Reading Comprehension Instruction Practices in Sierra Leone

Abstract

Aim: In this study an attempt was made to give insight in the way reading comprehension is taught in Sierra Leone. Attention was paid to the didactical strategies and the materials used during reading comprehension instruction. Methodology: Primary school teachers in Sierra Leone (N=43) were observed while teaching reading comprehension. The teachers were also interviewed and filled in a questionnaire. Results and Conclusion: Primary school teachers in Sierra Leone highly value the importance of reading comprehension. A teacher-centered learning style was the most dominant way of teaching, characterized by a whole-class organization and the teacher giving frontal instruction. This instruction focused mainly on pronunciation, learning new vocabularies and memorization and to a much lesser extent on reading strategies, such as summarizing and identification of the main idea of a text. The instruction is influenced by a lack of resources such as textbooks and reading materials.