The Lack of Reading Comprehension in High School

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Abstract

The hallmark characteristic of lack of reading comprehension in high school is inconsistent performance. According to researchers, the lack of reading comprehension results in a confusion of a student profile while one struggles to cope up with others. This disparity between the expectations and the results leads to the student disillusionment.

As a result, it interferes behavior, emotion, cognition and ability of the student to learn and interact with others. Therefore, the teacher in collaboration with the parent and the student should define and implement strategies that address the lack of reading comprehension.

The paper begins by analyzing the impact of lack of reading comprehension on student behavior, emotion, cognition and ability to learn and interact. The impact on behavior includes missing classes, disruptive activities and apathy. The effects on emotions include depression and self-pity. Besides, the impact on cognition concerns perception, attention, memory, metacognition and organization. Finally, it results in learning disability and ineffective interaction between the student and the society.

Lastly, the paper end by explaining the strategies that parents and teachers can use to help student with lack of reading comprehension. The parents require motivating the students and following them up in the schools. On the other hand, the teacher requires applying the technique of individualized and assistive learning as well as self-management technique. Finally, the paper concludes by emphasizing on the criticality of lack of reading comprehension in high school.

The impact of lack of reading comprehension

Behavior

According to a research about reading comprehension done on high school students, (Horowitz) 2009 explains that the lack of understanding predisposes the pupils to behavioral challenges. This comes about because their efforts of understanding comprehension are to no avail. For instance, students with lack of reading comprehension usually miss classes so that they do not interact with the teacher as well as other students.

This is because they perceive the teacher as not being interested in their success. Additionally, Brozo (2008) states that students with lack of reading comprehension usually fear the teacher because they think they will be harassed by being forced to understand. Therefore, they rather miss classes than face a teacher who expects them to achieve what they cannot do.

Another reason for absenteeism of students with lack of reading comprehension is to escape the intimidation from others. This is because they fear that other students will laugh at them since they cannot understand even a simple comprehension.

In the event that the student with lack of reading comprehension attends classes, he/she is likely to engage in disruptive activities. In a survey done, Shumaker (2009) reports that high school students with lack of reading comprehension regularly result in illegal activities like bullying other pupils, drug abuse, immorality and robbery leading to suspension or expulsion from schools. This is because they want to divert their attention from lack of reading comprehension.

As a result, they attribute their disruptive behaviors to social reasons like segregations by other students. Additionally, a student with lack of reading comprehension complains a lot (Tuckerman, 2008). He/she may complain about the unfairness of the teacher or school. For instance, one may report that the teacher interferes with his understanding because he hates or abuses him.

Lastly, a student with lack of reading comprehension is apathetic. This means that he/she has no interest in the environment (Shumaker, 2009). One may give up on going to school because of the notion that it does not add value to his/ her life. Additionally, the student lose interest in reading and, in case he read, he does not attempt to understand.

On the other hand, Tuckerman (2008) states that the student with lack of reading comprehension exhibits ineffective communication skills. This is because he/she wants to avoid altercation. For instance, the student may refuse to talk about the school because he/she does not want to give room for questions concerning the reading activities.

Emotion

Bruce (2008) argues that the lack of reading comprehension in high school student leads to emotional disability like frustration. The student feels that he/she cannot achieve anything in school. Besides, when other pupils refer to a student with lack of reading comprehension as imbecile, one suffers from emotional breakdown. For instance, the aforementioned student becomes sad, stressed and depressed.

This further interferes with the student efforts towards understanding. Moreover, the lack of reading comprehension results in isolation as well as episodes of anxiety (Horowitz, 2009). When this situation prolongs, the student suffers from anxiety disorders like mania, delirium and bipolar. This makes the student experience a shift in emotion that runs from euphoria to depression. As a result, the student with lack of reading comprehension may not be attentive in class.

Finally, the student, who does not understand what he/she reads, develops a condition known as self-pity (Logsdon, 2010). The main characteristic of this condition is low self-esteem.

It comes about as the student repeatedly tries to understand but with no success. As a result, the student assumes a passive role and believes that he/she can never understand regardless of the existing circumstance. Moreover, the student with lack of reading comprehension fails to see any motivating situation that can enhance one’s understanding. Thus, a person appears hopeless and lonely.

