Evaluating the Challenges Faced by Grade 4 Teachers in Teaching English First Additional Language Reading Comprehension Skills
Mkululi Lele 
& Nomasomi Hilda Matiso
Issue: Vol.6 No. 9 2025 Article 2 pp.714 – 728
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2025692 | Published online 12th September, 2025.
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
This paper examined the challenges faced by Grade 4 teachers when teaching reading in English First Additional Language (EFAL). Reading is a fundamental skill crucial for academic success; however, numerous obstacles impede effective instruction. Research reveals statistics that indicate that over 80% of South African Grade 4 learners struggle with basic reading skills, as demonstrated by poor performance in international assessments such as the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). This research is based on Schema Theory, which suggests that prior knowledge plays a significant role in reading comprehension. An interpretive paradigm and a qualitative approach were used for this inquiry. A case study design was utilised. Five purposely nominated grade 4 teachers in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, responded to semi-structured interviews to gain in-depth knowledge about teachers’ challenges in teaching reading. Thematically analyzed data indicated that inadequate reading proficiency among learners, decreased teacher and learner motivation, overcrowded classrooms, and insufficient training in effective reading strategies contributed to teachers’ challenges in teaching reading. The authors recommend a Comprehensive Model for teaching reading that combines traditional practices with targeted interventions to meet the diverse needs of learners. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of thorough teacher training to equip educators with the necessary skills to effectively teach reading in EFAL contexts. The study adds to scholarship by revealing key challenges Grade 4 teachers face in teaching EFAL reading comprehension. The findings inform future research, teacher support, and policy development in multilingual education contexts.
Keywords: Reading proficiency, Challenges, Motivation, Schema theory, Fluency
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Nomasomi Hilda Matiso holds a Doctor of Education Degree from Walter Sisulu University. She also holds a Master of Arts Degree in Linguistics, majoring in Phonetics, Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax. She has gained vast knowledge in research skills through publications in international and national journals. She have attended international conferences where she collaborated with other colleagues on the other side of the globe.
Mkululi Lele serves as a lecturer in English Education within the Department of Adult and Education Foundations at Walter Sisulu University. He earned a Master of Education degree from this institution and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education degree there as well. His research interests encompass literacy specifically, the exploration of identities in intermediate phase education, along with reading and writing pedagogies, and inclusive education. As an emerging researcher, he has enriched scholarly discourse through publications in an international journal.
Lele, Mkululi, and Nomasomi Hilda Matiso. “Evaluating the Challenges Faced by Grade 4 Teachers in Teaching English First Additional Language Reading Comprehension Skills.” Journal of Education and Learning Technology 6, no. 9 (2025): 714 – 728. https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2025692.
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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