Abstract:

The 2023 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) reports that 81 percent of Grade 4 learners in South Africa could not read for meaning in any language. This reading deficit often persists into senior phase level, where learners are expected to read to learn and not learning to read. However, this reading challenge mainly affects learners from educational backgrounds which inadequately prepare them for meaningful reading. This article examines the effects of reading practices administered in learner-centred spaces to improve learners’ language proficiency and reading abilities. A desktop qualitative study was used to examine existing studies about reading challenges experienced by learners with inadequate reading abilities. Key words were used as the criteria for literature search and exclusion/inclusion method was used to select and conclude the literature review. Sixteen studies from Google Scholar and Scopus were reviewed within four months. Six studies (between five to ten years) which address the focus of the article were included. The article uses cognitive/metacognitive theories to analyse reading practices learners employ as they interact with texts to connect their personal experiences with learning. Most learners’ reading difficulties result from inadequate teaching of reading from foundation phase which causes them to proceed with unskilled reading abilities. Cognitive practices like questioning, summarising and predicting should be introduced from foundation phase to help learners’ development and transition from conversational to academic language. More platforms should be provided for learners to actively tap into previous knowledge and connect to meaningful reading practices to enhance their reading abilities.

Keywords:

Conversational language, academic language proficiency, senior phase level, reading practices, learner-centred spaces.