Cognition

Cognition is a mental process that deals with attention, memory, understanding and decision-making (Banks, 2007). Therefore, lack of reading comprehension affects the perception, attention, memory, metacognition and organization of the student. To begin with, the lack of reading comprehension affects the student ability to interpret information. As a result, the student will not have the first impression of what he/ she reads.

Hence, interference of the student ability to compare and discriminate information takes place. Moreover, the lack of reading comprehension has an effect on the attention level of the student. According to a study done, students with lack of reading comprehension displayed difficulties in concentrating on information (Bruce, 2008). This is due to lack of ability to receive the process information. Additionally, it is the reason why a student with lack of reading comprehension does not perform well and is distractive.

Lindsay (2007) explains that a student who does not understand what he/she reads, experiences deficiency in working memory. Therefore, the student with lack of reading comprehension cannot accumulate novel ideas and knowledge. Furthermore, a person lacks the ability of retrieving the stored knowledge.

For instance, the student who lacks reading comprehension cannot narrate to the teacher or other pupils what has just been learnt or studied by him/her during the previous lesson. Additionally, the lack of reading comprehension affects the student metacognition (Horowitz, 2009).

This means that such a student cannot assess or evaluate the academic performance. As a result, one cannot determine as well as select the skills that facilitate information acquisition. Moreover, he/she cannot determine the appropriate environment that facilitates reading comprehension and information processing.

Thus, the student with lack of reading comprehension has troubles in application of the new information. Finally, organization is the crucial part of cognitive process. According to Banks (2007), a student with lack of reading comprehension cannot organize information. As a result, he/she performs poorly in class work.

Ability to learn

According to a recent research, students who lack reading comprehension display learning disabilities (Bruce, 2008). This means that they lack the acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitude. For instance, a student who does not understand the meaning of what is read cannot acquire the required knowledge. As a result, acquisition of skills and a change of attitude cannot take place. This makes it hard for the student to learn other subjects like mathematics and arts.

Interaction

The lack of reading comprehension has a great impact on the student interaction with the teachers, the pupils and the family (Horowitz, 2009). Most of the time, a strained relationship exists among these people. For example, the student with lack of reading comprehension may not interact with the teacher due to fear of conflict. On the other hand, the student may not interact with other pupils do to fear of rejection, intimidation and harassment.

Finally, the student may not want to interact with the family members because he/she fears that they may stir up the depressing emotions associated with lack of reading comprehension. For that reason, a student with lack of reading comprehension has a poor interpersonal relationship (Bruce, 2008).

For example, the student may misinterpret a social situation. This predisposes one to impulsive actions that may have adverse effects on others. For example, the student usually creates havoc and conflicts in peaceful situations because he/she thinks that people are discussing the lack of reading comprehension.

Strategies that parents can use to help students with lack of reading comprehension

Motivation

A student with lack of reading comprehension requires support from the parents. This is because the parents are the only people who fully understand the child. Therefore, parents should develop strategies that enhance reading comprehension. One of such strategies is motivation.

Motivation is a process of encouraging someone to do something. According to a research done, most students with lack of reading comprehension are not motivated (Horowitz, 2009). Instead, their parents rebuke and blame them for their lack of understanding. As a result, they lose hope and the efforts of trying to understand. Therefore, it is important for a parent to motivate a child with lack of reading comprehension.

A parent can motivate a child with lack of reading comprehension by promising him gifts or tour trips if he improves his reading comprehension ability (Logsdon, 2010). By doing so, the child will be motivated to work hard and improve his reading comprehension ability so that he receive the gift or go for the tour trip. Another motivation strategy is appreciation (Banks, 2007). This is a situation where the parent appreciates the little things that the child with lack of reading comprehension does.

For instance, when the student understands a little portion of the text, the parents should encourage him by congratulating for the efforts and assuring that it is possible to do better. This will encourage student with lack of reading comprehension to put more efforts because he will always remember that he has the ability of doing better.

Finally, parents should discourage the siblings of the child with lack of reading comprehension form confronting him. Instead, they should love the child with lack of reading comprehension. This will make the student feel that he is still of value to the community. Hence, he will struggle to understand.

