Teachers approach and reading skills in lower primary schools a case study of Makindye Ssabagabo sub-county, Wakiso district.

Abstract

The study was about relationship between teachers’ approaches and reading skills in lower primary schools with Makindye Ssabagabo Sub-county as a case study. The study was guided by the following objectives; To find out the influence of whole language approach on reading skills in lower primary schools in Makindye Ssabagabo Sub-county, to determine the relationship between phonic approach and reading skills in lower primary schools in Makindye Ssabagabo Sub-county and to establish the influence of balanced or interactive approach on reading skills in lower primary schools in Makindye Ssabagabo Sub-county. The study adopted the descriptive study design and specifically mixed methods whereby quantitative and qualitative data were collected and interpreted. The target population was comprised of 10 lower primary schools in Makindye Ssabagabo Sub-County, Wakiso District. The sample size comprised of 7 head teachers from the selected schools, 21 teachers and 85 lower primary Pupils totaling to 113 respondents. The study used appropriate instrument for each method in Key Informant Interview, the researcher used interview guide, in questionnaire survey the researcher used questionnaire, and in documentary review, the study used documentary review checklist. Data was entered into the computer using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) for storage and generation of summary frequency tables and other descriptive statistics as well as histograms. Inferential data analysis involved the testing of the hypotheses. The study revealed strong teacher support for the whole language approach, though statistical analysis showed a weak, non-significant impact on reading skills (R² = 0.051, p = 0.248). Similarly, while the phonic approach was widely praised for improving decoding and spelling (up to 92.9% agreement), its statistical influence remained limited (R² = 0.089, p = 0.124). The balanced approach also received positive perceptions, especially for inclusivity and critical thinking, but demonstrated an almost negligible effect on reading outcomes (R² = 0.001, p = 0.880).the study concludes that while teachers strongly favor the whole language, phonic, and balanced approaches for their instructional value, none demonstrated a significant measurable impact on reading outcomes. This highlights the need for integrated strategies and further research to enhance reading development effectively. The study recommended that enhancing reading skills in lower primary requires a collaborative, well monitored, and balanced instructional approach. Stakeholder engagement, continuous teacher support, and effective assessment are key to achieving sustainable literacy development.