The effect of different interventions on the inferencing abilities of academically vulnerable first-year students

Abstract

The reading crisis in South Africa is well-documented by now, and the implications of poor reading proficiencies can be observed in the limited outcomes and high attrition rates at primary, secondary and tertiary educational level. Reading comprehension is a fundamental aspect of academic literacy at tertiary level, but shortcomings in this relatively ‘invisible’ skill easily remain undiagnosed. Many South African universities provide foundational support to academically vulnerable students in the form of Extended Curriculum Programmes (ECPs) and academic literacy modules, but these tend to be writing-centred, with limited time dedicated to targeted instruction of advanced reading competencies, like inferencing, that often remain underdeveloped. Thus, more evidence-based research into reading instruction best practices for academically vulnerable students is urgently required. This study evaluated the effect of three different academic literacy interventions on the inferencing proficiencies of ECP students, in addition to the relationship between academic literacy and inferencing for this population. A quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-tests using the Test for Academic Literacy Levels and a self-designed instrument was augmented by data on participants’ reading habits and language profiles. Results indicate that many students who exit foundational interventions like ECPs and academic literacy modules need additional support in order to meet the reading demands of tertiary education, that inferencing and academic literacy are strongly correlated, and that targeted instruction on reading comprehension has a larger effect on improving inferencing skills than more writing-centred interventions. These results imply that more resources are needed to address the reading crisis at tertiary level by optimising existing remedial frameworks in order to provide the necessary support for vulnerable students.