Follow up

Follow up is a process that entails a parent visit to the school to determine the performance of his child. According to a research done, a positive correlation existed between follow up and improvement of performance of student with lack of reading comprehension (Shumaker, 2009).

This was because of the impact of follow up on the student. For instance, some students with lack of reading comprehension reported that, when their parents followed them up, they felt valued and loved, thus, they worked hard to understand. Therefore, follow up is an important strategy of helping students with lack of reading comprehension.

Additionally, follow up is important to parents because it helps one to learn the best teaching techniques for the child with lack of reading comprehension (Tuckerman, 2008). This is because during the follow up visit, the teacher discuses with parents teaching methods as well as management of the student with lack of reading comprehension.

For example, in a survey done about motivation, most of the parents who followed up their children motivated them and instilled an attitude of hope in them (Horowitz, 2009). On the other hand, parents who did not follow up their children with lack of reading comprehension rebuked them most of the time. This shows that follow up assists parents to understand their children. As a result, they encourage them, hence, improvement in performance.

Strategies that the teacher can use to help students with lack of reading comprehension

Individualized Learning

Individualized learning is a process where a teacher treats each student differently. It involves three phases that are pre action, action and reaction (Brozo, 2008). In the pre action phase, the teacher together with the student with lack of reading comprehension identifies problems that interfere with understanding and set goals. In the action phase, the student identifies the best learning environment and attempts to understand comprehension.

In the reaction phase, the teacher gives the student feedback. The student uses the feedback to analyze his reading comprehension ability and set other goals. Therefore, individualized learning is important as it; help the student with lack of reading comprehension understand himself, thus, propose the way forward. On the other hand, it assists the teacher to determine the student weaknesses and help him alleviate them.

Assistive learning

Many studies have shown that assistive learning is imperative in enhancing understanding of students with lack of reading comprehension. Assistive learning is a teaching technique that involves use of devices or skills that facilitate learning (Shumaker, 2009). For example, the teacher can tell the student a story that relates to the comprehension that he is about to read. As the student reads, he will recall the story and try to put it in context.

As a result, the student understanding ability will improve. Additionally, the teacher can use symbols and pictures that relate to the comprehension (Lindsay, 2007). As the student with lack of reading comprehension read, he will try to link the picture and the symbol to the comprehension. This linkage will open up his mind and he will be in a position of understanding. With frequent use of assistive device, the student understanding capacity will increase and he will understand without assistance.

Self-management technique

According to a recent research, self-management improves the academic productivity of students with lack of reading comprehension (Brozo, 2008). Self-management is a technique where the teacher allows the student to instruct himself and monitor the resulting behavior.

For instance, the student can decide when, where and how to read. The teacher acts as a supervisor but does not interfere the reading process. At the end of the reading process, the teacher communicates the outcome to the student. This process is important in enhancing the student understanding because it makes him feel that he has control over the reading comprehension ability.

Conclusion

Lack of reading comprehension in high school is a critical issue. This is because of its impact on behavior, emotion, cognition and ability of the student to learn and interact with others. As a result, parents and teachers should ensure that the implementation of strategies that address the issue take place.

References

Banks, R. (2007). Psychological Treatments for People with Learning Disabilities. Psychiatry , 2 (9), 62-64.

Brozo, W. (2008). Connecting with Students who are Disinterested and Inexperienced. Thinking Classroom , 13 (5), 42-45.

Bruce, T. (2008). Common Signs of Learning Disabilites in High School Students. Learning Disability Organisation , 76 (3), 87-90.

Horowitz, H. (2009). Behavior Problems and Learning Disabilities. Learning Disability Organisation , 267 (9), 12-23.

Lindsay, M. (2007). Overview of Learning Disbilities in Children. Psychiatry , 2 (9), 40-43.

Logsdon, A. (2010). Learning Disability in Reading Comprehension. Learning Disabilities , 342 (5), 5-8.

Shumaker, J. (2009). Towards the Development of an Intervention model for Learning Disabled Adolescents. Exeptional Education quarterly , 14 (19), 45-74.

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