A case study of the factors which inhibit grade 12 learners' comprehension in English as a second language at Ongha Senior Secondary School in the Ohangwena region
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Date
2011
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This was a qualitative case study which investigated the factors which make English texts difficult for second language learners of English to understand. A criterion sampling procedure, which stipulates the selection of participants who share the same characteristics, was used. Fifty-eight grade 12 learners and six teachers of content subjects at Ongha Senior Secondary School took part in this study. A comprehension test and interviews were used as research instruments and a thematic technique was used to analyze collected data. The main findings of this study were that learners' difficulty in comprehending English written texts can be attributed to poor knowledge of English language and vocabulary. Recommendations of this study included exposing learners to a variety of unfamiliar words, activating learners' prior knowledge with regard to titles and texts to be read, and making learners aware of complex sentences as well as teaching them how to analyse such sentences
This was a qualitative case study which investigated the factors which make English texts difficult for second language learners of English to understand. A criterion sampling procedure, which stipulates the selection of participants who share the same characteristics, was used. Fifty-eight grade 12 learners and six teachers of content subjects at Ongha Senior Secondary School took part in this study. A comprehension test and interviews were used as research instruments and a thematic technique was used to analyze collected data. The main findings of this study were that learners' difficulty in comprehending English written texts can be attributed to poor knowledge of English language and vocabulary. Recommendations of this study included exposing learners to a variety of unfamiliar words, activating learners' prior knowledge with regard to titles and texts to be read, and making learners aware of complex sentences as well as teaching them how to analyse such sentences
Description
A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education
Keywords
English language study and teaching foreign speakers, English language study and teaching Namibia, Training of English teachers Namibia