Students' perceptions' of reading : an investigation into the perceptions of reading by underachieving year five and six students in a low decile New Zealand primary school.

摘要

Numerous educational researchers have stressed the importance of childrenlearning to read. Achieving well in the New Zealand educational systemdepends on a range of factors that are closely linked to the ability to readeffectively. Research has found that children who experience difficulties inlearning to read in the first years of schooling often face failure throughouttheir school years and in adulthood. This in turn can restrict job opportunitiesand make it more difficult to participate or benefit economically in society.The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of reading byunderachieving Year five and six students in a low decile New ZealandPrimary School. The study sought to understand what supports or barriers thesestudents' encountered in their acquisition of reading skills and how their viewsmay inform current school and home practices for more effective literacylearning. The data gathered was shared with one of the participant's parents.Little has yet been reported on this topic from the point of view of the learner.This study was designed to hear their views and to see what they saw asimportant in learning to read. The researcher used semi-structured focus groupinterviews to determine the children's perceptions about how they learned toread.Learning to read is complex and a child's understanding of how they learn toread is also multifaceted. The study concluded that children viewed theirparents or whanau as very influential in their achievement in learning to read.The views expressed by the children and the parents reinforced the importanceof the home environment's relationship with the school. Parents play anintegral in the fostering of children's literacy development. It is important thatparents are aware of the critical role they play in their child's education becauseas the study found children learn to read more effectively with the support oftheir whanau.Teachers also playa vital role in recognising the importance of reading andpreparing all students no matter what their proficiency for literacy learning. It isthe day to day work of educators that ensures the majority of children will learnto read. The participants in this study did not appear to understand that theywere working below their expected levels in reading. They were aware of someof the factors that were necessary in learning to read but these had not beenexplicit. Teachers need to share this information with students. Students need tobe taught the skills and explicit strategies that allow and encourage them topersevere, succeed and take control of their own learning to read.