Design of blended learning program to improve reading skills of grade six students

The main objectives of this research study are to firstly investigate the efficacy of the designed blended learning program to enhance the reading skills of Grade 6 students, and to secondly explore the students’ attitudes towards the designed program. The blended learning program was primarily designed in relation to the O-NET reading tests and is composed of three main components: Online learning; face-to-face learning; and social and emotional support. This study applied mixed research methods for data collection and analysis. The quantitative data included the students’ test scores and a Likert scale questionnaire, while qualitative data was collected from the students’ logs, a teacher’s log, and other related documents. The data was quantitatively analyzed comparing the students’ pre- and post-test scores using descriptive statistics and t-test analysis. The qualitative data collected was grouped and categorized into different themes. The study results suggest that the participants’ reading skills improved after participating in the designed program. Moreover, they had a positive attitude toward the blended learning program. The findings also suggest an alternative approach to teach English reading to primary school students by using blended learning.