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Effectiveness of Primary 2 Learning Support Programme (English) in a neighbourhood primary school in Singapore
Author
Ang, Meng Koh
Supervisor
Lee, Ong Kim
Abstract
The research is an evaluation on the effectiveness of a Primary 2 Learning Support Programme (LSP) in a neighbourhood primary school in Singapore. The research has three main aims : first is to find out the effectiveness of the Primary 2 literacy programme in assisting the pupils to read; second is to gauge the reading attitude of these pupils; third is to link the relationship between remedial teaching and the pupils' performance in the English Language semestral examinations.
Pupils in the Learning Support Programme are 'at-risk" pupils whose reading scores indicate that their reading age is below that expected for their chronological age. There were 44 pupils in the Primary 2 Learning Support Programme in 2001. These pupils were identified from the Primary 1 cohort in 2000 through the MOE Learning Support Screening Test (LSST). Besides attending normal classes, they had been given remedial lessons since Semester 2, 2000. Owing to the shortage of specially trained teachers - called Learning Support Co-ordinators (LSCs) - not all the LSP pupils were given remedial intervention. There were two Learning Support Co-ordinators in the school. Between them, they had to teach Primary 1 and Primary 2 LSP pupils in English and Mathematics. In fact, only 29 pupils, who formed the treatment group in this study, were placed in the Learning Support Programme while the remaining 15 pupils who comprised the non-treatment group attended lessons in the mainstream. Learning Support Programme reading remediation for the treatment group commenced in January 2001 and ended in November 2001.
Data on a pre-test and two post-tests of Singapore Word Reading Test/2001, marks of English Language Semestral Assessment 1 and Semestral Assessment 2/2001, reading attitude scores of DeBerry Reading Attitude Survey/2001 and questionnaire on the types of remedial intervention were collected for comparison and evaluation. The findings of the study showed that LSP pupils showed significant differences in their Singapore Word Reading Test post-test scores and English Language Semestral Assessment 2 results as compared to SWRT pre-test scores and English Language Semestral Assessment 1 results. But there was no difference in their reading attitude.
There are limitations to this study. Firstly, pupils in the treatment group were weaker in English Language in comparison to the pupils in the non-treatment group. Secondly, the sample size is small (n = 44). The findings might not be applicable to other neighbourhood schools. Thirdly, the study did not take into consideration the LSP pupils' performance in Learning Support Programme Mathematics.
Pupils in the Learning Support Programme are 'at-risk" pupils whose reading scores indicate that their reading age is below that expected for their chronological age. There were 44 pupils in the Primary 2 Learning Support Programme in 2001. These pupils were identified from the Primary 1 cohort in 2000 through the MOE Learning Support Screening Test (LSST). Besides attending normal classes, they had been given remedial lessons since Semester 2, 2000. Owing to the shortage of specially trained teachers - called Learning Support Co-ordinators (LSCs) - not all the LSP pupils were given remedial intervention. There were two Learning Support Co-ordinators in the school. Between them, they had to teach Primary 1 and Primary 2 LSP pupils in English and Mathematics. In fact, only 29 pupils, who formed the treatment group in this study, were placed in the Learning Support Programme while the remaining 15 pupils who comprised the non-treatment group attended lessons in the mainstream. Learning Support Programme reading remediation for the treatment group commenced in January 2001 and ended in November 2001.
Data on a pre-test and two post-tests of Singapore Word Reading Test/2001, marks of English Language Semestral Assessment 1 and Semestral Assessment 2/2001, reading attitude scores of DeBerry Reading Attitude Survey/2001 and questionnaire on the types of remedial intervention were collected for comparison and evaluation. The findings of the study showed that LSP pupils showed significant differences in their Singapore Word Reading Test post-test scores and English Language Semestral Assessment 2 results as compared to SWRT pre-test scores and English Language Semestral Assessment 1 results. But there was no difference in their reading attitude.
There are limitations to this study. Firstly, pupils in the treatment group were weaker in English Language in comparison to the pupils in the non-treatment group. Secondly, the sample size is small (n = 44). The findings might not be applicable to other neighbourhood schools. Thirdly, the study did not take into consideration the LSP pupils' performance in Learning Support Programme Mathematics.
Date Issued
2002
Call Number
LB1050.5 Ang
Date Submitted
2002