Influence of Prior Knowledge Questions on Pupils’ Performance in Reading Comprehension in Primary Schools in Kaduna, Nigeria

Hanna Onyi Yusuf,Sadiq Mohammed

doi:10.7575/aiac.alls.v.4n.1p.134

Hanna Onyi Yusuf, Sadiq Mohammed

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls.v.4n.1p.134

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Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the influence of prior knowledge questions on pupils’ performance in reading comprehension in primary schools in Kaduna, Nigeria. Two schools were used for the study. Ungwar Dosa primary school was used as the experimental school while Ungwar Rimi primary school was used as the control school. Thirty (30) primary five pupils from each of the two schools were used for the study. A total of sixty pupils were used for the study. A pre-test was administered on both groups of pupils before the commencement of teaching. A post-test was administered after six weeks of teaching. Data was analysed using mean, standard deviation and t-test. The findings revealed significant difference in the performance of pupils taught reading comprehension using prior knowledge questions. Based on the findings, teachers are encouraged among others, to use prior knowledge questions to motivate and stimulate pupils to use their relevant background knowledge to interpret and understand new information in their reading comprehension texts. Curriculum planners and textbook writers are encouraged to include prior knowledge questions as part of the activities pupils should be exposed to during reading comprehension lessons.

Highlights

This study was carried out to determine the influence of prior knowledge questions on pupils’ performance in reading comprehension in primary schools in Kaduna, Nigeria
Oyetunde (2009) recognised the fact that the root cause of poor reading in the primary school is the method of teaching reading
The two teachers who taught the classes were judged to be comparable in teaching ability on the basis of their equivalent qualification as Nigeria certificate in Education (NCE) holders

Summary

Introduction

This study was carried out to determine the influence of prior knowledge questions on pupils’ performance in reading comprehension in primary schools in Kaduna, Nigeria. Many studies have been carried out on reading strategies and skills Most researchers in their findings have attributed pupils’ poor performance to lack of appropriate methods of teaching reading. The research is motivated by the observation made, by this researcher during one of her visit to some primary schools in Kaduna, to conduct a trial test of some instruments for assessing academic achievement This researcher discovered with dismay that majority of the pupils could not read the passages given to them let alone answer the questions. A complex object such as a text, is not just difficult to interprete, strictly speaking, it is meaningless

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Discussion

Conclusion