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Prediction skill may be used in reading comprehension passages as encapsulated in interactive approach instruction. Prediction skills assist learners to decode the meaning of comprehension passages by constructing guesses about the contents of texts to be read in comprehension passages. Learners in Vihiga County register low achievement in English language examinations than peers in neighbouring counties over the years. The performance is much weaker in comprehension passages than grammar sections. Although there are low grades, the nexus between use of prediction skills and learners’ achievement in reading comprehension passages has not been assessed. This study applied the Solomon Four Non-Equivalent Group Design to obtain primary data from 279 primary school learners and 8 teachers in 2017. Multiple linear regression used generated two models, one for the experimental group (Model 1) and one for the control group (Model 2). Findings indicate that the influence of prediction skills on learner achievement in reading comprehension passages was significant in experimental, but insignificant in the control groups. However, influence was stronger in the experimental than in the control groups, suggesting that training English language teachers on correct application of prediction skills improves learner achievement in reading comprehension passages. The study recommends need to: sensitise teachers on textbook usage, while supplementing with improvised materials; guide learners through titles; as well as update teacher training curriculum by integrating inter alia, emerging instructional methods embracing Information and Communication Technology and entrenching innovation in resource mobilization and use.

Prediction is one of the comprehension processing skills encapsulated by the interactive approach instruction.Prediction skills enable learners to decode the meaning of comprehension passages by making guesses about the contents of texts to be read. Learners in Vihiga County perform poorer in English language examinations than their peers in neighbouring counties. The performance is weaker in comprehension than in grammar sections. Despite this, no study has assessed the nexus between the use of prediction skills and learners' achievement in reading comprehension. This study applied the Solomon Four-Group Design to obtain primary data from 279 primary school learners and eight teachers in 2017. Multiple Linear Regression was used to generate two models, one for the experimental group (Model 1) and one for the control group (Model 2). Results show that the influence of prediction skills on learners' achievement in reading comprehension was statistically significant the experimental group, but insignificant in the control group. However, the influence seemed to be stronger in the experimental than in the control group, which suggests that training English language teachers on how to correctly apply prediction skills is likely to improve learners' achievement in reading comprehension. The study recommends the need to: sensitise teachers to use textbooks cautiously, while supplementing with relevant resource materials; sensitise teachers on the need to guide learners through titles; as well as update the teacher training curriculum by integrating inter alia, new instructional methods based on information and communication technology and entrenching innovation to enable teachers diversify instructional resources.

Background. Primary school learners in Vihiga County have been recording a lower mean score in English language examinations than their counterparts in neighbouring counties, with the score being lower in comprehension passage than in grammar sections. Few previous studies conducted in Kenya have investigated the issue from the instructional dimension, thereby limiting stakeholders’ understanding of the issue and delaying appropriate interventions. Aim. To determine how the deployment of learners’ background knowledge influences performance in reading comprehension passages. Method. Solomon Four-Group Design guided the study. Data were sourced in mid-2017 from standard six learners and English language teachers. Regression analysis generated two models, one for the experimental and control groups, each. Results. In both models, deployment of background knowledge had a significant positive effect on the performance in reading comprehension passages, which prompted rejection of the null hypothesis. However, the effect was stronger in the experimental group than in the control group. The variation was attributed to training provided to the experimental group teachers, which improved their skills in activating learners’ background knowledge. Conclusions. Activating learners’ background knowledge is a vital antecedent to better performance in reading comprehension passages and the English language. Although prereading vocabulary is vital for the activation of learners’ background knowledge, overreliance on a single strategy to activate learners’ background knowledge undermines optimal deployment of background knowledge skills in reading, albeit with implications on performance.