Investigating Factors That Influence Primary School Students' Reading Comprehension and Writing Skills

Abstract

There are different challenges and difficulties in language learning and teaching at primary school level, low reading comprehension and writing skills in the language learning topics are the core concerns, this occurs due to students’ background and their usage of regional languages in routine. This study seeks to evaluate in-depth the techniques to improve reading comprehension and writing skills of primary school students in recognizing and eliminating reading comprehension and writing issues. The current study adopted action research design, one of the qualitative research methods and carried out in a number of cycles. The data of the study were acquired through observation and interview methodologies. The tools for collecting data were tests, and during each cycle of teaching and learning process, observations were also made. Criterion sampling, one of the purposeful sampling strategies was applied in determining research group. Researchers spent three months working with 249 students and six female teachers at a private school in north Naziabad Karachi, Pakistan, on their reading comprehension and writing skills. Researchers practice to do comprehension activities and creative writing on weekly basis. Findings of the study demonstrated that practices of focused reading and creative writing increased student’s reading comprehension and writing skills. The outcomes of the study also demonstrated that the use of library is very beneficial in developing reading and writing skills. It also boast students moral and confidence. This research advised that Schools must set the libraries, equip with wide range of books that must be of diverse levels. Those schools who do not have libraries, they must supply numbers of work sheets of comprehension passages to their students and creative writing exercises must be done in routine.