Abstract
M.Ed. (Psychology of Education)
Two critical problems experienced by significant numbers of children in the junior primary
phase of school are, difficulties with reading and the lack of motivation to read.
It is important that the reluctant reader receives the necessary help to become an efficient
and motivated reader as reading influences many aspects of the child's life besides
scholastic achievement, for example self-concept and social interaction.
This study consists of a literature survey, the aim of which is to identify strategies and to
develop guidelines for the construction of a reading motivation programme for reluctant
readers who may also be experiencing reading problems.
In an attempt to achieve the above goals use has been made of:
1) the language-experience approach,
2) the incorporation of cognitive and metacognitive strategies.
The language-experience approach is a means of teaching children to read by capitalizing
on their interests, experiences, and oral language facility. Students dictate stories and
accounts based on their experiences; these materials are then used as the basis of the
reading programme.
This approach has distinct advantages for reluctant readers as it capitalizes on the child's
unique experiences: Interest is virtually guaranteed as reading and sharing their own
stories boost the morale of children whose previous reading experiences may have been
fraught with failure.
The aim of teaching metacognitive strategies for reading is to make the pupil aware of
himself as a reader so that he realizes that he is in control of the reading process. The
reader must become aware of his thought processes during reading: This reflection on
personal thought processes is called "metacognition".