SCHOOL MILIEU FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO LEARNERS’ SECOND-LANGUAGE READING DEVELOPMENT: PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES IN BOTSWANA.

The study sheds light on the second language reading development of primary school learners. Concerns have been expressed regarding primary school learners’ inability to read using a second language. The situation is so dire that it impedes learners’ easy progression to higher levels because they have not acquired the requisite communication and writing skills in the lower grades. This paper outlines milieu-enhanced factors contributing to the dilemma. The study was qualitative, constituting a case study of three primary schools to investigate the phenomenon. Purposeful sampling was used to select 15 primary school teachers, five from each school. Face-to-face individual interviews were held with 15 teachers, including two focus groups of six participants each and classroom observation of the same teachers to source data. The findings revealed that school factors, such as insufficient resources, teachers’ lack of expertise, and preschool education, contributed to low levels of reading development in children at lower primary schools. The study thus recommends the provision of resources comprising reading material and teachers with the expertise to enhance teaching second language reading skills. Sending children to preschools would be an added advantage. This study could benefit teachers at primary schools, curriculum developers and national policymakers. © 2024, Department of General Linguistics, Stellenbosch University. All rights reserved.