this study is reading challenges experienced by learners in the primary schools. The researcher used a qualitative method for the study. The case study research design was adopted for the study. Three schools were sampled for the study. Data was collected through interviews, observations and document analysis. The findings indicated that learners experiencing reading difficulties often confuse letters and sounds, have difficulty in putting sounds in the correct order, struggles to read longer words, do not understand or remember easily, indulge with letter reversal and inversion and therefore, lack interest in the reading material. The study recommends that teachers and parents need to serve as reading models and instil the culture of reading.