Cognitive correlates of English reading achievement among standard three pupils in the slums of Nairobi

A Phd Disssertation by Dr. Josephine Arasa, a Faculty member in the school Humanities and Social Sciences at USIU AfricaThis study aimed at finding out the relationship between English reading achievement (dependent variable) and Letter-sound knowledge, decoding abilities and speed of reading (independent variables). The study also investigated whether there were any significant gender differences in English reading achievement, Lettersound knowledge, decoding abilities and speed of reading. Differences between good and poor readers in all the variables were also examined. Finally teachers' views, opinions and perceptions on identification of poor readers, importance of reading, factors contributing to poor reading, help given to poor readers, suggestions on what could be done to improve on reading in the slums, whether time allocated to teaching reading was adequate and whether they felt they were well equipped to teach reading were explored. The sample for the study consisted of 78 (35 males and 43 females) standard three pupils from 5 selected schools in the slums of Nairobi whose ages ranged from 8-13 years with an average age of 10 years. The teachers who teach English to these children in class 3 together with the headteachers in each of the five schools also formed the sample. Data was collected by use of Letter-sound knowledge test, alphabetic process test logographic process test, teachers' and headteachers' questionnaires, students' questionnaires, report cards to obtain English reading achievement scores and a focused group discussion instrument for the teachers. Data was coded and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics to describe and summarize data, Pearson Product Moment correlation coefficients, multiple regression analysis test, t-tests and Analysis of variance (ANOVA) at P