Concentrated Language Encounter Method and Development of Reading Skills among Primary Schools in Jos Metropolis, Plateau State, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper presented an eight week intervention programme using Concentrated Language Encounter Method in development of beginning reading skills among primary school pupils who are non-readers in  Jos North, Plateau State. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of Concentrated Language Encounter method in development of beginning reading skills among primary school pupils who are non-readers. Two research questions and two hypotheses were posed for investigation. This included: What are the reading levels of primary school children who are non- readers before exposure to CLE and to what extent will the reading level of primary school children who are non-readers improve after exposure to literacy instruction using Concentrated Language Encounter? There is no significant difference between the English sight vocabulary and Comprehension Skills acquisition of primary school children who are non- readers in control and   experimental groups as measured by post-test mean scores. The study adopted socialization theory propounded by Vygotsky (1978) who stated that interactions with the surrounding environment and social agents, such as parents and more competent peers, contribute significantly to a child's intellectual development. The study utilized a true experimental design involving sixteen primary four non- readers selected through proportionate stratification sampling technique. The instruments used included: Sight Word Recognition Test of 100 High Frequency English Words (SWRTHFEW), Sentence Comprehension Tests (SCT) and Reading of New Texts Tests (RNTT). The coefficient of stability obtained for each instrument is 0.98 for SWRTHFEW, 1.00 for SCT and 0.99 for RNTT. The treatment consisted of Concentrated Language Encounter module one.  Data were administered, analysed using bar chart and t-test unrelated sample. The Results indicated that  the reading level of primary four children in both the experimental and control groups before exposure to treatment were the same. They were all non-readers. Post-tests mean scores of children in the experimental group which received intervention in using literacy were significantly higher than that of those in control group who used conventional method. Based on the findings, the study recommends the use of Concentrated Language Encounter method in acquisition of literacy skills with non-readers.