Assessing 6th and 8th Grades Students’ Reading Skills and Literacy in Kazakh, Russian, and English Languages in Kazakhstan

This research study aimed to assess and explore the issue of poor reading literacy skills among young learners in the middle school in Kazakhstan. In particular, our broader goal is to develop a modified framework of recommendation and suggestions for teaching and learning reading skills in Kazakhstan in the native and second languages (i.e. Kazakh or Russian), and in English as a foreign language. Consequently, we firstly focused on assessing reading skills and literacy development in Kazakh and Russian languages as a native and/or second language (L1)/ (L2), and English as a foreign language (EFL). This could help us to define the core issue while teaching reading skills to young Kazakhstani learners. Secondly, we revealed several factors in questionnaires regarding students’ socio-economic status, reading attitude, classroom climate, engagement, and reading metacognitive awareness while reading process. The evidences may assure explanation of poor results in reading literacy among Kazakhstani 15-year-old students, which were below the average while performing international surveys like PISA, and PIRLS. Thirdly, we assessed 6th and 8th grade students’ reading skills in English, Kazakh, and Russian. In total (N = 4,274) participants took part in the computer based assessment. Finally, the obtained results may track us to provide suggestions and recommendations for reading literacy, and further modification in the assessment process in the middle secondary education of Kazakhstan. Even young adolescents had positive reading attitude and insignificant gender differences (49.9% - boys, 51.2 % - girls), the analysis showed that middle school learners in Kazakhstan had poor reading skills in the target languages. In addition, we found that latent factors (i.e., classroom climate, engagement, reading attitude, and reading strategies) did not affect reading comprehension tests in English, Kazakh, and Russian languages. The weak relationship between classroom climate and engagement towards reading achievement might indicate insufficient learning environment, low teacher-student interaction, and scarce support from peers or parents towards reading skills in the target languages. Moreover, the analysis highlighted several drawbacks among young learners while teaching and learning reading skills and developing literacy in the languages. Likewise, policy makers, teachers, parents, and other stakeholders should put serious attention to the content of core curricular programme for teaching reading skills in L1, L2, and EFL. The findings also suggested that reading for pleasure in and out of school might consider being a challenging activity for children in the middle school. Interestingly though, bilingual learners seemed to use more reading strategies in performing reading comprehension tests than monolinguals in the respected languages. Therefore, to boost the importance of reading literacy for young learners in the middle school, appropriate programme are required to preparing young learners think critically, and improving the quality. Furthermore, the qualitative assessment of teachers and the school staff are necessary to explore the quality of teaching and assessing reading literacy skills in the respective languages

Reading Strategies and Reading Achievement in Middle School: Kazakhstani Young Learners

This study explores the reading strategies (RSs) of bilingual and monolingual young learners in their first and second languages (L1 and L2, respectively)—either Kazakh or Russian as the L1 and L2—and English as a foreign language (L3). It also examines the influence of RSs on the learners’ performance on reading comprehension tests in the three languages. The test results showed significant differences in L1, L2, and L3.The results for reading achievement were generally poor but significantly different between the monolinguals and bilinguals. No significant gender differences were found in the reading test results or in the use of reading strategies while reading. However, the analysis indicated that although the probability of using other strategies while completing the tasks in L1, L2, and L3 was clear, more bilingual learners used advanced RSs than monolinguals. The findings on RSs provide an in-depth understanding of the differences between young, bilingual, and monolingual Kazakhstani learners in their use of RSs while reading in their respective languages. The results have significant implications for practice, suggesting placing more emphasis on developing reading strategies while learning how to read in the first and second languages

A study of reading attitude and reading achievement among young learners in middle school

This study examines the relation between reading attitude and reading achievement in three languages among sixth- and eighth-grade students in Kazakhstan. Participants were randomly chosen from seven secondary schools in a major city. Their native languages were Kazakh or Russian (N = 1,505). Reading tests in English, Kazakh and Russian and a reading attitude questionnaire were administered via the eDia online assessment system. The results indicate that 85% of the sixth graders and 79% of the eighth graders enjoy reading. Correlations in reading achievement between English, Kazakh and Russian ranged from r = .55 to r = .61 (p < .01). Kazakh native speakers performed better in the respective languages than speakers of Russian and other languages. A factor analysis demonstrated a three-factor model for Grade 6 and a four-factor model for Grade 8, corresponding to reading attitude and reliability coefficients for these factors from .71 to .86. In both grades, factor loading showed a good fit to the data. Regression analysis showed a weak relation between reading attitude and reading achievement among sixth and eighth graders in the targeted languages despite a positive attitude towards reading