1. The aims of this project were:
(i) to collect data on the reading proficiency in English of primary school children in Malawi.
(ii) to report on methods used by teachers in primary schools in the teaching of reading
(iii) to describe conditions in schools in terms of class size, books, and teacher qualifications
(iv) to characterise the approach to reading in teacher training colleges
English is taught as a subject for the first four years (standards) and is the medium of education for the last four years in the primary schools of Malawi.
2. Following an initial preparatory visit to Malawi, it was decided to assess reading proficiency by means of two tests. The first was a specially prepared modified cloze test of 60 items, graded into three subtests aimed at years 3, 4 and 6 of primary schools. The second test was an individual read aloud test with comprehension questions, again graded into subtests for years 3, 4 and 6. In both cases all testees were to attempt all subtests.
3. In the main data collection visit (May 1992) the group reading test was administered to 480 primary pupils in 5 schools (2 urban, 3 rural). The individual read aloud test was administered to 60 pupils in the same 5 schools. In addition a 60 item group reading test in Chichewa (the language of instruction and the home language of most children tested) was administered to the same 480 pupils to help establish whether pupils had a reading problem or a language problem in their English reading.
4. Data on the approach to reading in teacher training was obtained through examination of teacher training syllabuses and interviews with training college staff from 2 teacher training colleges.
5. Observation of reading lessons was carried out in 15 classes.
6. Data was collected on teachers, class numbers, books and general educational provision in the 5 schools where testing took place. Further data at a national level was taken from Ministry of Education publications.
7. The results of the group reading tests indicate that there is inadequate comprehension of English texts judged to be at their level in the five schools tested on the part of:
- approximately 65% of year 3 pupils
- approximately 89% of year 4 pupils
- approximately 78% of year 6 pupils
The majority of year 6 pupils seem to have adequate comprehension of material at year 3 and year 4 levels. However, this is unlikely to be sufficient to allow them to read English to learn in other subjects at Year 6 level. It is also unlikely that the majority can improve sufficiently to achieve a reasonable performance in the Primary School Leaving Certificate in Standard 8.
8. The pupils gained good scores on the mother tongue (Chichewa) test. Standard 6 pupils overall achieved a mean score of over 75%, suggesting that for these pupils in particular low achievement in the English test may come from weakness in English, rather than weakness in reading. There was a moderately positive correlation between results in English and in Chichewa.
9. The results of the individual Read Aloud tests, although more impressionistic, confirm the result of Word Find, in that they suggest the majority of pupils in Standards 3, 4 and 6 have difficulty with material at aimed at their year level, although again most standard 6 pupils seem to cope well with material below their level. In addition, many pupils at all levels have difficulty in answering inference questions from reading. This may be a function of the preponderance of "plain sense" direct reference questions that they are given in class.
10. Examination of teacher training syllabuses and interviews with training college staff indicated that the teacher training syllabuses have hitherto given too much prominence to "look and say" methods which stress accuracy of reading aloud, rather than promoting reading as a process of acquiring meaning from text.
11. Classroom observation indicates that much teaching of reading proceeds through repetition of the text with insufficient attention being paid to the presentation of meaning and checking of understanding.
12. The conditions for learning in the primary schools appear to be unfavourable. Mean class size for the schools visited was 99.3. The provision of English coursebooks was generally poor, although variable. There are generally far fewer books than pupils at all standards in urban and rural schools. As far as trained teachers are concerned, only one of the five schools visited had untrained teachers.
13. In the five schools there was no apparent link between Word Find test scores and:
(a) books per pupil in standards 1 to 6
(b) type of teacher qualification, or qualified versus unqualified teachers
There was, on the other hand, a suggestion that smaller classes are linked to higher test scores. However, these findings should not be regarded as in any way indicative of general trends. First, the book per pupil proportion at all grades tested was very small; larger differences would be needed to produce clearer effects. In terms of teacher qualification most teachers approached the teaching of reading in the same way irrespective of type of qualification.
