Investigating the factors leading to the poor reading skills of form one students in St Basilide’s Technical Vocational School

Abstract

The study was to investigate the factors leading to the poor reading skills of form one students in St Basilide’s Vocational Technical School. A population of three hundred (300) form one students was considered for the study. A sample of thirty (30) students was chosen for the study from the population. The students were both males and females to ensure gender equity. Interview and observation methods were used to collect data. The selected thirty students forming a representative sample of form one were interviewed. The research focused on reading practices common in senior high schools in Ghana, the challenges affecting the reading culture in schools and the strategies that should be adopted to improve the reading of students in form one. The objective of the study is to identify the reasons behind students’ poor reading habits and particularly to improve the reading skills of St Basilide’s Vocational Technical school form one students and also to develop the use of oral activities to improve English reading. The research findings depicted the situation of poor reading skills of SHS one students, and were enhanced by illustrations in the form of tables and graphs where necessary. Finally, the research recommended that Ministry of Education should introduce educative and interesting non-textbook materials (NTBRMS), readers’ clubs, encourage storytelling, make reading materials locally, timetable reading and library lessons, encourage early reading lessons, talking offices and compounds.