How Reading Comprehension and Summary Skills in English Have Been Examined by the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (ZIMSEC) at ‘O’Llevel - An Appraisal

Abstract

The study investigated the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council’s (ZIMSEC) examination of reading comprehension and summary in ‘O’ level English, focusing on, inter alia, the skills, texts used, questioning techniques, candidates’ performance in reading comprehension and summary vis-a -vis their composition writing performance, and on whether how the skills have been examined has influenced teaching. The research was qualitative. Document Analysis was employed. Thirty ‘O’ level English teachers who were assistant examiners were also purposively selected from schools in Masvingo Province and interviewed using a semi-structured guide. The ZIMSEC Subject Manager for English was interviewed to provide further insights. Emerging themes were then categorized and interpreted. The inquiry established that ZIMSEC has tended to emphasize contextual and literal skills at the expense of other comprehension skills, and identification of relevant ideas at the expense of other summary skills. Narrative-descriptive passages have been used, without due regard to the socio-cultural backgrounds of Zimbabwean candidates. Reading comprehension skills have been examined solely through short answer items. Candidates’ performance was worse in comprehension and summary than in composition. It also emerged that ZIMSEC’s examination of the skills largely influenced teaching. The study proffers recommendations to both ZIMSEC and ‘O’ level English Language teachers