While one would expect smaller classes to be associated with higher scores, there was a notable exception where one school had small classes and a very low score. A larger sample of schools would be needed to come to firmer conclusions.
14. If reading proficiency in English is to improve, attention should in my view be given to the following:
(i) More teachers should see reading as a process of meaning making, and not as a process of "barking at print". The present approach in most classes observed appears to be a barrier to the pupils' progress. Teachers should pay more attention to presenting meaning and checking understanding.(ii) More reading material should be provided for learners; one course book between two pupils would appear to be a minimum target.
(iii) Coursebooks and teachers should ask fewer "plain sense" questions on texts, and a greater number of inference questions, together with other reason-related activities.
15. There is a new 8 year English course book series currently in preparation entitled Activities with English. The standard 1 book is being introduced in 1992-93. The introduction of this course, which is a more meaning-based series than the previous English in Malawi, provides opportunities for improving the methodology partly through the material itself, partly through the training associated with it.
Recommendation 1: That regular inservice sessions be organised in connection with the new coursebooks, and that those responsible for the content of the sessions should ensure that a "meaning making" approach to reading is integrated into the sessions.
Recommendation 2: That when pre-service teacher training is taking place in the colleges, staff should ensure that a "meaning making" approach to the teaching of reading is given prominence, and that trainees are equipped with appropriate techniques for presenting meaning and checking understanding.
16. An important priority is to make sure that pre-service and in-service trainers themselves appreciate the importance of reading as a meaningful activity. It is vital that they should be able to communicate this message to the teachers and trainees. A more appropriate methodology seems crucial for Malawi's classrooms, in my view more important than new books or smaller classes, for these can be undermined if a teacher insists on unsuitable methods.
Recommendation 3: If the Ministry of Education assesses that future inservice training requires a larger cadre of specialists in the teaching of reading than is currently available, then the Ministry should consider the preparation of such specialists through short courses (about 10 weeks) which should take place entirely, or at least partly, in Malawi.
17. Pupils can "learn how to read" from the blackboard. Nevertheless they will not become fluent readers by only reading from the blackboard. It is widely agreed that people become good readers through reading - there is no short cut. An ample supply of reading material is therefore essential.
Recommendation 4: That the Ministry of Education should consider providing large numbers of simple English readers to primary schools for self access extensive reading through a "book box" system. The books would have to be appropriate in terms of linguistic level and content. Given that literacy in Chichewa is being established in the first four years, standard 5 and 6 might be considered as appropriate starting points.
18. The English component of the Standard 8 Primary School Leaving Certificate Examination will need to be changed to bring it into line with the new syllabus. The reading comprehension section in particular will need to be amended, and appropriate information needs to be sought to guide those amendments, bearing in mind the provisions of the new syllabus.
Recommendation 5: That specialist research be carried out into:
(a) specifying for the end of primary school the reading comprehension abilities which are:- relevant to current real life situations, as well as to likely future needs in Malawi;
- relevant to reading to learn in other school subjects;
- relevant to the majority of pupils who will end their schooling at Standard 8.(b) investigating test item types which lend themselves to the assessment of the selected reading abilities (in addition to the existing open-ended questions), bearing in mind the practicalities of production and marking.
19. To monitor reading achievement standards in English over time requires the development of a more basic reading test than the standard 8 leaving examination. Such a test could form part of a national assessment system.
Recommendation 6: That a feasibility study be initiated into instituting on a sample basis a reading achievement test for Malawi primary schools to be administered at regular (not necessarily annual) intervals. The study would look into the practical and academic aspects.
20. Obviously there are other improvements that could be recommended such as refurbishing schools, providing desks for pupils, reducing the size of classes to a maximum of 50 etc. All these would arguably have a beneficial effect on the learning of reading, which does not take place in a vacuum. The recommendations that have been made however, are those that seem to focus upon reading, and to provide relatively inexpensive and practical help to the teachers and children of Malawi.
