ASSESSING FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTS’ READING COMPREHENSION: THE CASE OF GRADE 11 STUDENTS IN CHELENKO PREPARATORY SCHOOL, IN EAST HARARGIE ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine factors that affect grade 11 students’ reading comprehension in Chelenko Preparatory school. To attain this objective, descriptive case study research design in which mixed methods-qualitative and qualitative-were employed to collect and analyse the data; to interpret the findings and draw inferences. The data were collected from 62 grade 11 students who were randomly chosen from the total population of 208. In addition, the three English teachers who teach EFL in this grade level were included using purposive sampling techniques for the sake of collecting additional data for the study. The researcher used both questionnaire and standardized reading comprehension test as major data collection tools, while classroom observation and semi-structured interview were used as supportive data gathering tools and a means of data triangulation and/or validation for study. Consequently, the data obtained through the these tools were analyzed and discussed by integrating quantitative and qualitative methods in order to compensate the limitations in either method to obtain more reliable insights into the problems being investigated. Accordingly, The data obtained through the presentation of the standardized reading comprehension test and the questionnaire were analyzed and interpreted quantitatively by employing descriptive statistical techniques, such as frequency counting, percentage, while data obtained from teachers’ interview and classroom observation checklist were analyzed, described, and interpreted qualitatively. The findings of the study indicated that students’ reading comprehension problems are multifaceted. From the analysis and interpretations of the standardized reading comprehension test result, it was found that students’ reading comprehension performance was low. The majority of the student problem of extracting meanings from the reading comprehension test. The findings obtained from student’s questionnaire and standardized reading comprehension test result, it was found that most students have difficulty how to skim and scan a text for the gist of the text, and the specific information respectively. They also have a challenge how to figure out meanings of unfamiliar words from their contextual clues. Besides, most the students lack skills and knowledge to construct meanings for inferential understanding. They have also problem of looking information which relates to their reading purposes. Generally speaking, the majority of the students lack cognitive strategies, and meta-cognitive awareness how to skim and scan the text, how to guess meanings of new words contextually, how to infer meanings unstated in the text. Besides, from the analyses and interpreations of the qualitative data, interview and classroom observation, revealed tht the concerned teachers lack practical skills in implementing the three stages of reading activities: pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading stages, during their actual classroom reading lesson instructions. They rarely activte students’ prior knowledge with the actual text to be read. It was found that students were not encouraged to read a text(s) actively silently and individually. As a result, students could not resolve their reading difficulties or problems they may encountered particularly, during reading lesson instructions. Based on the major findings and conclusions drawn from them, the research made some recommendations on what should be done to minimize the impact of factors that affect students’ reading comprehension