Die effek van 'n troeteldier-ondersteunde leesprogram op die leesvaardighede van graad 3-kinders in 'n Wes-Kaapse laerskool

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Reading problems have become a worldwide phenomenon, even in a first world country like America. Literacy figures in South Africa are even worse. Results of the PIRLS study indicated that the reading skills of 80% of South African children are not fully developed by the time they reach grade 5. In recent literacy tests South African children did worse than children from African countries like Mozambique, Botswana, Swaziland and Tanzania. Despite everything that is being done to improve literacy and numeracy, South African children do not reach their potential. Many South African schools are labeled as being „dysfunctional‟ and 79% of schools do not have libraries. This is a complex matter with multiple causes. Reading programs may contribute to addressing this issue. There are different types of reading programs and it can take place at different levels. One type of program includes the use of pets.The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of an animal-assisted reading program on the reading skills of grade 3 children in an Afrikaans medium primary school in the Western Cape. The secondary aim was to determine whether this type of reading program could also have an influence on other factors related to reading, like reading self-concept, self-efficacy, anxiety and school attendance of grade 3 children.All the grade 3 children were assessed with a series of tests. Those who were identified by the ESSI Reading Test as unskilled readers (N=102) were randomly assigned to three experimental groups and one control group. The Dog Group (n=27) read to a dog with a facilitator present, the Facilitator Group (n=24) read to a facilitator while the Teddy Bear Group (n=26) read to a teddy bear with a facilitator present. The Control Group (n=25) continued with their normal school activities. Collection of the data took place before the start of the reading program (Time 1) and directly after completion of the program (Time 2) with a follow-up measurement eight weeks later (Time 3).Once a week during the 10 week animal-assisted reading program all the children read for approximately 20 minutes from grade 1, grade 2 and grade 3 level reading books which they chose themselves. The children were called from their classrooms, individually, to another room where they could read calmly and peacefully to either a dog and a facilitator, or to a facilitator, or to a teddy bear and facilitator, depending on the group they were in.During Time 2 and Time 3 the Dog Group performed significantly better in the ESSI Reading Test than the other three groups. The reading comprehension of the Dog Group, as measured by the Neale Individual Reading Test, also improved significantly compared to that of the other three groups.Mixed results were found regarding reading self-concept, self-efficacy and anxiety. The shortcomings of the present study and recommendations for further research are also discussed.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University