Investigating teaching strategies for reading in the Motheo Education District

Abstract

This study investigated the English FAL teachers’ knowledge and their use of reading methods. A mixed method approach was followed,  where both qualitative and quantitative research methods were combined. Qualitative methods preceded quantitative methods. During the first phase of the study 8 teachers who teach English FAL in the intermediate phase were interviewed. For the second phase of the study, a questionnaire was distributed to 80 teachers in the different towns in the Motheo education district. Most of the participants teach in the township schools where the learners learn in English and also do English as FAL. Qualitative data was analysed thematically, while quantitative analysis involved the use of descriptive analysis. The research findings imply the following: teachers have a superficial  knowledge of reading methods and the main components of reading, there are other factors that affect the teaching of reading, and many
teachers still shy away from infusing technology in their reading lessons.