Difficulties in comprehension among learners learning English as a foreign language in Uganda: a schema theoretic approach

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to investigate the difficulties which affect comprehension of texts by learners of English as a foreign language in Uganda. It also reflects on the analysis of how their past language experiences are related to the difficulties they face in comprehension and how these past language experiences generally aid the comprehension process. In addition, it established the learners’ competence in reading, writing speaking, listening and understanding of English language and analyzed how these competences relate to their past language experiences. Twenty learners of English as a foreign language at Makerere University in the intermediate level provided data which was collected in three different categories. Competences in reading were tested by a written text which is named Text A while competences in listening were tested by an oral text which was read to them and they responded orally, it was named Text B. The past language experiences were collected using a language portrait which they shaded and after orally described the choice of their colors, the size of the shading and the parts chosen to shade. A transcription of the oral data was done which was used in the analysis. Data was analyzed using the triangulation method where the language experiences where related to the competences of the learners in the different skills including understanding or comprehension and the difficulties, they face in the comprehension process. The study established that past language experiences play a key role in the comprehension process of learners of English as a foreign language as stated byMC Vee, Dunsmore and Gavelek (2005:556). “We build our (schematic) understandings of the world on the basis of our embodied and socially mediated transactions with the world. These transactions with others are critical in the formation and continued development of mind. Our individual schematic understandings thus emerge from, but are not reducible to, our sociocultural transactions with others.” Therefore instructors of learners of English as a foreign language should pay close attention to the experiences learners bring to the classroom, so that, as stated in the above quotation, comprehension is achieved from the interaction between knowledge in the memory or back ground knowledge of the learner and the information in the text. This will render the comprehension process during learning of English as a foreign language easier and quicker as is the aim of reading or listening to a text. One who comprehends texts in a language is the one who has learnt that language. Comprehension of English as a foreign language cannot easily be arrived at by only knowing how to read and hear various words. It goes beyond to include having a deep and regular attachment with English. It involves studying intensively where attention is given to every detail including vocabulary, grammar and contextual usage of language which will allow learners to relate to the various experiences in the world. In juxtaposition with schema theory, this will enrich the learners’ memory store with experiences that will aid smooth comprehension