Improving learners’ comprehension skills in the early years through group discussion

ABSTRACT

This article reports on the utilization of group discussion by teachers to improve the comprehension skills of learners in their multilingual classes. The study aimed to examine solutions to low comprehension skills among learners whose language of instruction differed from their home languages. The participants were teachers (n = 12) and learners (n = 134) from four purposively sampled primary schools. Data generation included non-participatory observations of comprehension lessons, interviews with teachers, and analyses of teachers’ lesson plans and learners’ workbooks. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that some teachers employed peer tutoring and group work. Others utilized a quiz-bowl approach in comprehension lessons, which limited learners’ independent thinking in discussions. However, further analysis indicated that group discussions could be an asset if the teachers were trained to model and scaffold the art of asking questions. Future research should examine the longitudinal influence of the structured use of group discussions.

KEYWORDS:

• Group discussion
• comprehension skills
• support strategy
• multilingualism
• primary schools

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Research Foundation.

Notes on contributors

Margaret Funke Omidire

Margaret Funke Omidire is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology, University of Pretoria. Her research interests centre on multiplicity of languages in education and issues of psychological well-being of learners/teachers/parents affected. Funke is a registered Educational Psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa. She is the programme coordinator of the MEd Educational Psychology and Chair of the Ethics Committee, Faculty of Education.